What are the causes and cures for yeast infection?
Yeast infection is a common problem in women where 75 percent have reported infection.
Yeast infections occur in the vagina caused by a fungus called Candida albicans. A normal vagina includes bacteria and a number of yeast cells. The Vagina environment is acidic by nature so it does not allow this infection to take place. But a change in the the acid nature of vagina becomes less allowing it to grow at a rapid rate and leads to infection. Common symptoms for these infections are irritations, itching, burning and swelling of the vagina along with abnormal vaginal discharge. Infected persons may experience pain while urinating due to inflammation of the urinary opening. Sexual intercourse can also lead to pain because of dryness and swelling. Itching persists for more than three days, doesn't respond to home remedies or is getting progressively worse.
What Your Symptom Is Telling You
Your private parts are often covered in three or four layers of material such as a pantiliner, panties, or a pair of snug-fitting pantyhose. So what is that warm, moist part of you doing under all those layers? It's itching and driving you mad.
Vaginal itching can come from something as simple as trapping bacteria for too long under too many layers of too-tight clothes. All that warmth and moisture provide perfect conditions for incubating infections. In fact, itching can be the unwelcome calling card of a wide variety of infections, ranging from bacterial vaginitis to yeast (also called Candida albicans or monilia) and trichomoniasis. The itching can also signal an allergy to a chemical in soap, deodorant or dye, or may simply be a sign of thinning vaginal tissues in women approaching menopause.
Let's take a look at how to banish that itching.
Sitz in some salt.
Several forms of vaginitis will often respond to a simple home remedy?
The saline sitz bath.
Here's the recipe from Gideon Panter, M.D., a gynecologist in New York City.
Dissolve a half-cup table salt in a shallow tub of warm water. In the tub, insert your finger into your vagina to let the warm salt water in, then remove your finger and relax for 10 to 15 minutes. Two or three consecutive nights of sitz baths should ease the itch, if yours is home treatable, Dr. Panter says.
Don't have sexual intercourse until your itching has cleared up, Dr. Panter says. If the organism set up in your vagina was transmitted by your partner, there's no sense in re-exposing yourself to trouble. Take a few days to show love in other ways, he suggests.
Consider the condom. Condoms provide wonderful protection against both unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. If condom use always seems to be followed by a bout of vaginal itching, however, it's possible that an allergy to the condom's latex rubber, powder coating or lubricant could be the problem.
If you need medical advise then you should+ask your doctor.
You'll need your doctor's help to determine which type of infection is causing your itching. If you've been diagnosed with yeast infections in the past, and are very familiar with the specific symptoms, call your doctor for a prescription of antifungal medications such as Vagistat, Nystatin or Monistat.
Trichomoniasis is treated with the prescription antibiotic Flagyl. Bacterial infections call for antibacterial agents?either sulfa drugs or, if you're allergic to sulfa, with Betadine antiseptic, an over-the-counter product.
"And be sure to have your doctor test you for the human papilloma virus (HPV). This virus, which causes genital warts, is an important and frequently overlooked cause of vaginal itching.
Get help for menopause symptoms.
If you're approaching menopause, ask your doctor about treatments for itching caused by changes that are taking place in the vagina. Hormone replacement therapy is an option, but you should also ask about prescription hormonal creams for the vagina. Bag the douche and powder. Douching not only won't help to relieve itching or vaginitis, it may be dangerous. Douching may drive infectious material up through the cervix and cause pelvic inflammatory disease.
Defeating the Yeast Beast
Fortunately for women who suffer from recurrent yeast infections, these infections respond well to treatment. And there's plenty of prevention available, too. Cut down on sugar. Sugar feeds yeast, so cut back on high-sugar foods.
See what Vitamin C can do for
Take 500 milligrams of vitamin C twice a day. Vitamin C increases the acidity of the vagina, creating a yeast-unfriendly environment.
After a shower or bath, blow-dry the vaginal area. Yeast needs moisture to survive. Set your blow dryer on cool, and position the dryer six to eight inches from the vaginal area.
A sitz bath works well to fend off yeast infections.
Once a month after your menstrual cycle, add three tablespoons of boric acid to six inches of water in a pan large enough to sit in. While you're roosting in your roaster for five to ten minutes, the yeast is in retreat.
Lay on the lactobacillus.
A cup-a-day habit of yogurt with active Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures will reduce your likelihood of yeast infections. Health food stores are your best bet for "live" natural yogurt. Lactobacillus is also available in powder and capsule forms at health food stores.
Take the scratch test.
If your yeast infections persist, you may be allergic to Candida, and allergy shots of Candida extract can help prevent further problems. Ask your doctor to refer you to a board-certified allergist for skin testing.
Remove yeast from your diet.
If you test positive, avoid allergic reactions to Candida by avoiding foods and beverages containing yeast and molds, at least until you have received the allergy shots for about six months. Look out for the following yeast and mold troublemakers: bread, pizza, English muffins, bagels, croissants, raised doughnuts, beer, wine, liquor, apple cider, moldy cheeses, cider or wine vinegar, pickles, grapes, berries, cantaloupe, fruit juices, brown sugar, sprouts, mushrooms, yeast extract, vitamins derived from yeast, smoked meats and fish and leftovers.
Prime your prescription.
If you know you get frequent yeast infections, then ask for anti-yeast medication whenever your doctor puts you on antibiotics. (Antibiotics taken for other infections kill off both friendly and unfriendly bacteria in the vagina, clearing the way for an overgrowth of yeast.)
Plan your prevention.
Any vaginal irritation can pave the way for yeast infection. That's why it helps to avoid any vagina/chemical contact, including perfumes, colored toilet paper, dyed underpants, deodorants and commercial sexual lubricants.
To prevent yeast flare-ups wash your clothes with unscented detergent, avoiding fabric softeners and wearing loose-fitting cotton clothing, white cotton underwear and no pantyhose.
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