Yeast Infection Cures
How to Cure Yeast Infection

A Woman’s Problem: Yeast Infection

For women, a yeast infection is a common problem which most women seem to experience at some point in their lives. As one of the most prominent problems for women, knowing how to treat a yeast infection is crucial to getting through it with as little fuss as possible.

Additional Terms

 

Depending on where you live in the world you may notice that what is called a yeast infection is not what it is called where you live. This is due to differences in health care systems as to which terms are used, but there are only two other names which are used widely and these are:

  1. Vaginal Thrush
  2. Candidiasis

Symptoms of a Yeast Infection

 

Symptoms are typically easy to spot, but typical symptoms include:

  • You may feel stinging while urinating and for a short time after urinating.

  • If you are sexually active then having sex might be painful.

  • The entrance to the vagina should be sore and may feel itchy.

  • Discharge may or may not be present, and may be watery or thick like cottage cheese.

However some symptoms of a yeast infection may be more severe and may point to a very different ailment. Some of these symptoms include:

  • Vagina may be swollen, as well as the vulva.

  • Skin around the entrance to the vagina may be cracked and flaky.

  • A rare symptom may be sores around the affected area, but this could also point to other fungal-based diseases.

  • The vagina and vulva may appear irritated and red.

Origin of a Yeast Infection

 

A yeast infection is caused by the overgrowth of the fungal organism called Candida Albicans. Candida Albicans lives in the vaginas of roughly half of all women without causing any harm, but when it begins to grow out of control it’s known as a yeast infection; and that is when visible symptoms are found.

It’s known that the chances of infection are increased by certain factors, though, such as:

  • Pregnant women are at a much higher risk of contracting a yeast infection.

  • The taking of certain antibiotics can have an effect on the growth of the Candida Albicans fungus, which can eventually break out into a yeast infection.

  • Weakened immune systems are unable to control the growth of the Candida Albicans fungus, which means there is a greater chance of it growing out of control and breaking out into a yeast infection.

  • People who have diabetes, and are controlling it poorly, are placed at a much higher risk of suffering from a yeast infection.

Diagnosis of a Yeast Infection

 

Diagnosis will usually be carried out easily by your local GP and will not require you to go to hospital. When you first notice any symptoms it may be an indication that you have some form of infection, and then it’s advised that you go to a GP immediately since some of these symptoms are so closely related to certain sexually transmitted diseases.

Your GP will typically ask you four different questions before beginning their diagnosis:

  1. They will first ask you which symptoms you are experiencing at that moment in time.

  1. Then your GP will ask you about whether you have had an infection before.

  1. A question about whether you have been diagnosed as someone who is prone to developing infections will also be asked.

  1. Finally they will ask you about any medications you may have been recommended or used to treat your infection in the past, as well as whether they worked for you or not.

 

But if an immediate diagnosis is unable to made by your GP…

  • Your GP will carry out three tests on you in order to confirm whether it’s an infection or a different illness altogether.

  • The tests may include, but are not limited to; a blood test, a pH test, or a vaginal swab.

  • These tests will usually be carried out if you are somebody who is prone to developing infections, has particularly severe symptoms, or there is a suspicion that you may have developed a sexually transmitted disease.

Treatment

 

For most women the symptoms are not severe so you may be prescribed medicine for a period of a few days in order to clear the symptoms. However if the symptoms are severe then you may be required to take medicine for a longer period of time.

In total there are three regularly used treatments by women, and they are each found to be equally as effective in treating infections so the choice is very much up to the GP and the patient. These treatment options are:

  • A lump of medicine which is inserted directly into the vagina in the same way as a tampon.

  • Cream is another option which can be used. Cream is usually placed around the entrance to the vagina in order to eliminate the fungus which is living on the entrance.

  • Oral treatments, which are pills or tablets taken in the same way as any over-the-counter indigestion tablets.

Prevention of Yeast Infection

 

While there is no way to completely eliminate your risk of an infection, there are some techniques which can be used in order to significantly reduce your chances.

  1. Wash the vaginal area with warm water, and avoid using shower gels or vaginal perfumes.

  1. Avoid lubricants which may irritate the vagina.

  1. Avoid tight-fitting clothing as this can irritate the vaginal area.

    Learn more about yeast infection at Yeast No More.

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