What we sometimes fail to understand about a vaginal yeast infection in women is that such an infection can behave like a sexually transmitted disease and it can be shared with your sexual partners so that the condition can become an ongoing nightmare if not properly treated.

Symptoms of a Vaginal Yeast Infection in Women

You may have minor or monstrous symptoms when you’re in the throes of a yeast infection. Each case is different. You may have any or all of the following symptoms to a greater or lesser degree.

• Burning, redness, and swelling in the genital area
• Pain or burning while urinating
• Pain during sex
• Tenderness
• A thick, whitish vaginal discharge which resembles cottage cheese
• A rash in the genital area

Because the symptoms associated with vaginal yeast infections in women can mimic other sexually transmitted conditions like gonorrhea or Chlamydia, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor, particularly if your symptoms persist.

Causes of Vaginal Yeast Infections in Women

A vaginal yeast infection may be shared among sexual partners, but it may also erupt on its own for any number of reasons. Most commonly, women discover that they have a yeast infection after taking oral antibiotics or using topical antibiotics which can interfere with the body’s natural defenses. Yeast is among the bacteria which is perfectly natural and right at home in the vaginal area. When the yeast grows unchecked, however, it becomes a problem.

Other causes of yeast infections include increased sugar excreted in the urine in diabetics. This is why a trip to your doctor is in order if you’ve had several yeast infections in a twelve-month period. Yeasts love a warm, wet climate. Because of this, women who suffer from incontinence and must wear pads to protect their clothing from urine leaks often suffer from vaginal yeast infections.

Treatment and Prevention of Yeast Infections

Yeast infections are easy to treat. There are now many over-the-counter products available at your pharmacy which will relieve your symptoms almost immediately. Your doctor may also prescribe creams or suppositories and/or a short-duration course of oral medication which will restore the PH balance in your genital area.

For your part, remember to keep your genital area as dry as possible. Wearing cotton panties or those with cotton-lined crotches will help. Also, do not use scented toilet tissue, deodorant tampons, or douche too often. These things can disrupt the chemistry of your vulva.

A word to the wise

If you depend upon either a diaphragm or condoms for birth control, do not do so when you are using topical creams, ointments or suppositories for treatment of vaginal yeast infection in women. The chemicals in these medications can interfere with the latex in these products and undermine their effectiveness.

There are several factors that can cause yeast infections in men, low immune function being among the most prominent cause. Stress or illness can compromise immune function making one more susceptible to infection. When a person’s immune system is weak, their bodies become prone to infections.

In cases where antibiotics are used for a prolonged period of time, the useful bacteria in the body are usually killed which may cause microorganisms such as candida to grow.

Sex with an infected partner is also known to cause yeast infections in men. There is a believe that balanitis is more common in uncircumsized male than the circumcised ones. Balinitis is an inflammation of the glans penis which also affects the foreskin.

There are several common symptoms of yeast infections in men including irritation, memory loss, general weakness in the body, white discharge from the genital area, problems when urinating, swelling and red patches or blisters on the penis.

Yeast infections are classified into two categories. The first one is the oral yeast infection, also known as oral thrush. This type is usually accompanied by creamy white painful sores in the mouth or throat. The second type is the internal yeast infection. Some of the symptoms of internal yeast infection are constipation, bloating or indigestion and diarrhea or loose stool.

Sexual dysfunction is also a symptom of internal yeast infection as well as mood swings, irritability and bad breath. These symptoms are usually minimal for men, and most with yeast infections remain unaware of the condition.

Remedies that can be used to cure yeast infections include:

• Garlic: Chewing raw garlic or taking tablets can be very helpful, as garlic is a powerful antifungal.
• Avoid Sugar: Sugar provides an ideal environment for yeast, and a high sugar diet can exacerbate symptoms.
• Low Sugar Yogurt: This aids in digestion and helps balance bacteria in the body.

Yeast infections can also be cured using herbal or prescription medicines. The drugs used to cure yeast infection usually come in form of tablets or antifungal creams. Using this type of medication is not a guarantee that candidiadis will not recur, but they usually provide relief from acute symptoms.

Some of the herbal remedies that can be used include applying tea tree oil on the affected area. Coconut oil is also known to get rid of candidiadis in the body, as well as diluted vinegar. Vinegar can be used while bathing to cure some of the symptoms.

If some of the predisposing factors are taken into consideration, yeast infections in men can be prevented, or at the very least reduced. Treat existing yeast infections at the first sign of symptoms for faster relief.

Yeast infection may appear at any moment during pregnancy, however, research statistics have shown that the infection is more likely to appear during the second trimester of a pregnancy.

An important fact to note is that if a woman gets yeast infection during her pregnancy, it will not cause any harm to her or the baby. It can however cause some discomfort and mental anguish. This is the reason why it is recommended that a woman who suspects she may have yeast infection to immediately seek medical assistance by consulting a doctor on how to treat the problem.

Early signs of yeast infection may include redness, itching and some pain around the vaginal area. You may also experience a discharge that is “cottage cheese like” coming out from the vagina. Another sign might be feeling a burning sensation during sexual intercourse. is another symptom of a yeast infection.

When you do seek medical assistance, your doctor is likely to prescribe you a cream or suppository to ease the infection. There are quite a few medications which have been approved for the treatment of yeast infection, but many are known to be unsafe for use during a pregnancy. That is why some women decide it may be better to use natural home remedies such as apple cider and yoghurt to cure their infection. Before you take this cause of action, it is recommended that you should always consult your doctor before taking any action with natural remedies.

In general, yeast infections will clear up within 3 days of using prescription creams or suppository, however some infections may be a lot harder to treat. If you do not see any visible signs of improvements after three days, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor again who will look at why the prescription isn’t working. On some occasions, the symptoms actually worsen. Again, you should seek medical advice from your doctor if this happens.

It can be a good idea to be pro active and carry out preventative measures to avoid getting the infection during a pregnancy. While it is harder to prevent yeast infection while you are pregnant, there are still steps that as a woman you can take to reduce your chances of getting the infection.

These include,

• Wear loose-fitting clothing at all times to allow air to flow to the vagina.
• Avoid using perfumes and deodorants during pregnancy because these may increase your chances of infection.
• Reduce your level of sugar intake because yeast feeds off of sugar, so you should make sure your intake of it is low.
• Increase your intake of yoghurt. Medical evidence suggests that eating yoghurt can help in the prevention of yeast infection.

While yeast infection is a common concern for women who are pregnant, it is an infection that can be treated and also prevented using both medication and natural remedies.

So, what is a yeast infection? It’s a kind of infection that is caused by yeast or microscopic fungi. It is most often called as “candidiasis” and can affect the private organ, just under the breast, on the lower abdomen, under the skin folds and even around dentures.

The foul smell that is emanated from the affected area can cause discomfort and humiliation which you can easily get rid of by following these easy treatments for yeast infection. No need to suffer from it any longer as long as you know the good old tricks to fight off those filthy yeasts and fungi without heading to a drug store.

• First is garlic. You can head to your local grocery store and buy some garlic. Better yet, just head to your kitchen, for sure you have some garlic lying around. You can include more garlic in your diet but the best way to make use of its anti-fungal property is by directly applying it to the affected area. For women with a vaginal yeast infection, the garlic must be inserted into the vagina. Just make sure you place the garlic on a string that would make it much easier to pull out. Leave it in for a couple of hours and pull the string to remove it.
• Second is by using yogurt. The Lactobacillus Acidophilus from the yogurt is great for fighting off the yeast infection. You can apply the yogurt to the affected area in different ways. You can use a syringe without a needle to squeeze in the yogurt into your vagina or simply coat it on the vaginal walls. Anyway you do it, it will work.
• Third, use vinegar. Don’t use the strong vinegar solution but the mild vinegar. It must be white vinegar that’s diluted in water. About 1 tablespoon of pure vinegar diluted in a quart of water would be good. You can just douche it onto the affected area every few hours for it to be most effective.
• Fourth, use tea tree oil. There are many drug stores and retail outlets that sell tea tree oil and it’s been used for many years because it works in treating many kinds of infection. Just apply it onto the affected area and notice quick relief. Do this until your yeast infection days are over.
• Fifth, keep your problem areas clean. Make sure it’s dry all the time as moisture will make your problem even worse. Make sure you only use panty liners or pads only when necessary and replace it after a few hours. The longer it stays there, the more bacteria can thrive and it will definitely make your problem even worse.