What Can You Do About A Vaginal Yeast Infection?

Vaginal yeast infections are caused by overgrowth of Candida albicans type of yeast found in the vagina. This organism is normally found in small quantities in the vagina, mouth, digestive tract and skin. Women of all ages can get yeast infections. Throughout life, 75% of all women who could have at least one vaginal yeast infection and up to 45% have two or more.

Vaginal yeast infections may be confused with other conditions such as bacterial vaginosis, other infectious vaginitis and trichomoniasis. Of these three conditions, trichomoniasis is the only one for a sexually transmitted disease.

Women tend to be more prone to vaginal yeast infections if their bodies are under stress due to poor diet, illness, lack of sleep and when you take antibiotics or medicines, corticosteroids. Other common triggers include pregnancy, diabetes, steroids, birth control pills, pH balance, and obesity.

Vaginal yeast infections can also occur as a result of internal vaginal injury, such as after chemotherapy. Also, women with suppressed immune systems (such as those taking cortisone-related medicines such as prednisone) develop vaginal yeast infections (yeast vaginitis) more often than women with normal immunity.

Symptoms of vaginal yeast infection include redness, burning, itching and irritation of the vaginal area. Swelling of the vulva may be present in serious cases, swelling and painful urination and may be more frequent. Sometimes there is a yellow-green frothy vaginal discharge, which may have a bad odor, but not always.

Vaginal yeast infections are common and easily treated in most women, but became more and more difficult to treat in women with HIV. Treatments for yeast infections include prescription and over-the-counter medications. Pills, taken orally, requiring a prescription. Length of treatment varies depending on the vaginal medication you use. Single-day treatments are stronger and more comfortable.

If you are pregnant, do not use antifungal medication pills that you take by mouth.

Probiotics Help Women

Probiotics are the new, hot, all natural way to improve your health. They are the home remedy buzz as much as antioxidants were a few years ago.Antioxidant health information is still going strong because scientist are continuing to find powerful and supporting information about how helpful they are.

Probiotics are much the same with scientist just beginning to unlock the intricate nature and downright necessity these helpful bacteria perform in our bodies.

Women seem particularly susceptible to internal imbalance having to combat a host of problems such as yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis (bv) along with the usual digestive problems that afflict all humans. They also help increase the immune system, fight diarrhea, attack candida (yeast), relieve constipation, combat viruses and parasites and many more benefits.

The most essential job probiotics perform is to help us digest food. Along with that primary job they also help us absorb nutrients, fight and kill invading harmful bacteria.Beneficial bacteria are so important that a healthy adult can contain approximately 3-4 pounds of them within their intestinal tract.

Our horrible diets of over sanitized, over cooked, chemical laden foods have prevented modern women from constantly replacing probiotics that we would normally gain from eating fresh fruits and vegetable straight from the garden.The easiest ways to rebuild your stores of probiotics is to eat fermented foods like real yogurt or to take probiotic supplements.

Of course you could eat better and be sure to try and avoid overuse of antibiotics that kill the beneficial bacterial in your body. If you must use an antibiotic you would be well served to also supplement with probiotics.

Please note that only very limited information can be included in one short article like this one. For additional information on bacterial vaginosis treatment follow the links for more specific details.

It is not this article’s intention to provide specific medical advice to users of this website, instead this article is meant to provide users with information to help them better understand their health. You should consult a doctor before taking any medical advice.