Vaginal Yeast Infections Facts
Vaginal yeast infections send more women to the
doctor than just about any other cause. Unfortunately, many women
have to keep going back to the doctor because the infection returns.
If you’re one of those women, you know that a yeast infection is no
fun at all, and you’re ready to do whatever it takes to keep from
having another one.
According to recent research, the incidence of vaginal yeast
infections has doubled over the last 20 years, possibly because of
changes in lifestyle, environmental changes, or mutations in the
yeast organism itself. No one really knows for sure why the
incidence of infections is increasing so rapidly.
Since most of us are only aware of yeast when we get a vaginal
infection, many people don’t realize that over 10,000 people in the
United States die each year from fungal infections caused by the
same organism that makes our crotches itch and burn.
The yeast that is responsible for vaginal infections
and oral thrush is a tiny fungus called Candida albicans.
Occasionally, a yeast infection is caused by a form of Candida yeast
other than the common C. albicans. These yeasts include C.
dubliniensi and C. stellatoidea. Tests can be done to determine what
type of yeast is causing an infection, but infections by yeasts
other than Candida albicans are rare.
Candida is the most common type of fungal infection in humans, and
it can lead to serious health problems for some people. A yeast
infection can even be deadly in people with compromised immune
systems. For this reason, any woman who gets the symptoms of a yeast
infection while receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer should
seek medical attention as soon as possible.
There are four common causes of yeast infections:
1. The balance of power between bacteria and yeast is disturbed.
Bacteria help us by keeping the yeast in check, so if the bacteria
are killed, a yeast population can explode out of control.
This can happen when antibiotics are used during an illness. A diet
high in refined sugars and other carbohydrates can also upset the
balance by favoring the growth of yeast and inhibiting the growth of
bacteria. This imbalance can lead to a yeast infection in the mouth
or vagina.
2. Changing hormone balances, (due to pregnancy, hormone replacement
therapy during menopause, and oral contraceptives), can create the
right conditions for a yeast infection.
3. Yeast infections can also occur when the patient’s immune system
is compromised by an HIV infection, chemotherapy or radiation
treatment, Lyme disease or organ transplant. Steroids can also slow
the immune response and allow a yeast infection to take hold.
4. And finally, chronic yeast infections can be a symptom of a more
serious underlying illness, such as diabetes, thyroid disorder,
leukemia or AIDS. If your yeast infection keeps coming back, ask
your doctor for a complete exam to rule out any underlying cause.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of vaginal yeast infections are very
similar to other conditions that are caused by bacteria and
parasites. While yeast infections are not usually dangerous in women
with intact immune systems, a bacterial infection can cause
permanent damage to your reproductive organs, and must be treated
promptly.
This is why it is so important to get a medical diagnosis, even if
you’ve had a yeast infection before. It’s also the reason why you
should be very careful before treating an infection on your own – up
to two-thirds of the women who purchase over-the counter medications
for yeast infections actually have a bacterial infection instead,
and the anti-fungal medication won’t do any good. In fact, using
anti-fungal medications when you don't need to can make future yeast
infections more difficult to treat.
To make matters even more complicated, some “natural” cures for
yeast infections that you find on the Internet can actually push a
bacterial infection up into your uterus and fallopian tubes, where
it can cause permanent damage. For this reason, it’s important to
learn as much as you can about vaginal yeast infections, and the
other types of conditions that look just the same, but need to be
treated differently.
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Prevent Yeast Infection
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