Vaginal Candidiasis ~ Article by PubMedHealth

I just recently realised the importance of maintaining a good feminine hygiene & I gotta share some infos that I had just gained pertaining to this subject. Of course I'd received a good education on this since school & understood that such part is very delicate & requires extra care but all I know was simply the basic fundamentals & only now I realised there is more to learn as far as the feminine hygiene subject is concern. I may write based on my own personal experience & I would like to share it so that some of you can benefit from it. As the wise men say, "preventions are better than cure". True, indeed.

I wouldn't bother to include this topic in my blog if what I'm currently facing did not open my eyes & gives an impact to my life. I think it is crucial for all girls to gain ample of infos on the subject pertaining to the prevention of any vaginal infections. Once you get infected due to care negligence, you will be so stress & unhappy. Extra care needed to be taken at that point of time to cure the disease & this will leads to frustrations in terms of health, money, relationship with your partner & your self-confidence.

I think that many of us are open to vaginal infection, not only to miscarried women or pregnant women, but all of us. Especially those who have more white discharge daily.

Girls, I hope this article that I had taken from a website will be useful to you & take care! :-)

So let's read some of the infos here:-

What is Vaginal Yeast Infection?

 Vaginal yeast infection is an infection of the vagina, most commonly due to the fungus Candida albicans.

*Source: PubMed Health

Causes, Incidents & Risk Factors

Most women have a vaginal yeast infection at some time. Candida albicans is a common type of fungus. It is often found in small amounts in the vagina, mouth, digestive tract, and on the skin. Usually it does not cause disease or symptoms.

Candida and the many other germs that normally live in the vagina keep each other in balance. However, sometimes the number of Candida albicans increases, leading to a yeast infection.

This can happen if you are:

• Taking antibiotics used to treat other types of infections. Antibiotics change the normal balance between germs in the vagina by decreasing the number of protective bacteria.
• Pregnant
• Obese
• Have diabetes

A yeast infection is not a sexually transmitted illness. However, some men will develop symptoms such as itching and a rash on the penis after having sexual contact with an infected partner.

Having many vaginal yeast infections may be a sign of other health problems. Other vaginal infections and discharges can be mistaken for a vaginal yeast infection.

*Source: PubMed Health

Symptoms

• Abnormal vaginal discharge
  • Ranges from a slightly watery, white discharge to a thick, white, chunky discharge (like cottage cheese)
• Pain with intercourse
• Painful urination
• Redness and swelling of the vulva
• Vaginal and labial itching, burning

 *Source: PubMed Health

Treatment

Medications to treat vaginal yeast infections are available in either creams or suppositories. Most can be bought without a prescription.

Treating yourself at home is probably okay if:

• Your symptoms are mild and you do not have pelvic pain or a fever
• This is not your first yeast infection and you have not had many yeast infections in the past
• You are not pregnant
• You are not worried about other sexually transmitted diseases from recent sexual contact

Medications you can buy yourself to treat a vaginal yeast infection are:

• Miconazole
• Clotrimazole
• Tioconazole
• Butoconazole

Read the packages carefully and use them as directed. Do not stop using these medications early because your symptoms are better. You will need to take the medicine for 3 - 7-days, depending on which medicine you buy. If you do not get get repeated infections, a 1-day medicine might work for you.

You doctor can also prescribe a medicine called fluconazole. This medicine is a pill that you only take once.

If your symptoms are more severe or you have repeat vaginal yeast infections, you may need:

• Medicine for up to 14 days
• Clotrimazole vaginal suppository or fluconazole pill every week to prevent new infections

To help prevent and treat vaginal discharge:

• Keep your genital area clean and dry. Avoid soap and rinse with water only. Sitting in a warm, but not hot, bath may help your symptoms.
• Avoid douching. Although many women feel cleaner if they douche after menstruation or intercourse, it may actually worsen vaginal discharge because it removes healthy bacteria lining the vagina that protect against infection.
• Eat yogurt with live cultures or take Lactobacillus acidophilus tablets when you are on antibiotics to prevent a yeast infection.
• Use condoms to avoid catching or spreading sexually transmitted infection (STI).
• Avoid using feminine hygiene sprays, fragrances, or powders in the genital area.
• Avoid wearing extremely tight-fitting pants or shorts, which may cause irritation.
• Wear cotton underwear or cotton-crotch pantyhose. Avoid underwear made of silk or nylon, because these materials are not very absorbant and restrict air flow. This can increase sweating in the genital area, which can cause irritation.
• Use pads and not tampons.
• Keep your blood sugar levels under good control if you have diabetes.
  
   *Source: PubMed Health