Vaginal Yeast Infection

A vaginal yeast infection causes irritation of the vagina and the area around it (vulva). They are most commonly caused by on overgrowth of the fungus Candida albicans. You actually always have a little bit of yeast in your vagina, but it's when you have too much that the vaginal yeast infection occurs.

Vaginal yeast infections are very common among women. About 75 percent of all women experience them at least once in their life, and almost half of those women have more than one infection in their lifetime. Some can actually get a vaginal yeast infection each month.

So what are some signs of a vaginal yeast infection? Well though there are many more symptoms, here are the most common that women suffer from:

Painful and red burning/itching in and around the vagina

Soreness

Pain during intercourse

Problems with urination (pain and itching)

Thick, white vaginal discharge (cottage-cheese like)

Diagnosis and Treatment

A vaginal yeast infection can commonly be confused with other infections, so you should always consult your physician if you think you suffer from a vaginal yeast infection. Your doctor may prescribe an over the counter medication, a cream, or an oral prescription.

Causes and Prevention

A vaginal yeast infection is often first noticed by a slight itch. But if it goes untreated, the itch can get worse and can often lead to unpleasant odors and unusual discharge. A vaginal yeast infection can be an embarrassing, shameful experience for women.

As we discussed earlier, a vaginal yeast infection is caused by a buildup of the fungus Candida albicans, but some other causes you might not know about are:

Clothing - tight clothing surrounding the vagina traps heat, dirt, and moisture, while chemically colored clothing can often trigger allergic reactions which can lead to a vaginal yeast infection

Medication (such as birth control, steroids, and antibiotics) - many medications may kill the bacteria in other places, but it can also kill the "good" vaginal bacteria which then allows the yeast to take over.

Poor eating habits - high levels of sugar in your diet causes elevating levels of sugar in your urine, which can contribute to a vaginal yeast infection.

Periods - the pH of menstrual blood is often too much for the yeast, so you may experience an infection while on your period.

Obviously there are some causes of vaginal yeast infections that you can't control, but doing as much as you can in trying to avoid the tight, chemically colored clothing and high levels of sugar can make such a big difference in your occurrences of infection.