The Causes Of Vaginal Yeast Infection
Yeast infections are often caused by a variety of factors that make the vagina more susceptible to yeast overgrowth. These factors can be superficial, such as wearing tight-fitting clothes or synthetic underwear, or they can be internal, like diabetes or having a compromised immune system.
A yeast infection is an overgrowth of unhealthy strains of fungus that typically reside in the vagina. Although this type of infection often goes away on its own in time, it’s important to see your doctor if you have any concerns about your symptoms so they can prescribe treatment if necessary.
What causes yeast infections?
The most common and well-known risk factors for yeast infections are listed below. But first, it’s important to understand how this type of infection works and where yeast typically resides in the body.
Yeast is usually present in small amounts throughout the body, including on the skin, inside the mouth and gut, and in the vagina. Normally, it remains in check with a healthy immune system and balanced pH levels. But when these systems are unable to keep this fungus at bay, an overgrowth can occur.
The most common cause of a yeast infection is known as Candida albicans. This fungus tends to reside in the vagina and occasionally grows out of control, resulting in an infection.
There are many factors that can increase a woman’s chances for developing a yeast infection. The following list highlights these risk factors:
Diabetes: Diabetes is the state of having too much glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream. Having too much sugar makes the vagina more susceptible to yeast overgrowth. Diabetics should always talk with their healthcare provider before using any type of over-the-counter medication, including creams and suppositories, to treat vaginal itching or discharge or infections such as yeast infections.
Antibiotic use: Antibiotics are often prescribed to treat bacterial infections and are sometimes necessary for certain medical conditions. But antibiotics can change the natural balance of good and bad bacteria in the vagina, which is a cause of yeast overgrowth.
Douching: Douching is when a fluid or solution is introduced into the vagina with an instrument such as a douche or enema bag. Douching is typically done with water or other fluids and can be used to cleanse, rinse, or freshen the vagina. Although many women and healthcare providers consider douching an important part of feminine hygiene, it should not be done on a regular basis because it can introduce harmful bacteria into the vagina and cause infection.
Condoms: Many condoms have a lining of latex that allows the condom to protect against infections. If you’re using a barrier method of birth control, however, such as the hormonal IUD or implant, it’s important to be careful about the time you use a condom and avoid infections. If you do have a yeast infection while using birth control, it’s very important to go see your healthcare provider for treatment.
Stress: Stress can make your body more susceptible to infection, and stress may also cause some women to have an increase in vaginal discharge or itching.
Eating foods: Eating foods that are rich in sugar may contribute to yeast overgrowth, especially if you tend to have periods of increased vaginal discharge or itching. Sugary foods include cakes, candies, cookies, and soft drinks. In addition, a diet high in fat can also lead to an overgrowth of yeast.
Medications: Certain medications can interfere with healthy bacteria in the vagina or harm the bacteria that is supposed to protect against an infection. For example, antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections can reduce the number of normal microorganisms that reside in the vagina. This change can make your body more susceptible to infection from certain types of fungi (fungi are not bacteria). In addition, birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and corticosteroids can all increase your risk of yeast infections.
Pregnancy: Pregnant women may have an increased production of estrogen, which is a hormone that can cause an overgrowth of yeast. In addition, the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can make the vagina more susceptible to infections and disease. Women who are pregnant or considering pregnancy should talk with their healthcare provider about any vaginal symptoms and discuss the benefits and risks of treatment before trying any type of over-the-counter products or medications to treat a yeast infection.
Menopause: During menopause, the body produces less estrogen than it does in younger women. This decrease contributes to changes in the vagina and increases a woman’s chances of yeast infection.
HIV/AIDS: A compromised immune system makes the vagina more susceptible to yeast infections. In fact, women who have HIV/AIDS are often given a prescription for antifungal medication because they are so likely to develop vaginal yeast infections.
Diagnosing a yeast infection
If you think you have a yeast infection, talk with your healthcare provider about your symptoms and ask if you need an exam or testing. A good way to determine whether you have a yeast infection is to look at the color and amount of discharge on your underwear or toilet paper after using the bathroom.
If your discharge is creamy and white, it’s more likely to be a yeast infection. If it’s yellow or green, however, it could be a bacterial infection. Bacterial infections usually have symptoms of itching, irritation, and burning alongside the vaginal discharge, whereas yeast infections tend to only cause itching and may not have any other symptoms.
If you suspect you might have a yeast infection that is causing your body pain or discomfort, see a doctor as soon as possible for an evaluation. You might need treatment if your symptoms worsen or don’t go away in one to two weeks.
Treatment
Yeast infections that are not severe may be treated with over-the-counter medications, such as Monistat (1 or 3), Gyne-Lotrimin (1 or 3), or FemSeven. However, if you have a yeast infection that is particularly bothersome, it’s best to see a doctor for treatment.
Your healthcare provider can tell you if the over-the-counter medications are safe for you to use, and also help determine whether your infection is caused by yeast and not another type of fungus. If your infection is caused by yeast, he or she will probably prescribe a one-time pill such as Diflucan (fluconazole) or a three-day course of oral pills that contains fluconazole.
In many cases this type of treatment will eliminate the yeast infection. If you are pregnant and experience a vaginal yeast infection, your healthcare provider may choose not to prescribe oral medication and instead treat it with vaginal creams or suppositories.
The healthcare provider may also recommend an antifungal cream (such as Clotrimazole) that you can buy over the counter to treat the yeast infection on your own at home.
Conclusion
If your healthcare provider doesn’t think you have a yeast infection, there’s no harm in trying an over-the-counter product to treat the symptoms. Sometimes over-the-counter remedies can cure a yeast infection, especially if you start using them on the first day of symptoms. However, if symptoms don’t go away in one to two weeks or continue after using these products, it is best to see your physician. Some infections are caused by bacteria that can be treated with oral medications; others are caused by fungi that need topical creams or suppositories.