Introduction
Hello everyone, it feels amazing to be here again. It's been a beautiful day over here. Hope you are having a beautiful day too. It's been a while since my last post, I have been tending to some personal issues, but hello steemians, I'm back. Last time, we discussed about a very dangerous bacterial infection of the skin called Cellulitis. It was a fantastic post, to read more about it click here.
This time around, we are going to be talking about a fungal infection that concerns the women more, and affects only but a few men. This fungal infection is called vaginal yeast infection. Oh yes, it affects the vagina, but a few men also contract it through sexual intercourse with infected women. It is caused by a yeast called Candida species. This infection causes pain, soreness, itching and redness of the vagina and in some cases, it causes the discharge of a white thick odorless liquid. This infection makes women really restless and uncomfortable.
I decided to write this post when I saw a lady that looked a lot like my home economics teacher in school. She was such a beautiful lady and rumors had it that she was very promiscuous, sleeping around with rich men for money. There came a time in school, when I and my classmates noticed this beautiful lady continuously scratching her private part and twisting her legs in funny ways as though something was itching her right there. After a few days of this strange behavior, she resigned, and that was the last I saw of her.
This lady I saw looked so much like her, and that brought back those memories, so out of curiosity, I started doing some research into vaginal infections, and this article is one of them.
Wikimedia commons: Yeast Infection
What is a vaginal yeast infection?
This infection is caused by yeast. This infection is sometimes referred to as yeast vaginitis, Candidal vulvovaginitis or Candidal vaginitis. Candida is the scientific name for the yeast that causes vaginitis. Very well over 90% of vaginal yeast infections are caused by the species known as Candidal albicans. This infection can also be caused by other Candida species, such as C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. krusei and C. glabrata.
This very yeast, that is, Candida species can be present in the vagina of healthy women without causing any symptoms. The fact is that, it has been estimated that 25% to 55% of women have Candida already present in the vagina. This infection occurs when the normal balance of yeast and bacteria is disturbed, thereby causing an overgrowth of the yeast.
Although, yeast can be spread by sexual contact, vaginal yeast infection is not regarded as a sexually transmitted disease, simply because it can also occur in women who are not involved in sexual activities. This is due to the fact that Candida species can be present normally in the vagina of healthy women. This vaginal infection is very common, it has been estimated that up to 75% of women are affected at some point in life.
Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms of vaginal yeast infection may include- Soreness or pain in the vaginal opening, rash, a white odorless and thick discharge that looks like cottage cheese or a watery discharge, vaginal burning during urination or intercourse, irritation, itching of the vagina or vulva, that is, the tissue surrounding the vagina.
In cases of more severe or complicated yeast infection, it is observed that more severe symptoms occur. In some other cases, four or more infections may occur in one year. Severe redness, itching and swelling which may lead to skin sores may also occur.
There are also cases where it affects men, it affects the head of the penis. The symptoms in men may include- irritation, redness and discharge. The mouth and the skin may also be affected. Please note, the length of time a vaginal yeast infection is left untreated has a direct effect on how severe the symptoms may become.
Causes
This infection occurs when there is an introduction of new yeast into the vagina area, as well as when the quantity of yeast already present in the vagina increases relative to the quantity of the normal bacteria. Take for example, when the bacteria normally found in the vagina are destroyed by antibiotics or by the use of immunosuppressive drugs, as a result, there could be a multiplication in the yeast, invading tissues, and this can cause irritation of the lining of the vagina.
This infection can also occur after chemotherapy, which may result to injury in the inner vagina. We can also observe that women with immunodeficiency have more tendency of developing vaginal yeast infections than women with normal immunity. There are some conditions that may cause this infections and they include- pregnancy, using contraceptives and diabetes.
Also, the use of perfumed vaginal hygiene sprays or douches may increase a woman's risk of developing a vaginal yeast infection. Another thing to note is that this infection is not considered sexually-transmitted disease (STD), because Candida may be present in the vagina normally. In some cases, men develop symptoms of skin irritation of the penis from a yeast infection after having sexual intercourse with a partner that is infected, but this is not the case always.
Wikimedia commons: Candida albicans
Risk factors
The factors that increase the risk of vaginal yeast infection include- pregnancy, being immunodeficient or immunocompromised, uncontrolled diabetes, use of antibiotics, the use of contraceptive device or hormonal contraceptives.
A vaginal yeast infection can be caused by any activity that changes the normal vaginal flora, such as douching, lack of sleep, and poor diet may also increase the risk.
Diagnosis
Vaginal yeast infections are easy to diagnose. The doctor will simply ask about your medical history. Also, the doctor would want to know whether you've had yeast infections before. The doctor may also ask if you've ever had an STI before. After this, the next step is a pelvic examination. The vaginal walls and cervix would be examined. Also, the surrounding area would be examined for external signs of infection.
Wikimedia commons: Vulva anatomy, vaginal yeast infection causes itching of the vulva
Consequent upon what the doctor sees, they may collect cells from the vagina. Examination would be carried out in the laboratory on these cells. Usually, laboratory tests are ordered for women who have yeast infections frequently or for women whose infections just won't go away.
The signs and symptoms of this infection can also be caused by other conditions. Therefore, to make the most accurate diagnosis, a sample of the discharge should be tested in the laboratory.
Home remedies
Vaginal yeast infection can be treated with natural remedies, if the individual would like to avoid taking prescription . Natural remedies may include the following- inserting plain yogurt into the vagina or taken orally, tea tree oil cream, boric acid, vaginal suppositories, coconut oil etc.
Please note, you should always ensure that your hands are clean before applying oils or creams to your vagina. It is good to talk to a doctor before trying natural remedies. Unintended side effects may be observed when some herbs interact with medication you may be taking.
Treatment
There are different yeast infections, the doctor would suggest a treatment that is most suitable for the infected individual. The treatment are determined on the basis of severity of symptoms.
Simple infections
When the vaginal yeast infection is a simple one, the doctor will usually prescribe a 1-3 day regimen of an ointment tablet, or antifungal cream. As a result of the fact that this infection is simple, medication can be in over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription form.
The medications may include- terconazole, miconazole, fluconazole, butoconazole, monistat. It is very necessary for women with simple yeast infections to follow-up with their doctors if symptoms return within two months. You can actually treat yourself with over-the-counter products at home, if you notice that you have yeast infection.
Complicated infection
The yeast infection would be more than likely treated as a severe case, if the infected person- have had more than four yeast infections in one year, have infection caused by Candida other than albicans, are HIV-positive, have weak immune system or uncontrolled diabetes, are pregnant, have severe itching , swelling and redness that lead to tears or sores in your vaginal tissue.
These are the treatments for complicated yeast infection- use of topical antifungal medication for long term, or prescription of fluconazole of long term. If you observe that the infection is recurring, then you may want to see if your partner has a yeast infection.
Wikimedia commons: Vaginal wet mount in Candidal vulvovaginitis
How can a man get yeast infection from his sexual partner?
Generally, yeast infection is not considered a sexually-transmitted disease, but cases of irritation and itching of the penis in men have been reported after sexual contact with a woman with a yeast infection, therefore it is very possible that an infected woman can spread the infection to her male sex partner. Unless the man develops symptoms, treatment of male sexual partner is not considered necessary.
Symptoms of yeast infection in men
In men, symptoms may include burning, pain and itching at the tip of the penis. During urination, the man may experience discomfort. Redness and irritation of the area may occur. As I mentioned above, symptoms may resemble those of other diseases, such as some sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs). Therefore, it is necessary that a test should be carried out to determine the cause of symptoms in men.
Please note, the treatment for men is same as the treatment for women, it is based upon antifungal medications. It may be taken by mouth in pill or tablet form or applied as topical creams.
Prevention
Vaginal yeast infection can be prevented when you do the following- wash underwear in hot water, wear natural fibers such as cotton, linen or silk, replace feminine products frequently, eat a well balanced diet, take supplements or eat yogurt with lactobacillus.
Also note, vaginal yeast infection can be prevented by avoiding- sitting in hot tubs or taking frequent hot tub baths, using feminine deodorant or pads or scented tampons, douching, wearing tight pantyhose, tight pants or legging, sitting around in wet clothing, especially bathing suits.
In most cases of vaginal yeast infection, the infected women know exactly what led to the infection. For instance, some women get these infections when they take antibiotics. By actually knowing your own risk factor, you can prevent such an infection from occurring again in the future.
To prevent the transmission of a yeast infection from women to men, the men should use condoms. But please note, the condoms may not be completely effective as there may be contact with other areas of the body not covered by the condom.
The best way to prevent contracting a yeast infection is to avoid sexual intercourse with a woman you've observed having symptoms of a yeast infection.
Recurrent yeast infections
When a woman experiences four or more infections in one year, she can be said to have recurrent yeast infection. This may be related to a medical condition such as a weak immune system, as a result may require more aggressive treatment. Recurrent yeast infection may include longer courses of oral medications, topical treatments or both.
Conclusion
Hey steemians, as I mentioned above, Candida species, which is the cause of vaginal yeast infection, is normally present in the vagina of even very healthy women. This infection only occurs when there is an overgrowth of this yeast in the vagina.
There are some factors that increase the risk of vaginal yeast infection, they include-use of antibiotics, uncontrolled diabetes, lack of sleep, poor diet, pregnancy, and been immunodeficient. Please note, natural remedies for treating this infection may include- inserting plain yogurt into the vagina or taken orally, boric acid, coconut oil, tea tree oil cream etc. Also, this infection can be treated using medication such as miconazole, terconazole, fluconazole etc.
This overgrowth of yeast in the vagina can be prevented by ensuring that you- wash underwear in hot water, eat a well balanced diet, wear natural fibers such as linen, silk or cotton and avoid- sitting in hot tubs, wearing tight pantyhose, tight pants or legging, sitting around in wet clothing, especially bathing suits.
Please note, to prevent the transmission of vaginal yeast infection from women to men, the men should ensure that they use condoms.
References
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