The vaginal health of a woman depends on a fine balance of organisms that are present in the vaginal region. The vaginal region has many beneficial bacteria’s along with a few yeast cells. When the number of yeast cells increase substantially, they lead to symptoms of yeast infections in females.
Yeast infection symptoms are fairly common in women, and are rarely serious. They can be easily treated with topical creams and anti fungal medicines. But if you are facing recurring yeast infections you may need to talk to your doctor or health practitioner for a thorough treatment, to get rid of the infection completely.
Symptoms of yeast infections in females are generally caused by the yeast Candida albicans.
This yeast is generally kept under control by lactobacillus acidophilus, a benefic bacteria present in the vaginal region.
Any disturbance in the fine balance of bacteria and other organisms present in the vagina can lead to excessive growth of the yeast leading to several symptoms.
This could be caused by something as mundane as a course of antibiotics that a woman may be taking for an unrelated infection.
Yeast infection symptoms are also seen when the woman is experiencing high levels of estrogen. This usually happens when she is pregnant or undergoing hormone replacement treatment.
HIV infection or chronic diseases like diabetes may also cause symptoms of yeast infections in females.
Yeast infection is indicated with vaginal soreness or itching. The woman may experience pain or burning during intercourse or urinating. Some women may complain of a thick white discharge that looks like curd or cottage cheese which may or may not have an odor. These symptoms may be more prominent during the week pre-ceding the menstrual cycle.
Vaginal infections are not the easiest to diagnose and it may be better to consult a health practitioner. This is especially so if it is the first time a woman is experiencing it or if she is pregnant. Pregnant women with symptoms of yeast infection should not indulge in any self medications. They should consult their health practitioner immediately for prompt diagnosis and proper treatment.
If a woman is fairly certain that she has a yeast infection and is not pregnant, she can use non-prescription creams and medicines to treat herself. If experiencing mild symptoms, it may be better to just wait it out, as it will clear by it self but if the symptoms are severe an antifungal suppository or cream may be used to help ease the situation. Treatment with anti fungal oral pills may also help.
The use of vaginal creams and suppositories lowers the dependability of condoms and diaphragms considerably. It may be a good idea to abstain till the infection clears completely. Yeast infections can be easily prevented by staying dry. Avoid nylon panties and tight panty hoses.
Refrain from douching or using feminine squirts. Deodorant tampons, scented toilet papers also hamper the pH balance leading to yeast infections.
If symptoms of yeast infections in females reappear after short periods or are seen more than four times in a year, the women needs to see a medical practitioner immediately. There may be other underlying causes, which are keeping the infection from clearing.
