What To Do About Yeast Infections

Yeast infections. The very phrase makes most women shudder. How can something so benign-seeming cause so much discomfort for millions of women?

Yeast, or Candida Albicans, are naturally present in the genital area of women. However, this yeast, when multiplied and combined with some bacteria can cause a yeast infection. Yeast infections usually present with intense itching and discharge that can look thick and white and even kind of chunky.

What caused the yeast infection?

Yeast infections can be caused my numerous things. Some of the most common include wearing synthetic, tight fitting clothing, tampons and sexual intercourse. If you can identify the cause of your infection, especially if you have recurrent infections, you may be able to make changes in your lifestyle to prevent further infections.

Wearing 100% cotton underwear will go a long way in helping prevent yeast infections. Synthetic materials cannot breath therefore making your vaginal area the perfect home for yeast. Yeast likes dark, moist spaces, so unless you've got a flashlight and a fan affixed to your synthetic undies, go with cotton. Oh, and get out of that wet swim suit ASAP. Swim suits are the perfect mood-setter for yeast reproduction fests.

Tampons can also make your genital area yeast-friendly. If you use tampons while on your period be sure to change them frequently. Unless absolutely necessary my rule is to change them every 3 hours and every time I use the restroom. Same with panty liners and pads. All of these products trap moisture and bacteria so change them frequently.

Sexual intercourse can cause a whole slew of issues, yeast infections just being one of them. Semen will change the pH of the vagina to be quite alkaline, encouraging yeast growth. It also causes more bacteria to be present. Be sure to pee and wash after having sex.

Other things that can cause these nasty inflictions is including a lot of yeast in the diet, elevated blood sugar and STD's.

How do I treat the yeast infection?

First, if you have never had a yeast infection and suspect that you have one, go to a doctor. You need to be sure that you do, indeed, have a yeast infection and not a bacterial vaginal or urinary tract infection that will need antibiotic treatment. If you do have a yeast infection, the doctor will not prescribe antibiotics as yeast infections are a fungal infection and need treated accordingly. Your doctor, instead, will probably prescribe an anti-fungal topical, intra-vaginal or oral medication. He may also simply recommend an over the counter treatment option.

If seeing a doctor isn't possible due to financial issues, check the phone book or do an online search for free or reduced-cost womens health clinics.

There are a ton of over the counter anti-fungals. Please be sure to get one that is intended for vaginal use. Others can cause some pretty nasty side-effects. My favorite brand is Monistat. There are a few decisions to make, though. The most expensive treatment is a 1-day vaginal capsule you insert before bed.

Other more economical options are creams that are preloaded into an applicator much like a tampon. These are used anywhere from 3-7 days. The major downfall with these is they are MESSY! You almost either have to be in bed when you apply them or be able to apply and sprint to bed and not get up until the next morning. Even then they leak out in the morning. It's a mess either way you look at it. Be sure to wear a panty liner. Finally, if these creams get on the outer areas they can burn like crazy. Be careful with them.

Ok, so the antifungal treats the yeast, but what about symptoms?

The itching and burning can be absolutely unbearable. A few things that can help is frequent cool showers with mild non-deodorant soap, or even just rinsing and frequently changing underwear and liners. If there is still no relief use an over the counter vaginal anti-itch cream. Vagisil is my pick. Don't go putting hydrocortisone and the like down there unless you ask your doctor!