The most common symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection (yeast vaginitis) are:
?Itching and burning in the vagina and vulva.
?Soreness, swelling and pain around the vulva.
?Pain during intercourse or urination.
?Vaginal discharge. This discharge is not always present, but if there is a discharge it will be odorless or smell like baker's yeast, and usually has a whitish, thick appearance.
Unfortunately, these are also the common symptoms of other conditions, which can be caused by dermatitis, seborrhea, eczema, and by allergic reactions to chemicals found in soap, colored toilet paper, vaginal sprays, laundry detergent, and colored and scented bubble bath products.
In addition, very similar symptoms can be caused by bacteria, pubic lice, and scabies, plus the common sexually transmitted diseases caused by gonorrhea and Chlamydia.
And finally, similar symptoms may be caused by the common parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis.
While a yeast infection is not usually ?shared? between sexual partners (although it can be, in some cases), some of these other conditions are transmitted sexually, and can cause serious damage to a woman's reproductive organs. Often, the male partner will not have any symptoms at all, but must be treated for the infection in order to protect his health and to prevent the further spread of the disease.
The most common cause of a vaginal discharge accompanied by itching and an unpleasant odor is a bacterial infection called bacterial vaginosis.
This is not a sexually transmitted disease, even though it is most common among sexually active women. Bacterial vaginosis needs to be treated by antibiotics to prevent the bacteria from going into the uterus or fallopian tubes. This is particularly important if you're pregnant.
Since a douche can push the bacterial infections up into the uterus, you should never use a douche if you have a bacterial infection.
Yeast infections are very common during pregnancy, but a bacterial infection that looks like a yeast infection is actually more serious. An untreated bacterial infection can cause premature birth, intraamniotic infection, (infection of the amniotic fluid, membranes, placenta, and/or uterus), and postpartum infections of the uterus that send you back to the hospital after giving birth.
What that means, of course, is that you should never attempt to self-diagnose and treat a yeast infection when you're pregnant.
If you think you have a yeast infection, it's wise to get a doctor to diagnose your symptoms even if you think its ?obvious.? Natural yeast infection remedies and anti fungal medications meant for a vaginal yeast infection will not cure these other illnesses, even though the symptoms may go away.
Most people say the following: "I am taking antibiotics and now I have a yeast infection!" Don't worry by taking antibiotics to combat a common cold or a sinus infection WILL cause yeast infections. The reason being, antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria causing your cold or sinus infection. It actually kills off too much GOOD bacteria in which are used to help fight yeast infections. Whenever you are taking antibiotics or know that you will be taking them within a few days, you need to immediately eat yogurt. Yogurt has plenty of the useful bacteria in it that was killed away by your antibiotics. Eating yogurt will prevent you from GETTING a yeast infection while taking antibiotics and is great cures for yeast infections. Let's briefly recap what we learned about yogurt. Why is yogurt so great? Some yogurts contain healthy bacteria known as L. acidophilus. It's this bacterium that helps to fight yeast infection symptoms, and in fact has the capability to stop them before they start. It's important that you're using yogurt that contains L. acidophilus so be sure to ONLY buy yogurt that states it contains this ingredient or says includes live cultures. How does it work? The human body has tons of bacteria in it all the time. One bacterium that leads to yeast infections is Candida albicans. Yogurt helps to control Candida albicans, the bacteria that causes yeast infections. Using yogurt won't allow Candida to over populate and turn into a yeast infection. As you can see, how to prevent yeast infections can be found right in the comfort of your own home. The next time you develop a yeast infection due to antibiotics you can treat it with yogurt. Actually, there will never be a next time getting a yeast infection due to antibiotics because you will know how to treat it before it even happens. Soon as the doctor writes you a prescription for your antibiotics and before you even go to pick it up from the drug store, you need to go to the grocery store and load up on yogurt. Eat plenty of yogurts before you even begin to use your antibiotics. This will definitely combat any antibiotics that destroy helpful bacteria in your body. Most people don't realize how bad antibiotics can be for you, but to get rid of sinus infections it is WISE to use them! So when you are using them, adding the helpful bacteria back into your body that the antibiotics are removing is one of the best ways to go. This is the best cure for frequent yeast infections. Yeast infections are no fun and finding a cure should be the number one thing on your mind once you get one. When you get a yeast infection please don't take it lightly. It can be deadly and passed from one partner to another. Hold off from any type of sexual intercourse if you have a yeast infection.
Both Jonni L Good & Angela Jennings are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jonni L Good has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Health and Gastric Bypass. Do you want to protect your health? Learn everything you need to know about . All the facts in one place at. Jonni L Good's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.
Angela Jennings has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne, Yeast Infection and Stress Management. has dedicated her life to educating people about the dangers and causes of yeast infection. For years now she has been helping others overcom. Angela Jennings's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.