Yeast Infection > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine

Overview

If you are a woman, the odds are high that you’ve had at least one yeast infection. And if you are among the lucky few who haven’t, it’s likely that you will get one someday. It is usually signaled by itchiness, inflammation, and general discomfort in the vaginal area. Though they happen more frequently in women, men can get them, too, in the groin.

For women, a yeast infection occurs when the delicate balance of good bacteria and naturally occurring yeast in and around the vagina is disrupted. The possible causes of infection are numerous. They range from changes in the physical environment, like sitting for too long in a wet bathing suit, to changes in life circumstances, like severe stress or lack of sleep. They are also more common during pregnancy and after a course of antibiotics.

Most yeast infections can be treated with a short course of anti-fungal cream or oral medication, but some cases may require longer, intense treatment. Women should avoid self-diagnosing and self-treating with over-the-counter medicine. It’s important to note that other infections, like those that are sexually transmitted, can resemble yeast infections. To avoid treating the wrong problem, it’s best to get a firm diagnosis from your doctor.

At Yale Medicine, we use a test that can recognize the most common Candida micro-organisms responsible for yeast infections, as well as more rare variants, such as C. glabrata and C. Krusei. “We can usually find the relevant species in less than one day, which allows for an accurate diagnosis and prompt symptom relief for our patients,” says Yale Medicine pathologist Angelique Levi, MD.  

What is a yeast infection?

The vaginal area has a mixture of healthy bacteria and Candida yeast cells that commingle harmlessly inside the vagina and outside on the skin. These yeast cells live normally in the mouth, throat, gut, and vagina without causing problems.  

But changes in the vaginal environment can lead to Candida outnumbering and overtaking healthy cells. This, in turn, can lead to a yeast infection. There are more than 20 species of different Candida yeast. The most common type that causes yeast infections is called Candida albicans. 

What can cause a yeast infection?

Yeast cells can grow quickly in the vagina if the population of healthy bacteria changes. Factors that can lead to an infection include the following:

• Antibiotics, which decrease the levels of healthy bacteria in the body
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Potential irritants, such as douching washes, spermicide, soaps, powders, or deodorants
• Tight-fitting clothing and synthetic materials, such as bathing suits and sportswear
• A weakened immune system
• Pregnancy
• Hormonal imbalance near the time of the menstrual cycle 

What are the symptoms of a yeast infection?

The symptoms of a yeast infection vary from person to person. Some people may have a yeast infection and show no symptoms at all. 

For those who are symptomatic, common clinical signs include itching, burning during urination, pain during sex, and soreness or inflammation around the vagina and vulva (the opening of the vagina). The severity of these symptoms ranges from mild to severe. Some women also experience a thick, white, and odorless vaginal discharge. 

How is a yeast infection diagnosed?

Your doctor will obtain a detailed medical history of your symptoms and changes in health. She or he will then perform a pelvic exam, and look at the vulva and inside the vagina for signs of inflammation, redness, and discharge. While it’s possible to diagnose a yeast infection based on these outward clinical signs, the doctor will also take a swab inside the vagina and send the sample to a lab for a confirmation. 

How is a yeast infection treated?

Some mild yeast infections go away on their own. One reason this can happen is that women’s vaginal pH balance tends to become more acidic during the menstrual cycle, making the vagina less hospitable to yeast cells, causing them to die off. If you and your doctor feel that treatment is in order, options include the following:

• Fluconazole. This is a powerful anti-fungal oral medication that is usually given as a single dose and wipes out the yeast infection quickly.

• Clotrimazole. This anti-fungal agent can come in the form of cream, ointment, or vaginal suppository. The treatment course can range from three to seven days and is available over the counter.

For complicated, severe, or recurrent yeast infections, your doctor may prescribe a combination of the above medicines and for a longer period of time.

Why are yeast infections more common during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, the female body undergoes various chemical and hormonal changes, which alter the balance of good bacteria and yeast in the vagina. While the infection can be uncomfortable for the mother, yeast infections do not harm the baby.

For a woman who is pregnant, a longer-than-normal course of treatment with clotrimazole may be recommended, given that yeast infections can resistant to treatment during pregnancy. It is important for the condition to be treated before the fetus’s delivery because it can be passed on in the form of oral thrush (a fungal infection inside the mouth or throat) of the infant. 

What makes Yale Medicine’s approach to treating yeast infections unique?

Our Ob/Gyns and other medical care team members have experience managing complicated or challenging cases of yeast infections. “For example, sometimes symptoms commonly noted with yeast infections such as vaginal itching and irritation can be severe,” says Yale Medicine gynecologist Sangini Sheth, MD. Perhaps the symptoms are caused by multiple different infections, not yeast alone, and therefore require additional treatments, she says. “A prolonged duration of symptoms may also require a different approach or close monitoring and follow-up.”

6 Warning Signs for Yeast Infections

A particular kind of fungal infection is a vaginal yeast infection. Candida, a kind of yeast found in your body, is what causes vaginal yeast infections. Candida is a particular kind of yeast, which is a form of fungus. There are no issues when the yeast in your body is balanced. However, if the yeast is out of balance, it develops quickly and can cause a yeast infection. A yeast infection alters the consistency of your vaginal discharge and produces burning, itching, and redness in your vulva (the outer regions of your vagina). There is no sexually transmitted ailment called a yeast infection (STI).

What Causes Yeast Infections

Candida(the fungal infection caused by yeast) can grow when the bacteria in your vagina are out of balance. There are several causes for this, including:

• When you use antibiotics to cure illnesses in your body, the beneficial bacteria in your vagina are killed. The yeast is controlled by beneficial microorganisms. Without the beneficial bacteria, the balance changes, which causes a yeast infection.
• Hormones and pregnancy: Anything that alters or interferes with your hormones might throw off the delicate balance of candida in your vagina. This involves getting pregnant, using birth control pills, and going through menstrual cycle variations that are typical.
• Diabetes that is not under control affects the germs in your urine.
• Immune system being suppressed: If you have a condition like HIV or AIDS, your treatments may cause your immune system to be suppressed. Your immune system may be suppressed by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Symptoms of Yeast Infections

Here are six obvious signs of a vaginal yeast infection. These signs may manifest as:

• A burning or itching feeling in your vulva and vagina.
• A cottage cheese-like, thick vaginal discharge that is white.
• Your vulva and vagina are red and swollen.
• Due to the sensitive skin in the region, your vulva may experience minor cuts or fissures.
• A scorching sensation after urinating.
• Pain during sex is occasionally another sign of a vaginal yeast infection.

The symptoms of a yeast infection are comparable to those that people experience when they have an STI or another type of vaginal infection. If you have any of these symptoms, get in touch with your doctor right away so they can evaluate you.

Yeast Infection Treatment

Most vaginal yeast infections are treated with antifungal medicines. The particular treatment depends on how bad the infection is. Based on your symptoms and condition, your healthcare practitioner will recommend the best course of action.

Antifungal drugs combat the proliferation of yeast in your body and prevent recurring yeast infections. Fluconazole is typically taken once a day by mouth as an oral medication (used daily for up to seven days). Using an applicator, you can administer topical drugs to the vaginal region or suppository them into the vagina. Terconazole and miconazole are two popular antifungal drugs.

You will get information about each type of drug from your healthcare professional, along with instructions on how to use each one safely. When using these meds, it’s crucial to carefully adhere to your doctor’s directions to make sure the infection is completely treated and doesn’t come back.

The Lifespan of a Yeast infection

It usually takes a few days for the medicine to work on yeast infections, but it occasionally takes a full week. More severe instances can require longer-term care. To prevent the infection from returning, use the medication exactly as prescribed, and don’t stop taking it too soon.

Get Help

Most women or those who were designated as female at birth will experience yeast infections at some point in their lifetime. It can be effectively treated with medicine, some of which can be acquired at your neighborhood pharmacy without a prescription. Even though you are aware of the symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection, it is still vital to contact and visit BASS Medical.  Call us today!

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Bacterial vaginosis | Symptoms, complications, diagnosis and treatment

Bacterial vaginosis is a type of vaginal inflammation caused by an overgrowth of bacteria naturally found in the vagina that disrupts the natural balance of microflora.

Women in their reproductive years are more likely to have bacterial vaginosis, but women of any age can be affected. The reason is not fully understood, but certain activities, such as unprotected sex or frequent douching, increase the risk of infection.

Make an appointment with a doctor if:

• You have new and strange-smelling vaginal discharge
• You have had vaginal infections before, but this time the color and consistency of the discharge seem different
• You have multiple sexual partners or a recent new partner. Sometimes the signs and symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection are similar to those of bacterial vaginosis
• You are trying to self-treat a yeast infection with over-the-counter treatments, but symptoms persist

Reasons

Bacterial vaginosis results from an overgrowth of one of several bacteria naturally found in the vagina. Usually the “good” bacteria (lactobacilli) outnumber the “bad” bacteria (anaerobes). But too many anaerobic bacteria upset the natural balance of microorganisms in the vagina and cause bacterial vaginosis.

Risk factors for bacterial vaginosis include:

• Having multiple sexual partners or a new sexual partner. Doctors do not fully understand the relationship between sexual activity and bacterial vaginosis, but the condition is more common in women who have multiple sexual partners or have a new sexual partner. Bacterial vaginosis is also more common in women who have sex with women.
• Douching. The practice of washing your vagina with water or a cleanser (douching) upsets the natural balance of your vaginal flora. This can lead to an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria and cause bacterial vaginosis. Since the vagina is self-cleansing, douching is not required.
• Natural absence of lactobacillus bacteria. If the natural vaginal environment does not produce enough of the good bacteria lactobacilli, you are more likely to develop bacterial vaginosis.

To diagnose bacterial vaginosis, a doctor can:

• Ask questions about medical history. Your doctor may ask about any previous vaginal or sexually transmitted infections.
• Perform a pelvic exam. During a pelvic exam, the doctor visually checks the vagina for signs of infection and inserts two fingers into the vagina while pressing on the abdomen with the other hand to check the pelvic organs for signs that may indicate disease.
• Take a sample of vaginal secretions. This can be done to check the growth of anaerobic bacteria in the vaginal flora. Your doctor may examine vaginal discharge under a microscope, looking for bacteria-covered vaginal cells that are a sign of bacterial vaginosis.
• Check vaginal pH. Your doctor can test your vaginal acidity by placing a pH test strip in your vagina. A vaginal pH of 4.5 or higher is a sign of bacterial vaginosis.

Relapse

Bacterial vaginosis usually recurs within three to twelve months despite treatment. Researchers are studying treatments for recurrent bacterial vaginosis. If symptoms recur shortly after treatment, talk to your doctor about treatment.

Skin infections – health articles

11/10/2022

Skin infections are divided into bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic. These include diseases such as scabies, warts, herpes, fungal diseases, lichen, etc.

For the development of the disease is not enough only the causative agent of infection. For its vigorous activity and reproduction, certain conditions are necessary, for example, a weakening of the immune system. If a person has strong immunity, the disease may not be.

Causes

Infection is one of the leading causes of skin diseases. The infection multiplies, causing an inflammatory response. In addition, any infection releases toxins into the body, which disrupt the filter organs. Toxins released by infections are primary and aggressive allergens. The presence of infections in the body significantly increases the allergic component. The organs responsible for detoxification (liver, kidneys, lymphatic system) with a huge amount of toxins will no longer cope with their work, fully perform their functions. In fact, skin diseases are a pathological way of percutaneous elimination of toxins from the body.

Types of skin infections and their symptoms

Scabies – a characteristic symptom is itching at night, which prevents sleep and is very annoying. Also, scabies can be recognized by small itchy pimples and a gray line extending from them – this is the course of the tick.

Warts. In fact, they are a benign tumor caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are several types of warts: common, genital warts, plantar, flat and senile. This disease is very common. They are skin neoplasms, often small. Although sometimes they can merge and grow to impressive sizes.

Herpes. In this case, we are talking about herpes type 1. There are also other types of herpes viruses, but they no longer belong to skin diseases, but more affect the internal organs.

So, herpes simplex virus type 1 (or herpes simplex virus) is an infection that lives in almost all of us. According to statistics, 9 out of 10 people on earth are infected with herpes. The first symptoms: small sores can be seen on the lips or near the nose. In the first hours, the skin begins to swell and hurt a little, causing discomfort. Symptoms of an exacerbated herpes virus, in addition to skin manifestations, may resemble a common cold – weakness, fever, etc.

Fungal diseases. Fungi, which, getting on the skin, hair and nails of a person, cause their change, a huge amount. You can get a fungal infection, like other skin diseases, by contact with a carrier (including animals), when using common hygiene items, shoes, as well as in baths and pools, that is, where it is warm and damp, especially if there are mechanical damage to the skin.

Symptoms of fungal diseases can be: itching, burning, redness, peeling, weeping, cracks, flaking of scales, formation of round plaques with a scaly raised rim, changes in the color and texture of the nail, the appearance of clearly defined foci on the hairy surface of the skin in which the hair becomes dull, brittle and eventually fall out, the appearance of black spots, severe seborrhea or dandruff.

Lichen. These are diseases that can also be caused by viral microorganisms and fungi. Infectious varieties include ringworm, pink, multi-colored (or pityriasis). A common symptom of these diseases is a rash in the form of scaly plaques of a changed color and completely different size, causing itching.

Erythema multiforme exudative. Infectious disease with an acute course. The seasonal form develops more often in spring or autumn. It is caused by an infection against the background of cold factors.

The toxic-allergic form occurs due to intoxication of the body with drugs or after vaccination (more often in children).

Both forms are characterized by skin rashes in the form of pinkish spots or slightly raised papules. Bubbles filled with serous and sometimes bloody contents may appear in their middle. The disease is also accompanied by general malaise, fever. Often there is pain in the throat and joints.

Ostiofolliculitis or staphylococcal impetigo. The causative agent is often Staphylococcus aureus. The main cause of the disease is a violation of the rules of hygiene, excessive sweating. It is characterized by the appearance on the skin of small semicircular rashes filled with purulent contents. They are about the size of a pinhead. In the center of the abscess is a hair.

Accompanied by painful sensations in the area of ​​rash dislocation. In the absence of adequate treatment, the infection can spread deep into the epidermis, provoking the development of folliculitis, the appearance of boils.

Pyoderma. A wide group of pustular diseases, the causative agent of which are bacteria: streptococci, staphylococci and pathogenic fungi.
The main symptom is follicles that appear predominantly on the skin of the face, back, chest, armpits and scalp. If you do not seek medical help in a timely manner, there is a high risk of developing sepsis, a life-threatening condition.
Actinomycosis. Chronic bacterial skin disease.
The main symptom is the appearance under the skin of a dense tuberous neoplasm (infiltrate), which consists of several nodules that have merged together. The skin in this area acquires a bluish-reddish tint. With the development of the disease, the infiltrate breaks through, forming fistulas from which purulent contents are released.

Thrush or yeast stomatitis – often diagnosed in newborns or debilitated children. It is characterized by the appearance of a white film (plaque) on the oral mucosa.

Diagnosis

In the diagnosis of skin diseases, it is especially important to detect hidden infections that deprive the immune system of the ability to function normally. The condition of the internal organs, the disruption of which can cause skin diseases, is also assessed.

Therefore, examination for skin diseases consists of a carefully verified list of tests and examination by doctors of other specializations (for example, a cosmetologist-dermatologist), which are designed not only to detect skin diseases (often this can be done with the naked eye), but to identify the true causes of all existing disorders in the body. With such a systematic approach, the treatment carried out is enough to save the patient from skin disease for a long time, and often for life.

Treatment

Infectious diseases are treated in a complex manner.