Chronic Yeast Infections - The Facts You Need to Know

Did you know that chronic yeast infections are a fact of life for some women? The unfortunate few who suffer with this know this condition. If you are one of them, chances are that finding treatment can be a challenge.

Some research points to the fact that chronic yeast infections are often caused by a compromised immune system or a dependency on drugs, such as antibiotics. It also indicates that sexual partners can also harbor yeast infections and pass it to their partners.

The symptoms of vaginal yeast infections are numerous. Studies show that untreated chronic yeast infections have the potential to spread to other parts of the body, and can cause a number of other problems. The question is: how can you tell if you have chronic yeast infections?

To avoid getting a chronic yeast infection, you can do the following:

• Thoroughly dry vaginal area after a bath or shower
• 
  
• Change tampons or maxis often

What to do if you suspect an infection

This type of infection can sometimes be a sign of disease, such as diabetes, that affects the immune system. If you think you may have chronic yeast infections, it may be a good idea to make sure that yeast is causing this problem. A lot of times vaginal infections can be caused by other sources, such as tampons. Your doctor may be able to do a pelvic exam and take a culture to examine the bacteria.

A large part of the population, roughly 80 percent, suffers from chronic systemic yeast infections. Systemic yeast infections are very serious, as they have the ability to spread to other parts of your body, and cause more severe problems.

Who else is affected?

Surprisingly enough, men and children are also vulnerable to yeast infections. Certain reports show that systemic yeast infections have the ability to cause life-altering conditions, such as lupus and Fibromyalgia. Yeast gets into mucous membranes in the body.

Medications to watch

The important thing to remember, though, is that certain medications are more likely than others to cause yeast infections. Oral acne medications and birth control pills are also thought to be to blame.

If you search the internet for information you will eventually come across a diet called the candida diet, which was developed to help fight candida infections. Of course, the downside of this diet is that it makes you crave carbohydrates and sugar, which often causes you to gain weight. However, experts stress that you should still eat average size meals that stay with you. Otherwise, you may be tempted to snack more often on unhealthy foods, which come with their own set of negative effects.

The nature of yeast

Yeast occurs naturally in nature, experts say. But an unhealthy amount of yeast can thrive in the vagina, because of its moist environment. Like sexually transmitted infections, yeast infection can be passed from you to your partner during intercourse. Hot weather, experts say, can also cause yeast infections to thrive and grow.

Natural treatments for chronic yeast infections are widespread. There is also some evidence to indicate that wearing cotton underwear can decrease your chances of developing a yeast infection; while wearing wet clothes, can also trigger the illness.

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