Pinpointing Vaginal Yeast Infection Symptoms

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Vaginal yeast infection is also referred to as candidiasis. It is a fungal infection brought about by a number of species of Candida, of which Candida Albicans is the most common type. This fungus is usually present on normal human skin and in areas that are generally warm and moist. Under certain conditions, a change in their environment causes them to increase in quantity beyond normal, causing infection. There are, however, ways which may help you properly identify vaginal yeast infection symptoms.

Not so normal sensations

The easiest way for a woman to make out if she has yeast infection is that she itches severely in and around her vaginal area. The itching may not be present at all times. But when it does, it itches a lot so badly she finds it difficult to walk. It may also be accompanied by a burning sensation or be generally painful for her to urinate.

Separating the issues

One good way to make a distinction of the burning sensation that is due to a yeast infection and a urinary tract infection is to take notice when exactly the burning occurs. If the burning sensation is felt when the urine reaches outside, then she is most likely having yeast infection. This is due to the acidic, coming into contact with the irritated of the vulva. Urinary tract infection, on the other hand, causes a burning sensation as the urine passes through the urinary tract on its way out.

A contained redness

Another yeast infection sign is the slight redness localized in the vaginal and vulvar areas. Soreness and irritation of the said areas are also present, which makes it for the woman to experience pain and discomfort during sexual intercourse.

As mentioned earlier, Candida is normally present in the skin and in most areas of the body that are warm and moist. This means that signs and symptoms of candidiasis may also appear in different areas of the body in many different ways.

A nasty clump of white stuff

Most women bracket together a thick discharge that looks like cottage cheese with vaginal yeast infection. However, not everyone gets a discharge. In fact, only about 20% of infected women experience it. The discharge may have a starchy odor to it – something that resembles the smell of bread or beer – or sometimes none at all. Its consistency may typically range from thick and not clumpy at all, faint yellow to white, and to thin and clear.

Since not everyone who has vaginal yeast infection gets a discharge, still the best and easiest way for a woman to tell whether or not she is experiencing yeast infection symptoms is that she itches in and around the vaginal area.

Aside from the vaginal infection

Oral candidiasis, or oral thrush, is characterized by white, lacy patches that can form on the palate, tongue, or elsewhere in the oral cavity. These patches sometimes appear resembling curdled milk. Candidiasis may also appear as red flat rashes with scalloped edges in diaper areas and skin folds. Satellite lesions – smaller patches of rashes nearby – usually are also present, which may cause itching and pain in the area. Male yeast infection, although less common, include symptoms such as red patch sores of the glans penis and the foreskin.

There will be some differences to its vaginal yeast infection symptoms counterpart, but for the most part they are similar. In people with weakened immune system, candidal infection may also affect the esophagus and the stomach.

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Pregnancy and yeast infection

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Almost all women at some point of their lives will experience some problems with their bodies, specifically in their private areas. Vaginal infection is a pretty common occurrence among women most especially yeast infection. Furthermore pregnancy and yeast infection seems to be always in tandem. More pregnant women get infected by yeast due to several reasons, some of which may be too hard for you to control.

Yeast infection is also referred to as monilial vaginitis or vaginal candidiasis. The fungi Candida seems to be the main culprit in spreading out the disease. More specifically, the fungus Candida albicans causes for most part the infection in women’s vagina area. However, do be aware that Candida is already present in a woman’s body. The fungus occurs naturally and should not be a cause for alarm.

The food you eat, your personal hygiene and the even the lifestyle you live all can affect the growth of the fungus in your vagina area. If you eat too much sugar and carbohydrates, the fungus has a lot better chance of surviving and growing eventually causing the full development of the yeast infection. High sugar levels in the blood and body feeds the Candida fungus more.

For pregnant women, the usual cause of infection would be the changing estrogen levels during pregnancy. As the estrogen level goes high during the months of being pregnant, the body also produces high levels of glycogen. Now glycogen will make the area more susceptible to yeast growth. This according to some experts an a few studies. According to them, glycogen might cause the yeast t grow faster and even allow the fungus to stick on the walls of the vagina.

Taking antibiotics will also help the growth of the fungus. If you have been taking antibiotic pills for a long time, the harmful bacteria will be killed but it may also affect the beneficial bacteria that grows in the vagina area causing the fungus to overpower the helpful microorganisms. Once the fungus has taken over the area, the body will tend to react too it resulting to an infection.

Among the signs that you should look out for includes itchiness, irritation, burning sensation, soreness and redness of the vagina and surrounding area. These at least are the early symptoms of the infection. Once it progresses, you might observe the discharge of an odorless, white, creamy chess-like liquid. Also, I do not know how often you do it especially now that you’re pregnant, but be wary with the sex. The infection might cause some pain during secual intercourse so it would be better to put things off for a while.

The good thing, and I know you mothers are already itching to know, yeast infection does not have any negative effects on the baby inside the womb. The infection will not affect the development of the baby as well.

Another good thing is that treating yeast infection cases in pregnant women is the same with the treatments available to normal cases. However, it would be better to consult your doctor since you don’t know what possible effects yeast infection medicine does to you. There are also over the counter antifungal creams that could be prescribed to you by your doctor. There might be specific product that are intended for yeast infections in pregnant women.

It is said that fifteen percent of all pregnant women will experience yeast infection during their pregnancy. But do not be alarm, that’s bad for the baby so don’t. Pregnancy and yeast infection might be hard to separate. But the thing is yeast infection can be treated.
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