Yeast Infection In Women Body Part: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Yeast is a form of fungus that is usually found on the skin of an individual. The yeasts are also present in the digestive system. In the case of women, yeasts are also present in the vaginal area. When there is an overgrowth of yeast on either the skin or any other part it leads to an infection in that area. The yeast infection is also referred to as candidiasis. The yeast infection commonly occurs in the body parts that are warm and moist like underarms of an individual. in normal circumstances, the skin of a person blocks the yeasts but the organisms penetrate into the skin if there is any cut or breakdown.

The yeast infection can occur in any individual due to the following causes

• Corticosteroid: the use of corticosteroids in the form of inhalers for the treatment of asthma leads to the development of yeast infection in the mouth known as oral candidiasis or thrush.
• Antibiotics: for fighting or killing of another infection if a person is using a broad spectrum antibiotic like amoxicillin or tetracycline then there are chances that these antibiotics would destroy the good bacteria leading to the development of yeast infection.
• Dentures: yeast infection in the form of thrush is most likely to occur in people who wear dentures. It is imperative that the dentures are thoroughly cleaned every night so yeast infection can be prevented from occurring.
• Clothing: wearing undergarments which are tight and do not allow breathing space to the skin around the genitalia lead to an increase in moisture and body heat. This creates a perfect environment for the yeast to grow and multiply thereby causing a yeast infection.
• Diaper rash in babies: the wet and soiled condition of the diapers lead to irritation on the skin of the babies. This results in the occurrence of yeast infection. The diapers of the babies must be changed regularly.
• Hormones: in women change in hormone levels of progesterone, and estrogen due to breastfeeding, hormone replacement therapy, taking contraceptive pills with estrogen, and pregnancy can lead to the development of yeast infection.
• Vaginal sprays and douches: the acidic level of the vagina gets tampered due to using vaginal sprays or any other product. This provides encouragement for the yeast to multiply and grow leading to vaginal yeast infection.
• Hospitalization: the people that have been admitted to a hospital or any nursing facility can very easily develop the condition of yeast infection. The yeast enters the bloodstream of the patients causing invasive candidiasis.
• Diabetes: if the blood sugar level of an individual is not under control then it can lead to the occurrence of yeast infection. The yeast infection occurs because an increase in sugar of the mucous membranes provides a perfect environment for yeasts to grow and multiply.
• Compromised immune system: people that have a compromised immune system are prone to suffer from the problem of yeast infection as the body loses its ability to fight off infections.

The yeast infection can occur on any part of the body. In adults the yeast infection can occur around the dentures, mouth, below the belly button, nailbeds, beneath the arms, and lower abdomen. In men yeast infection can occur around the penis while for women the yeast infection commonly occurs in the vagina. The butts of the babies are not spared from the yeast infection due to diapers.

The symptoms experienced by the person when yeast infection occurs below the belly button are

• Redness of skin with rashes
• Itching
• Burning
• Pimples
• Clear fluid oozing out of patches

The symptoms experienced by a person when yeast infection occurs near the penis

• Painful rash beneath the penis
• Reddening of the skin with rashes
• Scaling beneath the penis

The symptoms exhibited by an individual when yeast infection occurs in the mouth are

• Soreness or redness on the mouth
• Difficulty in swallowing the food
• White patches on the inner side of the cheeks and tongue of the patient
• Small cuts or cracks on the corner of the mouth.

The symptoms of the occurrence of yeast infection in the nail beds are

• A yellow or white nail that gets separated from the nail bed
• Pain
• Pus
• swelling

The symptoms of the yeast infection that are exhibited by the women patients are given below

• Soreness and pain in the vagina
• Rashes in and around the vagina
• A feeling of burning sensation while having sexual intercourse.
• Irritation and itching in both vulva and vagina
• Watery discharge from the vagina
• Swelling and redness of the vulva
• White, odor free, thick vaginal discharge in the form of cottage cheese.

The treatment of yeast infection is based on the frequency and severity of the infection. Since yeast infection is a form of fungal infection thus a doctor may prescribe antifungal medications like ointments, creams, and oral medications like terconazole and miconazole. Some of the antifungal medications require a prescription while most of them are easily available over the counter. A doctor usually prescribes fluconazole to be taken once daily for three days. If the severity of the infection is high then the doctor may recommend the patient to take antifungal medication daily for two weeks. In cases of mild infection, a patient can get relief by applying the antifungal creams and ointments. For severe vaginal yeast infection, a doctor may prescribe an azole resident therapy. In this therapy, a capsule of boric acid is placed into the vagina. Using home remedies like tea tree oil or coconut oil can provide necessary relief from the symptoms of yeast infection.

The risk factors that lead to the occurrence of yeast infection are

• Increased blood sugar level: people who are not able to manage their sugar levels are at an increased risk of suffering from the yeast infection. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels provide a great environment for the growth of the yeast.
• High estrogen levels: The risks of occurrence of yeast infections in women that have high levels of estrogen are high. The estrogen levels may be high either due to pregnancy or taking contraceptive pills in which estrogen is one of the ingredients.
• Weak immune system: for people with an impaired immune system the risks of occurrence of yeast infections are very high.People suffering from conditions like HIV aids are at an increased risk of suffering from yeast infection.
• Use of antibiotics: anyone can suffer from a bacterial or viral infection at any point in his/her life. To treat these infections people take antibiotics. The use of antibiotics also increases the risk of yeast infection as consumption of antibiotics kills the good bacteria which keep the yeast at bay.

In order to reduce the risk of yeast infection and preventing it from occurring in the future, the following tips are required to be followed

• Managing the diabetes level by incorporating foods and exercise in the daily routine help in the prevention of yeast infection.
• Wearing cotton underwear helps in prevention of the yeast infection as cotton has the tendency o absorbing moisture and perspiration thus keeping yeasts away.
• Practicing good personal hygiene proves very helpful in reducing the risk of yeast infection.
• To reduce the risk of oral yeast infection proper oral hygiene must be kept like proper brushing and flossing of teeth.
• Keeping the body dry especially after bath or after clothes immersed in sweats can prove to be very helpful.
• The use of deodorants and various other scented sprays must be avoided to reduce the risk of yeast infection.
• Wearing loose-fitting pants and jeans also play a vital role in the prevention of yeast infection.

Yeast infection can occur in any individual at any given point in time. With the help of proper treatment, the majority of the yeast infections can be cured. The article above provides a detailed description of the yeast infection and its treatment.