Four Common Causes of Vaginal Yeast Infections
Vaginal yeast infections send more women to the
doctor than just about any other cause. Unfortunately, many women
have to keep going back to the doctor because the infection returns.
If you’re one of those women, you know that a yeast infection is
no fun at all, and you’re ready to do whatever it takes to keep
from having another one.
According to recent research, the incidence of vaginal yeast infections
has doubled over the last 20 years, possibly because of changes
in lifestyle, environmental changes, or mutations in the yeast organism
itself. No one really knows for sure why the incidence of infections
is increasing so rapidly.
Since most of us are only aware of yeast when we get a vaginal
infection, many people don’t realize that over 10,000 people in
the United States die each year from fungal infections caused by
the same organism that makes our crotches itch and burn.
The yeast that is responsible for vaginal infections and oral thrush
is a tiny fungus called Candida albicans. Occasionally,
a yeast infection is caused by a form of Candida yeast
other than the common C. albicans. These yeasts include
C. dubliniensi and C. stellatoidea. Tests can
be done to determine what type of yeast is causing an infection,
but infections by yeasts other than Candida albicans are rare.
Candida is the most common type of fungal infection in
humans, and it can lead to serious health problems for some people.
A yeast infection can even be deadly in people with compromised
immune systems. For this reason, any woman who gets the symptoms
of a yeast infection while receiving chemotherapy treatment for
cancer should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
There are four common causes of yeast infections:
1. The balance of power between bacteria and yeast is disturbed.
Bacteria help us by keeping the yeast in check, so if the bacteria
are killed, a yeast population can explode out of control.
This can happen when antibiotics are used during an illness. A
diet high in refined sugars and other carbohydrates can also upset
the balance by favoring the growth of yeast and inhibiting the growth
of bacteria. This imbalance can lead to a yeast infection in the
mouth or vagina.
2. Changing hormone balances, (due to pregnancy,
hormone replacement therapy during menopause, and oral contraceptives),
can create the right conditions for a yeast infection.
3. Yeast infections can also occur when the patient’s immune
system is compromised by an HIV infection, chemotherapy
or radiation treatment, Lyme disease or organ transplant. Steroids
can also slow the immune response and allow a yeast infection to
take hold.
4. And finally, chronic yeast infections can be a symptom
of a more serious underlying illness, such as diabetes,
thyroid disorder, leukemia or AIDS. If your yeast infection keeps
coming back, ask your doctor for a complete exam to rule out any
underlying cause.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of vaginal yeast infections are very
similar to other conditions that are caused by bacteria and parasites.
While yeast infections are not usually dangerous in women with intact
immune systems, a bacterial infection can cause permanent damage
to your reproductive organs, and must be treated promptly.
This is why it is so important to get a medical diagnosis, even
if you’ve had a yeast infection before. It’s also the reason why
you should be very careful before treating an infection on your
own – up to two-thirds of the women who purchase over-the counter
medications for yeast infections actually have a bacterial infection
instead, and the anti-fungal medication won’t do any good. In fact,
using anti-fungal medications when you don't need to can make future
yeast infections more difficult to treat.
To make matters even more complicated, some “natural” cures for
yeast infections that you find on the Internet can actually push
a bacterial infection up into your uterus and fallopian tubes, where
it can cause permanent damage. For this reason, it’s important to
learn as much as you can about vaginal yeast infections, and the
other types of conditions that look just the same, but need to be
treated differently.
|  Articles
on this site were written by Jonni Good, author of one of
the Web's most popular books on sugar
addiction.
A number of people have asked me for advice about natural
yeast infection remedies to use when nothing seems to work.
I read through many books and articles, and I recommend
Yeast
Infection Away by Crystal McBride. Her information
is well researched, and the instructions are easy to follow. |
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Disclaimer:
The information presented on this page and other pages on this
site is based upon the opinions of the author, and on the author's
interpretation of published reports and articles. It is not intended
to replace your relationship with a qualified health care professional,
and is not intended as medical advice.
The author encourages
you to make your own health care decisions based upon knowledge
of the issues of nutrition and health, and in partnership with
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