Candida Yeast Infection- Causes, Treatments, Risks and Prevention

Candidiasis is a kind of fungal infection caused due to yeasts belonging to the “Candida” family.  Candida normally resides in the mouth, throat, gut, and vagina of the human. It can also be present on the skin, where it poses no threat or causes no problems.

Although, Candida yeasts can cause infections in case of overgrowth. They can be troubling if they reach the deeper parts of the body such as the bloodstream or internal organs like the kidney, heart, or brain of the human. This is the case of Invasive Candidiasis. 

Candidiasis infection that develops in the mouth or throat is called thrush. Oropharyngeal candidiasis is the medical term for thrush. Candidiasis inside the vagina is called a yeast infection.

Symptoms  of vaginal candidiasis 

• Itchiness and irritation in the vaginal region
• Burning sensation while passing urine
• Soreness and pain in the vagina
• Abnormal vaginal discharge or excessive  watery or white discharge from the vagina 

These symptoms of a vaginal candida infection can be really alarming. Thus you must follow the following things to cure it.

Causes of candida infection

Several factors that can cause a yeast infection include-

• Prolonged use of antibiotics
• Low estrogen levels in pregnancy
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Weak immune system
• Unhealthy eating habits
• Eating a lot of sugary foods
• Hormonal imbalance  
• Stress
• Insomnia or lack of sleep

A specific kind of yeast known as Candida albicans causes most of the yeast infections. With timely diagnosis, candida infections can be easily treatable.

Treatment for candida infection  

Antifungal or antibiotic medication prescribed after diagnosis can treat vaginitis. Treatment for the infection depends widely on the cause and condition of the female. The treatment may include the application of low-potency topical steroids, oral or topical antibiotics, anti-fungal or antibacterial creams, etc. 

How can you prevent candida yeast infection?

Practice the suggestions below to prevent vaginitis due to candida:

• Maintaining good overall hygiene.
• Using mild soaps without irritants or scents for intimate areas.
• Wearing comfortable, clean, and dry cotton underwear and clothing.
• Avoid douching and irritating products, such as hygiene sprays, soaps, intimate washes, gels, and other feminine products.
• Wipe from front to back to prevent spreading bacteria from the anal opening to the vagina.
• Practicing sex with a condom.

Risks of candida yeast infection

Unfortunately, most females who think they have a yeast infection actually are diagnosed with something different. Instead, there may be other problems such as vaginal dryness, inflammation, or even an STD. 

Especially if the yeast infection does not go away on its own, make an appointment with your gynecologist so they can figure out what really is going on.

If not treated in time, a vaginal yeast infection can cause a lot of worse troubles. Candida infection can get very complicated. Vaginal yeast infection can show more complicated and severe symptoms if the female is under any of the following conditions.

• In case of severe and aggressive symptoms of redness, inflammation, itching, and redness leading to cuts or tears.
• In case the female has cases of four or more yeast infections each year.
• If the female is pregnant.
• In case the female is suffering from uncontrolled diabetes.
• In case the female has a very weak immune system because of certain ongoing medications or severe health conditions such as HIV Infection or so.

Also Read: Know the facts related to Thrush

Natural Remedies for candida yeast infection

Commonly known as yeast infection, candida is a consequence of an overgrowth of yeast in the human body. Candida causes oral thrush (oral candidiasis) which is very common in small children, vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections. Any person may get candida infections at any part of the body, but most often, they happen in the mouth, known as oral thrush, and in the vagina.

There are some ways to cure the irritating candida infections and to ensure that they do not get into a more serious condition. Below are the most effective treatment options you can try to treat candida infections.

1. Reduce Sugar Intake 

The first step towards treating candida infections is to cut out the excess sugar content from your diet. An average person eats over 126 grams of sugar a day. Parasites such as candida (fungus) feed extensively on sugar and thrive more. Thus, if you don’t cut down on your sugar consumption, it will make the candida infection grow severe. 

Going without sugar for some weeks will be a huge transition, but it will pay off. You will curb the candida infections and notice other health benefits also.

2.  Increase Probiotic Intake to kill  candida 

Another effective method to treat the candida infection is to increase the number of probiotics to your diet. You can have probiotic yogurt,  etc to effectively get rid of candida infection. Probiotics help in restoring the balance of the healthy and unhealthy bacteria in your gut, which makes it easier to level down the candida production back down to normal levels. So, whether you suffer from a vaginal yeast infection or not, you can continue having probiotic to get healthier and happier.

You can also try to add foods like pickles, kimchi,  tempeh, and miso which are good sources of probiotics. 

3. Cut the Antibiotics

Doctors now are extra cautious about over-prescribing antibiotics. There is a medical fact behind reason the strict and cautious usage of antibiotics. It is so because you frequently have antibiotics, it reduces the number of healthy bacteria in the gut. This lowered number of good bacteria in the gut makes the dream habitat of candida for rapid growth. If you are facing this problem, immediately talk to your doctor about the courses of treatment which do not include heavy antibiotics. 

4. Creams alone won’t save you from candida infection

Many females depend on anti-fungal creams and over-the-counter treatments as they notice the signs of candida infection. However, these treatments are highly effective for some mild cases or some kind of candida, but they do not work for other kinds. As there are about 20 kinds of candida, there is a good chance that such popular creams will do no good to cure your candida infection. The most common candida infection occurs due to Candida Albicans.

Outlook of Candida Yeast Infection

It is common for most females to have vaginitis at least once in their lifetime. This infection is rarely dangerous. Taking doctor prescribed antibiotics will help remove any infections and ease the inflammation and other symptoms caused due to it. Refraining from having sex and avoiding the use of vaginal products with potential irritants for a few days after diagnosis of the infection can help speed up the recovery.

Vaginal candida infection can cause a lot of pain and inconvenience to the female. And if left untreated, the infection can be very harmful to the intimate parts of the female. Females are suggested to consult their gynecologist in case any pain, inconvenience, discomfort, or abnormal discharges are observed. Monitor your diet, high antibiotic use, and consult a gynecologist to stop yeast infections from coming back in the future.

Also Read: What is the difference between UTI and Yeast infection?