Do You Know What Yeast Infection Is?

A yeast infection is an infection caused by yeast of the species Candida which mostly infects women. It causes vaginal infections and some mouth infections to people who have poor immune system and/or who have been taking antibiotics.

Candida Albicans, along with the other forms of yeast, commonly grow in the vagina, mouth and rectum. A yeast infection occurs if a person's immune system is unbalanced. If you want to know whether you are having yeast infection, it is advised that you see a doctor. He will take a sample of your oral plaque or vaginal discharge and examine it under a microscope. Then he can tell whether you have any signs of infection from this Candida.

However, there are 5 symptoms of yeast infection that you can easily notice whether you get an infection. These 5 symptoms are burning sensation during urination, discharge from the penis (for men), itching around the vagina or penis, irritation and redness around the vagina.

From the research, it is found that there are three out of four women having yeast infection. In the United States, nearly 50% of college women have been diagnosed with yeast infection at the early age of 25 and almost 5% of those diagnosed go on to develop chronic yeast infections.

During pregnancy, a woman has increased levels of estrogen which causes the increased production of glycogen in the vagina making it easy for yeast to grow there. If a pregnant woman is observed to have signs of candidiasis, she may pass the infection to her newborn baby in the form of thrush. This can be seen as white patches present in the baby's mount at birth. So if you are pregnant and you have sighs of yeast infection, you should see your doctor for the appropriate treatment.

If you are taking antibiotics, there are more chances for you to develop yeast infections. This is because taking antibiotics might kill the bacteria, which allows the yeast to grow rapidly, thereby causing yeast infection. It is important to maintain the balance of yeast and good bacteria in our body so that we can prevent the growth of infections.

Stress might cause a yeast infection. When we are stressed, our immune system becomes weak, which invites the growth of yeast. Staying clean and dry is important factor to fight the production of yeast in our body. Consuming high carbohydrate like alcohol and refined sugars will create the perfect environment for yeast to grow.