IC Disease

It is not unlikely for someone to be diagnosed with a vaginal yeast infection when they in fact may have other more serious conditions that have similar symptoms. 

Bacterial Vaginitis

Bacterial vaginitis can be mistaken for a common yeast infection. The main difference between the two is that the bacterial vaginitis discharge has a bad odor. In yeast infections, there should be no odor with the discharge. Women who left their bacterial vaginitis go untreated can end up with pelvic inflammatory disease which leads to further infertility.

STD

Gonorrhea and herpes are STD’s that can be mistaken for vaginal yeast infections because of the similarities in the symptoms - particularly the itching and the discharge.  This is why it is so important to not self-diagnose or to self treat without first seeing a physician.

Please read Part 1 & Part 2 of this series which cover the symptoms and causes of vaginal yeast infections. 

When it comes to getting treated for a vaginal yeast infection, you should always see your physician and not self-medicate by purchasing any over-the-counter products unless your doctor gives you permission to do so.  If a woman has had previous vaginal yeast infections, and her doctor determines that her current infection is due to yeast overgrowth, there are many over-the-counter products available your physician may recommend.  Some of these include Monistat, Gyne-Lotrimin, and Femstat.  These products are meant to be used for one to seven days depending on product and instructions.

Vagisil can be used during a vaginal yeast infection to help soothe the itching/burning that is common and annoying. 

On the prescription medication end, there is a one pill drug called Diflucan that will treat yeast infections.  For women who don’t like to use messy creams and would prefer a quick treatment, this one would be a good choice.  There are a few other oral prescription medications that can be taken but these will need to be taken for a week to 13 days. 

Part 2 of the vaginal yeast infection series will cover the causes.  Please go back and read yesterday’s post that covered the symptoms of yeast infections.

What causes vaginal yeast infections?

Canidida albicans is the main cause of vaginal yeast infections. Canidida is a normal fungi that lives in the mouth, intestines and vagina and is usually harmless. Canidida becomes an issue when there is an overgrowth.   So what causes the overgrowth that leads to the infections?

• Antibiotics - If a woman has recently been on antibiotics for another type of infection/illness. 
• Certain clothing materials - women who wear pantyhose, tight pants, underwear or any type of material that traps in the heat and moisture.
• Eating too many foods with sugar, yeast, and starch.
• Birth control pills
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Premenstrual Syndrome
• Pregnancy
• MS

Part 3 tomorrow will cover treatments available for vaginal yeast infections.

Approximately 75% of all women will experience a vaginal yeast infection at least one time in their lives.  Once a woman gets her first vaginal yeast infection, there is a greater chance that she will get one again.  One mistake that is common for women to make when it comes to treating yeast infections is many will try to self-medicate.  Another mistake women make is not knowing what the symptoms of a yeast infection are. 

Symptoms

The symptoms of a yeast infection include vaginal:

• itching
• burning
• irritation
• redness
• discharge

For women who develop serious yeast infections, or those who do not get treatment right away, they can have swelling of the vulva and painful, frequent urination.  The discharge that is seen in vaginal yeast infections is a thick, white, cottage cheese type discharge. 

Tomorrow Part 2 will cover the causes of vaginal yeast infections.