what's yeast infection and how does one get it??
493759
Definition: Overgrowth of yeast can affect the skin (yeast rash ), mouth (thrush), digestive tract, esophagus, vagina ( vaginitis ), and other parts of the body. Yeast infections occur most frequently in moist areas of the body. Although Candida albicans and other Candida yeasts are the most frequent offenders, other yeast groups are known to cause illness, primarily in immunocompromised patients. These include Torulopsis, Cryptococcus, Malassezia, and Trichosporon yeasts. Diagnosis is by observation, and can be confirmed by culturing a stool or mucosa sample, or a scraping from the affected area. Treatment is by topical or oral antifungal medications. Acidophilous, a helpful bacteria that normally helps to keep yeast in check, can also be tried in supplement form or in yogurt with live cultures. See also Candida albicans, candidiasis, thrush, yeast vaginitis , yeast  rash.\n\nFor a vaginal yeast infection, an over-the-counter topical cream or suppository (a pill that dissolves in the vagina) containing miconazole or clotrimazole is typically suggested.  If over-the-counter medications are not effective, your doctor may prescribe a cream with terconazole or an oral antifungal drug containing fluconazole. \n\nHow Can I Prevent It? \n\n\nIf work keeps your hands in water for long periods, wear rubber gloves.  When you're done, wash your hands and apply a mild prescription or over-the-counter antifungal cream. \nWear cotton or silk underclothes, which, unlike nylon and other synthetics, allow excess moisture to evaporate. Wash and dry your underclothes thoroughly; change them often. \nDouching or using deodorant feminine hygiene sprays, tampons, sanitary pads or toliet paper can increase your chances of getting a vaginal yeast infection.  It may be helpful to eat yogurt in an effort to replenish the good bacteria that help your body combat the overgrowth of yeast.\n\nVaginal infections can be triggered by dozens of daily things, such as your sexual behavior, hormones (including hormonal contraceptives, changes in menstrual cycle), vaginal blood (from your period, irregular bleeding, etc.), anything inserted into the vagina (diaphragm, tampons, strings from an IUD), or medications (antibiotics, douching agents, antifungal agents, spermicides). Studies have even found that women from different races have different vaginal ecosystems, predisposing some groups of women to more vaginal infections than others. \n\nHope all that helps!
472507
Yeast infections are simply an overgrowth of the yeast normally found in the vagina - usually caused by a pH imbalance!\n\nThere are medications for it that you can even buy over the counter at any drug store. But I prefer the more 'natural' remedies - vinegar and water douches (NEVER EVER use scented douches - if you do, that's probably what's messing with your pH levels!)... and plain (UNFLAVORED) yogurt (inside AND out will help with the itching).
1116671
yes you can catch a yeast infection and you CAN get it in your mouth called oral thrush,,,vaginal candidiasis also known as vaginal thrush or as a yeast infection. This condition results from the yeast fungus candida albicans, which often grow rapidly, unimpeded by the bacteria that usually keeps it in check. Symptoms include burning, itching and a "cottage cheese-like" vaginal discharge.
867321
vaginal yeast infections are caused by Candida albicans, which, along with a few types of bacteria, are normally present in relatively small numbers in your crotch. sometimes the yeast multiply rapidly and take over, causing a full-fledged yeast infection, or, in the heart-warming terminology of the medical establishment, candidiasis or monilia. this can be due to a change in the vaginal environment, injury, sexual transmission, or HIV. common environmental disruptions that favor yeast include increased pH, increased heat and moisture, allergic reactions, elevated sugar levels, hormonal fluxes, and reductions in the populations of bacteria that are normally present. these can generally be traced to a few categories of culprits: \n\nTight clothing rubbing against you\nCertain Antibiotics \nChemicals, such as inks, dyes, and perfumes\nHormones, sometimes influenced by birth control pills\nBy spremicides on condoms or by sexual transmission\n....And having high levels of sugar in your diet (Such as too much SODA POP!)
47622
Could be a Candida (yeast infection)...\n\nHere are some Infection Signs and Symptoms\n\nTypical Yeast Infection Symptoms\nVaginal itching \nVaginal discharge that may be thick, white, and   lumpy like cottage cheese \nVaginal soreness, irritation, or burning \nRash or redness on the skin outside the vagina  (vulva) \nBurning on urination \nPainful vaginal intercourse (sex)\n\nIf this continues, you should see a doctor...if you have been diagnosed with one before, you can get an ointment like monistat to clear it up.
917400
It sounds like you have a vaginal infection... such as a yeast infection.\n\nI would recommend seeing a doctor if this is your first encounter with a yeast infectiong.  I know it can be embarassing but it's important to know for sure what it is so you can have it treated. \n\nIf it is a yeast infection and your doctor confirms it, you will be able to tell what it is next time and just go buy Monostat (or other over the counter treatment).\n\nResearch has shown that daily ingestion of yogurt containing the bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus helps in the prevention and treatment of candidal vaginitis (a.k.a. yeast infections).\n\n\nHope that helps.
684741
you might have a yeast infection
1048738
Yes- men can get yeast infections, and it is treated with antifungal creams and ointments.  If you feel you have a yeast infection, your partner also needs to be treated, as it can be passed back and forth.  Please see your doctor for confirmation that you indeed have one.
613555
Just from what you posted, it sounds like a yeast infection.\n\nHave you been on antibiotics lately? They can give you a yeast infection. \n\nYou can get a yeast infection for a lot of reasons. Too tight clothes, antiobiotics, etc. \n\nIf you are the only person who has been down there (and I mean hands, too), then I would go to a drugstore and get some OTC medicine.
1042032
Symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection include itching and burning in the vagina and around the vulva, a white vaginal discharge that may look like cottage cheese, pain during sexual intercourse, and swelling of the vulva.  The discharge smells like yeast.  If you have never had one before, then you need to see your doctor for a proper diagnosis, before buying any type of over the counter medication.
473635
Causes of Yeast Infection\n\nLowered immunity\nPoor nutrition\nPhysical and mental stress.\nUse of some antibiotics\nBirth control pills\nMenstrual periods\nDiabetes\nPregnancy\n\nHow to Avoid Yeast Infection?\n\nWear loose cotton underwear or panties (no synthetic-fiber clothes). Don't wear panty hose, leggings, and tight jeans every day.\nDon't use deodorant sanitary pads or tampons and feminine hygiene sprays, or bubble bath, especially if you feel an infection.\nChange out of wet clothes as soon as possible. Before changing, use your blow dryer on a low to dry your genital area.\nWipe from front to back after every use of the toilet. This may prevent reaching the bacteria from rectum to your vagina.\nDo not keep your stomach empty for a long time.
984686
With a yeast infection, common symptoms are a cheesy white discharge, irritation, intense burning and itching, and redness in the area.\n\nHowever, you don't have to have ALL of these symptoms. \n\nWhile I wouldn't recommend any over the counter remedies or douches just yet, you could try a less expensive natural approach. Eat plenty of yogurt, cut down on sugar, etc. Also, spread some of that yogurt around your labia, as the bacteria compete with the fungal candida...if it is in fact a yeast infection. That way, you may nip it in the bud before a discharge, odor, or pain rear their ugly heads. \n\nIf the symptoms worsen, there's a vareity of over-the-counter remedies that will suit ya just fine.
569375
Hi Janie, at first I too thought it was a yeast infection, since they sometimes comes before,with and after your period, but to be on the safe side of things, you should get a medical check up first.If you are sexually active, it is best that you not have sex right now.It's your health and you should do what is best for yourself, the last thing you need is to have any disease/illness.Don't take it for granted, get checked out!
1023499
you may have a yeast infection, in which case you will have to go to the doctor and get infection medicine to clear this up. sometimes the creams dont work especially in this case... while it is normal to itch a little down there it isnt if it itches a lot. Make sure when you take a bath you clean there very well and go to the doctor because you could have a vaginal infection of some sort, you can get yeast infections from many things including if you have recently been taking some types of medications... The best thing you can do is keep yourself as clean as possible and go to the doctor and get checked out...\ngoodluck
43518
I believe it is a yeast infection. It is caused when the levels good bacteria for your body are low and this allows yeast to grow since that bacteria fight it off. Check out the site under sources for more info, but I know it can be caused by antibiotics.
172317
Does it have an odor?  Do you suffer from itching? Is is clear or milky white in coloring? You may have a yeast infection.  I would call your general physician or gynocologist and relate the discharge to her.  It could be nothing just general femine stuff even I find my body tends to get excited when mentally i'm not but you may have something more serious. \nsymptoms of vaginal yeast infections \n\n how can you tell that your crotch rot is really a yeast infection and not something else? most medical types say that you should go to a doctor to get it diagnosed the first time, and then once you know what you're looking for, you can figure it out yourself the next time and respond appropriately. i used to blow this off as a bunch of MDs protecting their turf and their profits, but more and more evidence is accumulating that wimmin often misdiagnose themselves as having a yeast infections when they really have something else. this is bad because you might have a more serious problem that isn't getting treated while you futz around with yeast treatments. just as bad, if you use an over-the-counter treatment for yeast and you don't really have yeast infection, you might be creating your own personal race of drug-resistant super-yeast, and next time you have a real yeast infection it could be damned hard to get rid of. \n\na doctor can tell for sure if you have a yeast infection by taking a swab and looking in a microscope. most of us can't do this at home, but sometimes you can tell by the feel, look, and smell that you have a yeast infection. if your symptoms don't match this list, or you are confused or uncertain, go see a doctor if at all possible.\n\n\n feels like an intense itching, burning sensation, localized in your vagina and vulva. this itching is not always present, but can get really bad, so bad you can hardly walk, let alone ride your bike to the pharmacy or doctor to get it treated. \n looks like clumpy nasty white stuff. most medical descriptions compare the discharge to ricotta cheese, but it can range from thick and not clumpy to faintly yellow to thin and clear. \n\n smells like bread or beer. in fact, it smells pretty much exactly like yeast, although the yeast used in brewing and baking is an entirely different species (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). no bacteria could smell like that, so it's a great diagnostic. \n\nfinally, in response to a recent question, i point out that a yeast infection will NOT cause you to miss your period.\n\n\n\n\n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n \nrecognizing other types of infections\nthere are other nasty creatures besides yeast that can sometimes infect your crotch, and it's helpful to know the symptoms of all of them so you can be really sure before you go treat yourself for a yeast infection you might not have. \n\n a bacterial infection of the vagina can feel a lot like a yeast infection if the vulval area is itchy or painful. unlike a yeast infection, the discharge can be dark yellow, green, or brown. and it won't smell like bread: it can smell like fish or something rotting, particularly after you have sex. if you think you might have a bacterial infection, or if you're not sure, get your diseased self to a doctor, sister. the main treatment is prescription antibiotics. \n\n urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are due to bacteria infecting the urethra rather than the vagina. (and if you aren't sure about the difference, check out elf sternberg's page on the sexual anatomy of women.) UTIs can be fairly easily distinguished from vaginal infections by a host of symptoms, including pain or burning when urinating, blood or mucus in urine, needing to urinate often, pain or pressure in back or lower abdomen, and a fever or chills. if you think you might have a UTI, don't mess around: go see a doctor, because the infection can travel up past the bladder, causing kidney damage. \n\n tricho
1051123
The yeast organisms are present in different parts of your body. Even babies can get an overgrowth of those organisms and get an infection, for instance thrush.\nAs you approach puberty and your period your hormones change and you might well have your first vaginal yeast infection.\nI assume that this is the first time you've thought you've had a yeast infection, so please go see a doctor to make sure that's what it is. Sometimes bacterial infections act just like yeast infections in the beginning but won't clear up with over-the-counter treatments. It takes antibiotics to fix those.