{"id":1362,"date":"2022-12-17T17:04:01","date_gmt":"2022-12-17T17:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/?p=1362"},"modified":"2023-01-07T17:14:25","modified_gmt":"2023-01-07T17:14:25","slug":"chronic-yeast-infections-causes-symptoms-and-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/chronic-yeast-infections-causes-symptoms-and-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Chronic Yeast Infections: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Understanding what causes chronic yeast infections and how to treat them is crucial for optimal health and a speedy recovery. This expert-approved article outlines and explains everything you need to know about havi<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ng a recurrent or chronic vaginal yeast infection, including the most common causes, symptoms, and possible treatment methods. While you can get a yeast infection at any point in life, certain factors can increase your chances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Before understanding what causes chronic yeast infections and what treatment options are best for you, we recommend seeking out the help of a trained medical professional. If you are in the area or you are looking for the best, we suggest consulting a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/vulvovaginal-disorders-sexual-dysfunction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">sexual health specialist in Miami<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is a Vaginal Yeast Infection?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A yeast infection is a common fungal infection that can cause unu<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">sual vaginal discharge, intense itching and discomfort of the vulva and vagina, and irritation. Technically, this condition is called &#8220;vaginal candidiasis.&#8221; On average, three out of four women will have this condition at least once in her life. A lot of patients experience a minimum of two vaginal yeast infection episodes and they can occur during any stage of life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How and why do these infections happen? Overall, it happens when there is an overgrowth of a fungus called candida Albicans. This fungus naturally lives in the body in small amounts. Candida albicans is present in the intestines, the skin, and the mouth as well, which, again, is normal. Candida infections occur when this small amount of fungus overgrows. When candida is out of balance, the yeast will begin to overgrow and cause candidiasis or an infection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Can we refer to candida Albicans as an infection? In some ways, yes. Candida albicans is a type of yeast that lives in the human body. As mentioned, when it is &#8220;off-balance,&#8221; it c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">an overgrow and lead to an infection. If you have any additional questions or concerns about your health, make sure to reach out to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">New Age Women&#8217;s Health<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1364 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection.jpg\" alt=\"Medical or gynecological problems, healthcare concept. Close up of a woman with hands holding her crotch\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/What-is-a-Vaginal-Yeast-Infection.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Causes of Chronic Yeast Infections<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you have four or more yeast infections per y<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ear, this technically meets the definition of a chronic yeast infection. There are a few chronic infection causes to be mindful of. Here are some of the most common causes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Firstly, chronic infection happens when you have a variation or an imbalance of vaginal bacteria. These are beneficial bacteria that stop candida Albicans from overgrowing. However, if you take antibiotics or use vaginal douches, you may remove too much of the beneficial bacteria, which can cause yeast to overgrow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For optimal health, your body requires a balance of beneficial microorganisms. In man<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">y cases, foods that contain active cultures and probiotic supplements can help restore healthy levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Candida albicans usually thrive in wet conditions such as saliva or sweat. So, if you lack normal hygiene practices, such as brushing your teeth daily or taking regular showers, you can get chronic yeast infections.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Patients with a weak immune system are also more likely to experience chronic yeast infections. Some of the following factors contribute to a weak immune system:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Certain health conditions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Certain medications<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Advanced age<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Overall, these are the most common reasons why there is yeast overgrowth in your body:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uncontrollable diabetes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A weak or inadequate immune system<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Antibiotic use (can disrupt the normal vaginal flora)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pregnancy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Infection with a particular type of yeast that is hard to treat or does not respond to common treatments\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Vaginal Yeast Infection Symptoms<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeast overgrowth can come with a wide array of uncomfortable symptoms. So, what are the most common vaginal yeast infection symptoms? Some of the most frequent signs that you have an infection include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vaginal soreness or pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Swelling of the vulva or redness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Burning sensations, usually while urinating or having sexual intercourse<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Irritation or itching of the vulva and the vagina<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vaginal rash<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Watery and unusual vaginal discharge<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Odor-free vaginal discharge that is thick, white, and resembles cottage cheese<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether you are experiencing an uncomfortable vaginal rash or vaginal soreness, it is essential to seek out medical help and guidance. A trusted OB-GYN will provide you with all of the necessary information for a fast recovery. Remember that a vaginal yeast infection is not an STI or sexually transmitted infection. However, the symptoms outlined above (such as a vaginal rash) can be symptoms of an STI. Make sure to get tested regularly, especially if you are sexually active, not using condoms, and if you are regularly switching sexual partners (or you have a new partner). Vaginal yeast infection symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable and troublesome. They typically range from mild to moderate. Fortunately, with proper treatment, you can get rid of the vaginal yeast infection symptoms for good.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Treat a Vaginal Yeast Infection<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After receiving a proper diagnosis (which includes gathering information about medical history <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and undergoing a pelvic exam), the medical expert will provide the best treatment options for you. The good news is that treatment for chronic yeast infection is available and often effective, but can sometimes take several weeks or months to treat. If you are dealing with mild to moderate signs of infection and it is not chronic, your healthcare provider may suggest the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Single-dose oral medication such as fluconazole or Diflucan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Short-course vaginal therapy (including antifungal medications such as ointments, suppositories, creams, and tablets, as well as terconazole and miconazole).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Patients with chronic infections may be recommended:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Multidose oral medication<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Azole-resistant therapy <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(boric acid inserted in capsule form into the vagina)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Long-course vaginal therapy (for several weeks or months)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Newly available medications intended to treat resistant forms of Candida albicans<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Can I Prevent Chronic Yeast Infections?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prevention is your best option. Here are some ways to make sure that you don&#8217;t have to deal with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/conditions-and-diseases\/candidiasis-yeast-infection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">chronic or acute yeast infections of the vagina<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wear cotton, loose-fitting underwear.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Do not wear tight-fitting clothes or pantyhose.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Refrain from douching, as this can eliminate the healthy bacteria in your vagina responsible for combating infection.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Do not stay in hot tubs for too long.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Avoid scented feminine products like tampons, pads, and bubble baths.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you can, avoid antibiotic use.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Never stay in wet clothes for a long time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take care of your hygiene.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We also recommend staying on track with your doctor&#8217;s appointments. Visiting your OB-GYN regularly is even more critical for sexually active women. If you are having sexual intercourse without a condom, you may also be at risk of STIs. Make sure to check in with your healthcare professional at a reliable clinic to get tested early and receive proper treatment as soon as possible. Make sure that your partner gets tested as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1366 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/Can-I-Prevent-Chronic-Yeast-Infections.jpg\" alt=\"A Woman Is Cleaning Out Her Wardrobe, Standing by Clothes Placed on Hangers and in Drawers\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/Can-I-Prevent-Chronic-Yeast-Infections-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/Can-I-Prevent-Chronic-Yeast-Infections-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/Can-I-Prevent-Chronic-Yeast-Infections-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/Can-I-Prevent-Chronic-Yeast-Infections-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/Can-I-Prevent-Chronic-Yeast-Infections-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/Can-I-Prevent-Chronic-Yeast-Infections-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/100\/2023\/01\/Can-I-Prevent-Chronic-Yeast-Infections.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Give Us a Call Today<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeast infections of the vagina, especially chronic infections, can be troublesome and outright frustrating. The good news is that it doesn&#8217;t have to be that way! Reach out to the best professionals in your area and get expert help today. Choose New Age Women&#8217;s Health and get started now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understanding what causes chronic yeast infections and how to treat them is crucial for optimal health and a speedy recovery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[221],"tags":[224,222,226,223,225],"class_list":["post-1362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-yeast-infections","tag-candida-albicans","tag-chronic-yeast-infections","tag-vaginal-rash","tag-vaginal-yeast-infection","tag-vaginal-yeast-infection-symptoms"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1362","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1362"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1362\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/new-age-womens-health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}