A vaginal yeast infection does not mean you are dirty person!
Many women (around 75%) will develop a vaginal yeast infection in
their life time, and about half of these will have more than one.
So rest assured it is not because you have poor personal hygiene.
Candida albicans, the culprit responsible for your vaginal yeast
infection is present in a normal healthy body and only becomes
infectious if it grows out of control. Candida flourishes and symptoms
will appear when conditions in the vagina change significantly enough to
make it difficult for other micro-organisms to survive. For example, a
vaginal yeast infection may occur after a course of antibiotics. The
reason for this is that the antibiotics decrease the number of “good”
bacteria in the vagina, thereby altering the normal balance and allowing
Candida to dominate and infect.
Other things that change the normal balance between organisms in the
vagina and can therefore trigger a vaginal yeast infection include:
- Tight or wet clothing which change the temperature, moisture and create irritation
- Douches, perfumes, hygiene sprays
- Hormonal changes – pregnancy, ovulation, menopause, contraceptive pill, HRT
- Diet – if this changes the pH (acidity) of the vagina
- Tears or scratches in the vagina
- Diabetes
- Steroids
- Other conditions which weaken the immune system – cancer, HIV/AIDS
A lot of women, and especially those who have experienced a vaginal
yeast infection before, often wait, hoping the problem will disappear on
its own. Frequently the symptoms will diminish, but without identifying
and eliminating the root cause of the imbalance, the condition
will return.
Once you have developed the symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection,
you should treat it as quickly as possible. Most over the counter or
prescription medications are quick and effective at treating
the symptoms. Alternatively there are many natural remedies that are
just as effective, but don’t carry the risk of creating resistance
through multiple use, as traditional medications do.
If your symptoms reappear immediately following treatment, or you
have a persistent vaginal yeast infection that does not respond to
treatment, or you are prone to multiple infections, this may be a sign
of something more serious. In these instances, you should seek
immediate advice from a qualified medical practitioner, so that they can
either confirm or exclude the presence of a more serious condition such
as diabetes, HIV/AIDS or other conditions that may be weakening your
immune system.
If your medical practitioner confirms that your recurring symptoms
are definitely due to a persistent vaginal yeast infection then it may
be time to push aside traditional medications and try a natural or
holistic remedy. After all, they worked in the old days when
traditional medications weren’t available.
It may be that your Candida has developed a tolerance to the
medications the doctor has been prescribing, or that you need to start
targeting the root cause of your recurring vaginal yeast
infection rather than just the symptoms. The only way you can do this is
by trying a natural treatment.
Natural treatments are safe, don’t cause any side effects and Candida
cannot become resistant to them. In addition, they can also target the
source of your vaginal yeast infection and provide you with a systemic
cure rather than a superficial treatment. So, if you are sick of all
the creams, pills and potions and just want to rid yourself from these
unpleasant infections, a natural or holistic treatment is well worth a
try.
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Vaginal Yeast Infection
