What Are the Causes of Vaginal Yeast Infections?

What Are the Causes of Vaginal Yeast Infections?

Yeast, or Candidia, which is its scientific name, is a kind of fungus which affects the moist areas of the human body like mouth and vagina. Around 75 percent of women become a victim of vaginal yeast infections at some point of time of their life. In fact, in the United States, around 50 percent of college-going females were found to have at least one yeast infection by the time they reached the age of 25. The good news is that yeast infections can be easily treated. Here we will discuss the common causes of yeast infections in women.

First, what are the symptoms of vaginal yeast infections? If you suffer from itching, inflammation, swelling of the vaginal area, viscous colorless discharge or painful sex then you just may have a yeast infection. Yeast infections are incredibly irritating as anyone who has suffered from one before can attest.

Yeast infections are an epidemic and vaginal yeast infections are particularly annoying to women. About 80 percent of yeast infections are caused by a particular species of yeast called Candidia Albicans. In an adult, around 70 trillion microorganisms are found in the digestive tract. Yeast is naturally present in the body and beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract keep its population under check. Good bacteria activate the yeast to produce vitamins like B vitamins. However, this balance between the beneficial bacteria and the yeast in the body has to be maintained. Yeast in the vagina also feeds off of the body’s glucose. Any substance that increases the blood sugar content or causes a hormonal imbalance in the body increases the yeast’s growth.

The most common cause of a vaginal yeast infection is the overuse of antibiotics. Antibiotics are great for killing off bad, harmful bacteria but the problem is that they also kill off all of the beneficial bacteria which keep yeast in check. Antibiotics are fungal metabolites and dangerous mycotoxins that even kill the beneficial bacteria, which is necessary for maintaining our entire health. When the ratio of the yeast to bacteria is disrupted the yeast fungi grows more rapidly and causes a yeast infection.

States of body like pregnancy, diabetes or HIV infection, and treatments that cause suppression of body’s resistance, like cancer treatments, also make the body vulnerable to yeast infections. Drugs like contraceptives and steroids are also responsible for yeast growth.

Damp and extremely tight clothing like gym suits and swimming suits should be changed as soon as possible as a moist environment is a breeding ground for yeast. Cotton undergarments are preferred as they are light and provide aeration of the vaginal area. Hygiene is particularly valuable and completely drying the vaginal area after urinating or bathing will help keep yeast from growing and thriving. Optimum conditions for yeast growth are moisture, warmth, and dark conditions, so keep that in mind.

Yeast infections are painful and intensely irritating and cause a burning sensation along with itching. Knowing the causes of yeast infections and controlling what is under your control will help keep yeast at bay and help you from becoming a victim of this annoying infection.

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