Yeast is most commonly used to make bread and bread products. But there is another form of yeast that is present in our bodies. Yeast is a fungus that is commonly present on our skin, especially in areas where there is moisture like the mouth and vagina. About 20% to 50% of healthy women have yeast in the vaginal areas.
Candida albicans, a species of yeast, is known to be the type of yeast responsible for vaginitis or inflammation of the vagina. This type of vaginal yeast infection is commonly known as yeast infection. This type of vaginal yeast infection is the most common of all vaginal infections that affect women and, in rare cases, men who have had sex with women with yeast infections.
There are only a few symptoms that indicate a possible vaginal yeast infection. However, these symptoms can also be indicative of other conditions that are not necessarily related to yeast infections. Here is a short list of physical indications that could point to the presence of a yeast infection:
1. Itching. Vaginal itching is something that can usually be remedied with a good wash. If a yeast infection is suspected, an over-the-counter topical antifungal cream can often relieve the itching. Unrelieved itching should already be a cause for alarm, as this should indicate that there is something else irritating the area that could not be removed by antiseptics or fungal treatment. Severe itching can be accompanied by the redness and swelling characteristic of vaginitis.
2. Bread. When there is pain, in all probability something is wrong. Vaginal yeast pain can occur from increased irritation of the inflamed area from friction from clothing or other parts of the body or from body fluids or from touching the inflamed area. People with vaginal yeast infections often experience pain when urinating or having sex.
3. High. This is not present in all cases of vaginal yeast infection. Those who have vaginal discharge notice a thick, cottage cheese-like substance from their vaginal cavity. This discharge can be white or yellowish and is generally odorless. Some people with vaginal yeast infections, however, have reported that their discharge has a starchy odor.
These symptoms can also indicate other conditions. If these are experienced over several days, you may want to check with your doctor. A vaginal exam along with a microscopic analysis of a sample taken from the inflamed area in your vagina could give you a definitive answer about the condition you have. When these symptoms occur and persist for more than a week, yeast infection can be a symptom of a more serious illness such as diabetes mellitus or AIDS.
If left untreated, yeast infection can spread throughout the body and cause a systemic candida disease that could be fatal. Most people who develop systemic candida disease often turn out to be diagnosed with critical illnesses that are difficult to treat with normal procedures. Therefore, at the slightest sign of a yeast infection, you should see your doctor and get the appropriate treatment.