Health Blog

A yeast infection can be a big annoyance due to the itching and irritation that it causes. Most homemade natural treatments or over the counter anti-fungal treatments will get rid of the symptoms, but what happens if the infection keeps coming back?

Candida albicans is present all over our body, especially in the mucous membranes, the skin, and the intestines. When the body experiences an imbalance in bacteria levels, the Candida begins to grow and reproduce, developing into a yeast infection. Most yeast infections will respond to over the counter or homemade remedies however some of them may require a stronger medication prescribed from a physician.

Most of the time, there is something else that is causing the imbalance in bacteria within the body that the fungus feeds off of. It can be a number of things causing this imbalance including taking antibiotics, having a weakened immune system, being diabetic, the start of a menstrual cycle, a poor diet or even stress can cause this imbalance. If the underlying cause is not taken care of, the symptoms may subside for awhile, but the infection will come back soon afterwards. When a person develops a yeast infection more than 4 times a year, it is considered to be a recurrent yeast infection. When someone suffers from recurrent yeast infections, it is imperative to figure out what the underlying cause may be so that the problem can be tackled first.

If a doctor is treating the yeast infection and it comes back quickly after the treatment is finished, your doctor should be contacted immediately. When this happens, it means that the underlying problem has not been taken care of. This could be from a variety of reasons. If you have diabetes or anything that causes a weakened immune system, this could be what is causing the yeast infections to keep coming back. When this happens, the doctor may prescribe medication, most likely Diflucan to be taken once a week. This is usually the first step in treating a recurrent yeast infection. If this doesn’t work, the dosage may be increased. If the increased dosage doesn’t stop the yeast infections, the doctor may move on to something different which may be a different medication such as Terazole or Sporanax. One of the last things to try when treating a yeast infection is to take borax tablets or suppositories. Boric acid has been shown to clear up a yeast infection as a more natural over the counter treatment.

The use of antibiotics can also play a big role in a recurrent yeast infection, especially if a person takes them often. If this is the underlying cause of the yeast infection, the doctor may prescribe Diflucan or prescription medication to be taken while the antibiotic is being used.

Menstruation causes an imbalance to occur with the bacteria in the body. Many women develop a yeast infection around the time of their menstruation. If it has been determined that menstruation is causing a yeast infection to occur, a doctor may prescribe medication to be taken only during or right before menstruation.

A poor diet can have a profound effect on the recurrence of a yeast infection. A diet that is full of carbohydrates, sugar filled foods, and beer can create a breeding ground for yeast. If you suffer from recurrent yeast infections, you should take a look at your diet and decide whether or not your diet is healthy enough. A diet that is well balanced and contains a lot of vitamins and minerals can deter a yeast infection from occurring. Adding plain unsweetened yogurt with live cultures into your diet can also prevent an infection by keeping bacteria levels at bay. If a yeast infection occurs after a big night of beer drinking, then you can guess that beer may be your trigger. Beer contains yeast, therefore it only strengthens yeast growth in the body.

If you feel that you have recurrent yeast infections, it is important to keep track of when they occur and things that you are doing around the same time that they appear. One of the best ways to treat a recurrent yeast infection is to be able to pinpoint what the yeast infection trigger is. It may be one of the above mentioned problems or it could also be a product that you are using or a food that you are eating. If you suffer from recurrent oral yeast infections (thrush), pay special attention to what sort of foods you eat or oral hygiene products that you may use around the time of the yeast infection development.

You can do a few things to try to prevent a yeast infection from occurring. You can start with a good diet and then go from there. If you have recurrent vaginal yeast infections, stay away from using any products that are scented. This includes scented sanitary pads or tampons, soaps, body washes or body sprays. Don’t douche in an attempt to get rid of the infection. Many doctors claim that douching does just the opposite of what it may be intended for. Instead of cleaning out the infection, it actually pushes the infection further inside of the body and can cause more harm than good. Always where panties that have a cotton crotch and steer clear of nylon and tight fitting clothes. These will just hold the moisture and heat in which the yeast loves! Some women have an allergic reaction to sanitary pads; try using unscented tampons instead.

If you are on birth control, talk to your doctor about changing to a different form. Since hormone levels play a big role in yeast growth, it may be your birth control that is causing you to develop recurrent yeast infections.

A yeast infection can occur in other areas of the body as well including the mouth, the skin, and the intestines. If a proper diet along with these preventative measures don’t work, then it may be time to talk to your doctor about getting medicinal treatment. Once the underlying problem is taken care of, it is possible to control and prevent yeast infections and rid your life of the irritation that comes along with them.

About the Author
Juliet Ford is a young freelance writer from California. She mostly writes about yeast infections and migraines, two of the most widespread health issues mostly targeting woman subjects. She also is the lead editor at www.howtogetridofcandida.net.