8 Symptoms of a Yeast Infection That You Shouldn’t Neglect

Vaginal yeast infection is a very common but easily treated condition. It is an excessive growth of candida fungus in the vagina. Almost three-quarters of women will suffer from yeast infection throughout their lives. But there are a lot of causes that make you more prone to this condition such as hormonal birth control, pregnancy, douching, and taking antibiotics. Without proper treatment, yeast infections can cause vaginal irritation and discomfort. Here are eight symptoms of yeast infection you shouldn’t neglect.

1. Redness

If you think that you might have a yeast infection, take a little mirror and examine your vulva. You may notice redness and swelling or the skin may look a bit raw. You could also damage tissues if you scratch a lot.

2. Itching

If you tell any gynecologist that you feel severe itching “down there”, the very first diagnosis will be a yeast infection. The itching might be so unbearable that you may not be able even to sit. Many women even complain of itching inside the vagina. Despite the fact that it may feel like that, it is not medically correct. Itching from a yeast infection affects only the outer vaginal tissues.

3. Whitish areas

While sore skin is a common symptom of a yeast infection, it may also look a little white. However, regardless of whether your skin seems white or red, it won’t look normal with a yeast infection.

4. Sex brings discomfort

In most cases, unpleasant sensations during sex can be eliminated with a qualitative lubricant and a bit more attention from your partner. But if your vagina itches and burns throughout the day, you can also notice that the discomfort increases with sex.

5. Presence or absence of discharges

You probably know that white discharges are considered the main symptom of a yeast infection. But there are cases when a yeast infection flows without any discharges at all. Yeast doesn’t always breed in excess to cause such secretions. Therefore, the lack of discharges doesn’t mean that you are not suffering from a yeast infection.

6. No symptoms at all

Sometimes women may have an imbalance of yeast without any symptoms of a yeast infection. You may get to know it only after a routine examination or Pap test, which may confuse and alarm you. But if you have no symptoms, there is no need to worry or treat this imbalance. You shouldn’t take meds that your body actually doesn’t need.

7. Pain during urination

Burning while urinating can be a painful experience. Fortunately, this is rare among the symptoms of a yeast infection, but you may also have it. Urine itself can aggravate the condition of already irritated tissues. Burning sensations is one of the most common urinary tract infections symptoms, which also includes a constant urge to visit a restroom and turbid urine.

8. Presence or absence of odor

As a rule, yeast infection discharge is odorless or has a light sourish smell. If your discharges are very smelly and you suspect only a yeast infection, you may be mistaken. Bacterial vaginosis (another common vaginal infection) can actually have quite an unpleasant odor. Some women suffer from yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis at the same time. In this case, your discharge may smell very strange. If you tried a lot of home remedies for a yeast infection and don’t feel any relief, you need to visit your gynecologist as soon as possible in order to find out if you have one more (or a completely different) type of infection.

Lifestyle change can help to get rid of a yeast infection

There is a large number of treatment methods you may use to get rid of a yeast infection. You can try some over-the-counter antifungal meds such as ointments, creams, and suppositories for your vagina. Or you may ask your doctor to give you a prescription for a one-day oral antifungal medication such as fluconazole.

But your lifestyle can also influence your general and vaginal health in particular. If you want to relieve symptoms or reduce the chance of relapse, it is better to avoid wearing tight synthetic clothes and using shower gels with strong aromas. You also need to change your tampons and pads more often as well as your sweaty clothes after a workout.

Visit your gynecologist

If you get a yeast infection for the first time, you may need to see a gynecologist. In addition to the discomfort of constant itching, you shouldn’t think that the yeast infection will simply disappear. A yeast infection is not a very dangerous condition, but it can also be something else, such as a sexually transmitted infection that can cause big problems.