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Womens Health
Candida
Candida Albicans - two words every woman dreads, whether or
not she knows what they mean. But for those who don't, Candida
is the organism that causes yeast infections. Anybody who's ever
had one will know exactly what that means: itching, burning,
swelling, messy discharge, and general misery in the nether regions.
It isn't the sort of thing you brag to your friends about while
you're suffering, like a hangover. A yeast infection is something
you want to get rid of as quickly, completely and quietly as
possible. Luckily, that's more than possible for today's woman,
without even a visit to the doctor if she already knows what
she's dealing with (Once you've met Candida for the first time,
you'll certainly remember it if it shows up again!).
Candida has been around for so long, various untruths have
grown on the subject of how you get it and how you get rid of
it. Eating bread or drinking yeasty beverages (like beer) can't
cause a yeast infection, or make it worse. Yeast that goes into
your digestive system does not go into your reproductive system,
where Candida Albicans causes its problems. The yeast in bread,
beer and other food items is not even the same organism.
Yeast infections are generally the result of the body's natural
immune system and/or the pH balance of the vaginal canal getting
out of order. This could be the result of an illness taxing the
immune system, or something as simple as over-frequent douching
or overuse of regular soap. Being exposed to an infected person
through sexual contact (or sharing a sex partner without protection)
can also introduce a yeast infection. The Candida yeast, which
is present in most women in small amounts, takes advantage of
any environment that allows it to grow out-of-control. It's really
quite simple, and generally nothing to be ashamed of.
Candida Treatment
As for Candida treatment, don't waste your time with homemade
concoctions and do-it-yourself cures. A great many effective
and affordable treatments are available without prescription
for basic cases. While non-prescription treatment used to mean
putting up with a seven-day regimen of messy creams or suppositories,
five and even three-day treatments are now available (although
they're still as messy as the old ones!). Non-prescription remedies
are effective for almost all average Candida outbreaks, so you
should be back to normal in less than a week.
Of course, if your symptoms seem unusual compared to past
yeast infections, or if a non-prescription medication doesn't
work, a visit to the doctor is definitely in order. It could
just be a 'stubborn' Candida infection, but it might also be
another medical condition altogether. In either case, don't get
embarrassed and sit around hoping it goes away! Whether it's
just a difficult case of Candida or something more serious, the
sooner it's gone, the better!
Candida Links
UK Department of Health
National Candida
Society
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