The Symptoms and Treatments for Yeast Infections in Women

Female Yeast Infections affect women of all ages. Candida or yeast Infection in women predominantly occurs when there is a  change in the hormonal pH of the vagina such as pregnancy, menstruation and menopause and is contributed to Candida  overgrowth. Certain factors can affect the overgrowth such as a recent course of antibiotics or a weak immune system. The use  of certain contraceptive pills can also contribute to the overgrowth as would women that have diabetes. It is not a sexually  transmitted disease although it can be contagious when direct personal contact is made in this manner.

Vaginal Thrush is very much treatable but it is important to note that many of the symptoms of yeast infection are similar to  bacterial vaginosis and in which it case it would require a different treatment. Female Yeast Infection Symptoms include:  intense itching of the vagina, burning sensation when urinating, an odorless white thick vaginal discharge (a slight smell  similar to yeast), and redness of the vulva and the vagina and pain during sexual intercourse. Often, women with yeast  infection report having headaches, fatigue, mood swings and joint aches.

If you want to do a Candida yeast infection home test to see if you have a candida infection, first thing in morning before  you eat or drink anything, get a clear glass with water and spit into it a couple of times. Check the glass after 15 to 20  minutes, strings travelling down into the water and settling at the bottom looking "cloudy" would suggest you have a Candida  (yeast) infection as opposed to the spit clearing in the water.

If you have these symptoms, the important thing is to get feeling better as quickly as possible. The most common female yeast  infection treatments are antifungal creams and drugs. These can be prescribed by a doctor or you can avail of the many OTC  creams and pessaries in pharmacies. It's important to note that some of these will eliminate the good intestinal flora and  microorganisms and can have some side effects which are hard on the body. Depending on the severity of the infection many  women have reported success in treating the infection anywhere from 3 days up to 14 days, in more serious cases it can take  up to a month to get rid of it fully.

What will speed up the recovery for yeast infection in women is avoiding using scented soaps as these contain harsh chemicals  which irritates the vagina, avoid wearing tight clothing and use only cotton underwear.