Unless you live in a cave or don't talk to other people, you probably know what a "yeast infection" is. But do you know what a yeast infection really is? A yeast infection, which is also called thrush, is called Candidiasis by doctors. Candidiasis is an infection caused by any type of Candida, which are yeast-like imperfect fungi that belong to the genus Candida. Even though everyone has yeast organisms living in them, yeast doesn't usually grow too much because of microorganisms that are already in the body.
Candidiasis is usually only found in moist, unprotected areas of the body in people who can make an immune response after being exposed to an antigen. Some of these places are the mouth, the vagina, and the folds of skin on a diapered child (also known as diaper rash.) Most of the time, vaginal irritation or vaginitis are the first signs of vaginal candidiasis.
A yeast infection in the vaginal area is not fun in any way, and unfortunately, at least three quarters of all women will get one at some point in their lives. Candida Albicans are found in almost all women's vaginal areas, but they don't usually cause any problems. When the balance of normal organisms in the vagina isn't as good as it should be, a person can get an overgrowth, which will cause the symptoms of a yeast infection.
The most common signs of a yeast infection are itching in the vagina or vulva, which can be very bad or very mild, a white or white-gray discharge, and a smell like active yeast, like when you bake bread or make beer. Yeast infections are more likely to happen if you are pregnant, use douches, take certain antibiotics, or have diabetes mellitus.
If a woman thinks she has a yeast infection for the first time, she should go to the doctor to find out for sure. Under a microscope, a simple swab or scrape from the affected area with a solution of KOH is looked at on a slide. Once a yeast infection has been found, a doctor will probably suggest a treatment, but there are many choices. Your doctor may give you a prescription for a pill, or you can just go to the drug store and get one of the many over-the-counter remedies that are available.
