HEAL
Posted January 31, 2020
If you’re a woman, there’s a high likelihood that you’ve had at least one vaginal yeast infection. Here’s my advice on how you can recognize the symptoms and causes and treat this itchy and uncomfortable condition.
A vaginal yeast infection, or “vulvovaginal candidiasis,” is a fungal infection in a woman’s vagina and tissues of vulva (vaginal entrance). Yeast is a common fungus found in your body. Some yeast is normal, but too much can turn into a yeast infection. A vaginal yeast infection will affect three out of every four women sometime in their lifetime. For some women, yeast infections are a regular occurrence.
While a vaginal yeast infection is not contagious, sexual contact can sometimes lead to developing a new yeast infection when your body chemistry reacts with your partner’s bacteria.
A vaginal yeast infection occurs when your normal, healthy vaginal chemistry changes, and a yeast, known as candida, grows and spreads. This yeast imbalance can be caused by:
If you’ve had a yeast infection before and are certain your symptoms are caused by a yeast infection, there are over-the-counter medications you can try. If these don’t relieve your symptoms, contact your doctor. We will often prescribe a one-dose pill (Diflucan or Fluconazole) or other longer-term treatment options.
While a yeast infection can be disruptive to your daily routine, it is a condition that can be treated quickly by a provider with an online visit usually in less than an hour.
Do an online visit
Start a visitGet treated quickly at a walk-in clinic or urgent care
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