It might sound a little strange, but yeast cells are tenants in every vagina. For
the most part, yeast cells cause women no ill effects because they exist in very
small numbers. Problems associated with yeast infections occur when the numbers
of these little guys grow out of control. When a woman has a yeast infection, the
result can be an indescribably uncomfortable feeling that includes an itching sensation
and a cottage cheese-like discharge.
Although some would consider the symptoms of a yeast infection to be rather serious,
the truth is that vaginal yeast infections are rather common, easily treatable and
preventable, and are typically more annoying than anything else.
Yeast infections are caused by a type of yeast known as
Candida albicans.
This yeast typically lives in small numbers in the vagina, where another small organism
known as
Lactobacillus acidophilus actually helps keep the yeast cells from
growing out of control.
Lactobacillus is actually a bacteria that serves
to keep the number of yeast cells from getting too high.
Sometimes, the number of these beneficial bacteria gets very low, and they are unable
to keep the yeast cells from reproducing and growing out of control. This usually
happens when an individual is taking certain antibiotics, since these drugs are
actually designed to kill off certain bacteria. High levels of estrogen during pregnancy,
diabetes, and HIV can also cause the levels of beneficial bacteria to drop. When
the numbers of beneficial bacteria are changed, the internal balance of the vagina
is changed, with yeast cells quickly growing out of control.
When a woman is suffering from a yeast infection, she will often have several symptoms,
including a burning and itching sensation that can sometimes cause a woman pain
during sex or urination. In addition, a yeast infection can also create, in some
women, a white discharge. An untreated yeast infection can also lead to the development
of a very strong odor.
Since yeast infections are so common, most women actually do the diagnosing themselves.
For the most part, women are able to recognize the symptoms of a yeast infection
and are able to differentiate the infection from another potential condition, especially
if a woman has in fact already had to deal with one or several infection over her
lifetime. However, to be certain that a yeast infection is just that and nothing
more, some women often make the choice of seeing a doctor and having that doctor
take a sample of the cells in the vagina (known as a culture) in order to determine
what is in fact causing the discomfort.