Understanding the Causes of Yeast Infection
Candida albicans is the fungus that causes yeast infection or candidiasis, which may develop in the mouth, vagina, or other moist areas of the skin. Candida that infects the vagina is called genital or vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC); the medical term that is used for the infection when it occurs in the mouth, on the other hand is "oral thrush" or orpharyngeal candiasis. The mouth, throat, rectal and vaginal areas are primary areas on the body where the yeast organisms are normally found. Usually, Candida is a harmless inhabitant of the body and causes problems only when they are present in high numbers. But, what are the factors that influence the risk of developing candidiasis, in general? Some of the most common factors associated with the development of yeast infection are antibiotic therapy, frequent douching, steroid therapy, diabetes, pregnancy, oral contraceptives, obesity and conditions that weaken the immune system.
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Antibiotics is probably the most common cause of yeast infection. The reason for this is that antibiotics not only kill the unwanted bacteria, but also destroy the good bacteria that are necessary to keep the yeast levels down. For instance, you are treating an upper respiratory tract infection with an antibiotic. The antibiotic will get rid of the pathogenic bacteria in your upper airways, as well as wipe out the healthy bacteria in your genital area. This disturbs the normal flora of the vagina which, in turn, allows the yeast to take over. Frequent douching can result in similar effect.
2 ) Steroids As with most pathogens, Candida albicans is an opportunistic organism. It preys on the body during its most vulnerable time and uses this opportunity to cause damage both internally and externally. Corticosteroids, or steroids for short, are drugs that cause immuno-suppression. In simple terms, they weaken the immune system and leave it vulnerable. Persons on steroid therapy are more prone to developing yeast infections than others as the long-term use of steroids suppress the immune system. 3 ) Diabetes |
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Interestingly, many persons seek to find out why women with diabetes tend to be more prone at developing vaginal yeast infections. While statistics show that a vast number of the female population will experience at least one yeast infection in their lifetime, those suffering from diabetes are especially susceptible. The vagina's acidic environment prevents yeast organisms that normally thrive in the area under control. For diabetic women, vagina secretions contain more sugar. Because yeast organisms find nourishment in the carbohydrate-rich vaginal secretions, they are able to multiply and cause infection in the area. In addition, the likelihood increases as the diabetes affects the body's immune system.
4 ) Hormone Imbalance Research has show that hormonal imbalance, such as pregnancy and the taking of birth control pills, are factors that influences the trigger of the yeast infections. Studies have shown that it does not matter which is in excess, although excess estrogen is more likely to cause Candidiasis than excess in progesterone. When there is hormone imbalance, the body makes an effort to pull the excess hormones out of the blood and stores then in the intestinal tract. This is done to regulate the amount of hormone in the blood that can enter the cells throughout the body. The good bacteria in the intestines have been found to be negatively affected by the fluctuations in hormones. This results in the good bacteria being outnumbered and Candida multiplied. 5 ) Obesity |
In general, there are two reasons why obese women get more vaginal yeast infections, and why both overweight men and women suffer more from skin rashes and oral thrush. The first reason is purely physical, while the second one has something to do with hormones.
As mentioned earlier, candida loves moist, warm areas. Overweight individuals are more prone at getting yeast infections because folds of fat provide the ideal conditions for yeast organisms. At the same time, obesity is a major risk factor for many medical conditions such as type II diabetes and hormonal imbalances. Once again, these two health issues make an individual vulnerable to yeast infections. There are many causes of yeast infection, although the ones discussed above are the most common. Remember, eliminating these risk factors decreases a person’s tendency to develop yeast infections so it’s very important to know the causes of yeast infection and ultimately avoid them. |