Yeast infections are among the most common medical annoyances. Luckily, most can be cured or controlled with clean habits and OTC (over-the-counter) drugs. Show The 3 most common are:
Infants and children can also get yeast infections. Common diaper rash in infants and toddlers is most often a superficial infection caused by the same fungi as other yeast infections in moist parts of the body. The rash can be controlled by frequent changing and, if needed, medicated powders. For most people, the signs are skin redness and itchiness. Some have linked feeling tired and having low spirits to yeast infections, but this is not based on scientific study. The signs of these infections are not definite. Some involve fever
and chills that do not go away. If the infection spreads to other parts of the body, other signs may appear, depending on the location. Environmental fungi can cause minor breathing issues or flu-like signs. The term "yeast" is often used with infections caused by fungi, which: Candida albicans is the most likely cause. Even though yeast infections happen in millions of people, if you are healthy, they should not be a major health problem. See More See Less Superficial Infections
Invasive InfectionsWhile yeast infections are mostly harmless, some enter the bloodstream and cause infection inside your body. You are at greater risk if you:
Many infections are called secondary or opportunistic because they take hold when your immune system is weak. Fungi can also become invasive in some clinical settings. Long stays in hospitals add to your risk. The fungus may also gather in the urinary tract in patients who use catheters for a long time. Opportunistic infections can also be from environmental fungi, e.g., aspergilla and Cryptococcus. Some other fungi can be found in soil, animals or trees, and include:
Skin and groin infections can be cured or controlled with good clean habits. Frequent bathing and washing/changing your clothes are recommended, especially during hot weather or after sweating.
Invasive InfectionsInvasive yeast infections call for systemic antifungal therapy (that works on the whole body) like amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole and caspofungin, as well as newer drugs related to fluconazole (posaconazole). Role of Food and Herbal CuresExperts are not sure about the role of one's diet or how herbal remedies could help. But they do know that people with high blood sugar are more likely to get these infections. So many suggest that if you have high blood sugar, you should skip high carbohydrate foods. Also, yogurt can be a source of helpful bacterial for the genitourinary tract, so many recommend it to help stop or treat yeast infections. While most superficial skin or vaginal infections do well with creams and ointments, they often come back. In particular, vaginal infections can be hard to cure, like if they are due to a resistant strain of yeast. Controlling these infections may involve weeks to months of
systemic antifungal drugs. Your health care provider will watch for overall health issues, as well as related issues like nutrition, blood sugar and catheters, that might be causing the problem. If your overall health gets better and you find an antifungal therapy that works, chronic systemic infections can be stopped. But in some cases a long-term infection means that you have some other health problem that must be treated before the yeast infection can be cured.
Explore Further
Can a yeast infection cause UTI symptoms?Can a yeast infection cause UTI symptoms? While yeast infections are not known to cause UTIs, they can have common symptoms. Burning while urinating is an example of a symptom that can occur in a UTI and yeast infection.
Can you get a yeast infection and UTI at the same time?Though UTIs and yeast infections are very different, it's possible to have both at the same time. In fact, treating a UTI with antibiotics can sometimes lead to a yeast infection.
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