The Yeast Beast: Signs of Yeast Infections

A yeast infection occurs when a type of yeast, usually a type of yeast called Candida albicans, moves from its usual home in the skin or the intestine and sets up shop in the vagina, where it causes an infection called candidiasis. Some signs of a yeast infection include:

 

• Itching and pain above the genital area
• A dense, white discharge from the vagina
• Pain and soreness in the clitoris area

Yeast infections are common in women of childbearing age, but your risk is greater if:

 

 

• You’re pregnant
• You have diabetes
• You are overweight
• You have a weakened immune system due to illness or medications
• You take antibiotics on an ongoing basis

Contrary to some rumors you might have heard, yeast infections are not sexually transmitted diseases. Most yeast infections are treatable with antifungal drugs, taken by mouth or applied to the genital area in a cream.

 

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