Vaginal candida, what it is, how to recognize and treat it

Vaginal candida is a frequent disorder that tends to recur periodically. Here’s how to recognize and treat it.

Vaginal candida: what is it

Itching often accompanied by burning and pain, in some cases even during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia), are the main symptoms of the acute phase of vaginal Candida infection, a very frequent disorder in women. It occurs in particular during childbearing age, but can also develop in menopause (especially after taking hormone replacement therapy). It can also be prevented with specific probiotics, particularly if the problem tends to recur.

Occasionally it also manifests itself with difficulty and burning in urination if the colonization by the fungus is not promptly countered with specific drugs and has a way to spread to the entrance of the urinary tract.

All manifestations of which most women have experienced at least once in their lives and that allow to recognize the presence of candida from the onset, especially when the disorder tends to recur periodically.

Unfortunately, this is a frequent eventuality, since candida tends to “become attached to its victims”, supported by some predisposing factors in terms of individual characteristics and lifestyle.

The causes of vaginal candida

Vulvovaginal candida is an infection caused in most cases by Candida albicans, a yeast belonging to the Candida family. More rarely, vulvovaginal candida can be caused by other strains of Candida, such as C. tropicalis or Cglabrata.

Candida albicans is normally present on the skin and mucous membranes of the body, for example in the oral cavity, in the intestine and in the vagina.

Candida is in fact one of the fungi able to live in the body without creating particular disorders; In some conditions, however, it can proliferate uncontrollably, triggering a very common infection, known as candidiasis (or candidiasis).

A critical factor for the development of candidiasis is the alteration of the normal balance of the vaginal microflora.

90% of this microflora consists of lactobacilli, the remaining 10% of saprophytic bacteria. These microorganisms coexist under physiological conditions and maintain an acidic vaginal pH, but in some circumstances the balance can be “broken”.

This imbalance generally occurs due to antibiotic therapies taken to treat another disease triggered by pathogenic bacteria or to the impairment of the immune system (due to diseases or periods of particular fatigue and stress).

Other factors that may increase the risk of Candida infections include:

– the use of intrauterine contraceptive devices (spiral) or diaphragm

– topical application of antimicrobial creams or gels

– the migration of Candida from the intestine to the vagina.

In addition, the fungus can migrate from the intestine into the vagina, triggering the fungal infection. There are, then, conditions that more easily predispose to contracting candida: pregnancy, the menstrual cycle, the intake of contraceptives with a high concentration of estrogen, a lowering of the immune system, poor or incorrect intimate hygiene, obesitydiabetes mellitusgenetic predisposition, a diet rich in sugars.

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A ping pong broadcast

Even when you think you’ve come to complete recovery, it’s not uncommon to find yourself struggling with Candida again. Among the factors that contribute to the appearance of a recurrence there is also the ability of the infection to remain latent, without symptoms occurring, thus creating the possibility of being sexually transmitted unconsciously.

In fact, Candida can give problems to both women and men. The latter may become infected with their partner and find themselves struggling with balanitis (an infection of the glans) or balanoposthitis (an infection of the glans penis and foreskin).

In humans, the symptoms usually begin to appear 2 or 3 days after sexual intercourse during which you came into contact with the fungus. The most common are redness, itching, burning and the formation of microvesicles or micropustules; In some cases, whitish discharge may also appear.

Treating them properly helps reduce the risk of complications, such as phimosis, that is, the narrowing of the foreskin.

Abstaining from sexual intercourse or always using condoms avoids the transmission of the infection to the partner and reduces the risk of establishing a vicious circle of mutually transmitted infections.

The risk of sexual transmission of the infection is increased by the fact that men are often asymptomatic carriers of Candida. In general, however, the amount of the fungus present in the prostatic fluid is not sufficient to transmit the infection: for this reason, the contagion from man to woman is less frequent than that from woman to man.

In case of symptoms

When irritation and itching appear for the first time that do not pass within 1-2 days, especially if associated with burning when urinating or alterations in the consistency, color or amount of vaginal discharge, it is important to consult your doctor to obtain a specific diagnosis and indications on the treatments to be undertaken.The diagnosis will come after a thorough visit to a specialist in gynecology during which a swab could be carried out to take vaginal secretions to be examined under a microscope or on which to perform a culture examination.

A particular method that involves the use of potassium hydroxide (the so-called KOH test) allows to unequivocally visualize the cells of yeasts such as Candida.

During the medical examination, the gynecologist will also take care of obtaining information on the clinical history of the patients and verifying the presence of typical signs of this infection, such as any wounds at the vulvar level, dry and whitish spots on the mucous membrane of the vagina and swelling or redness of the vulva, vagina and cervix.

Have you noticed the symptoms of an infection?
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Drugs to counteract vulvovaginal Candida

If symptoms are mild, candida vaginitis can be treated with the administration of products for local use. Among the most useful are imidazolic derivatives, such as clotrimazole and miconazole.

The treatment can last from 1 to 14 days, depending on the formulation (creams, vaginal tablets, ovules and soft capsules, etc.) and the specific active ingredient used. It is advisable to carefully read the package insert of the medicine you are using.

For the treatment to be effective, all preparations should be applied deep into the vaginal canal regularly every day, and for the entire period indicated by the doctor or on the package insert if you want to prevent the acute disorder from becoming chronic or frequent episodes occurring, becoming increasingly difficult to eliminate.

To avoid the ping pong effect, it is good that the partner also undergoes a specific treatment against candida: in the case of men, creams based on antifungal active ingredients are available in pharmacies.

Finally, the balance of vaginal flora can also be protected with the use of vaginal probiotics containing lactobacilli, particularly useful after antibiotic therapy.

Prevention

To prevent Candida and recurrent candidiasis it is first of all necessary to follow appropriate rules of intimate hygiene.

The genital area should always be kept clean. However, it is necessary to avoid the use of aggressive detergents or detergents containing irritating fragrances, sprays and talc. In addition, some women use vaginal douches because they help them feel cleaner, but in reality their use can be counterproductive. In fact, internal washing can be deleterious and eliminate the “good” bacterial flora, an ally of health, which helps to control the proliferation of Candida present in the body.

Skin and mucous membranes must be kept dry, in order to reduce the humidity that favors the proliferation of the fungus. For this reason, good habits include avoiding wearing damp swimwear or sweat-soaked clothing for a long time.

But that’s not all. It would be better not to wear very tight pants and underwear should be sufficiently breathable; for this reason it is better to avoid synthetic fabrics and prefer natural fibers such as cotton.

In summary, here’s what to do and what to avoid to stay away from candida as much as possible.

What to do What to avoid
Keep the genital area always clean Use aggressive detergents or detergents containing irritating fragrances, sprays, talc, vaginal douches
Keep skin and mucous membranes dry Wear damp swimwear or sweat-soaked clothing for a long time
Wear breathable underwear made of natural fibers (e.g. cotton) Wear very tight pants

The role of nutrition against Candida

There are no miracle foods that help defeat Candida vulvovaginitis, but following some precautions can help counteract or prevent this vaginitis.

Fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are all foods allowed in the diet of those who are prone to recurrent episodes of candidiasis. Instead, you could benefit from limiting the consumption of other foods that appear to promote the growth of the fungus: chocolate, sweets, confectionery, cakes, biscuits and other foods rich in sugar, sugary drinks, white flour products (such as bread, pizza and buns),atte, dairy products and some cheeses (for example gorgonzola).

Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.

The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.

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