By Dr. AJ Morgan, Contributor
Dear Readers,
V.E. is a 19 year old student from Lawrence Tavern, St. Andrew who attends a tertiary institution. She has been diagnosed with recurring yeast infection. She has been treated twice, unsuccessfully for yeast vaginal infection.
V.E. asks if yeast infection is associated with pelvic inflammatory disease. She has experienced pains in her lower abdomen and was told that the discomfort resulted from her yeast infection. V.E. is concerned that her reproductive capability could be affected by long standing yeast infection. She has heard that yeast is not easily cured and asks what can she do to ensure that prescribed medication works. She is not sexually active.
Candida Albicans and related yeast organisms are natural inhabitants of the bowel and are also found on the skin. Vaginal contamination from these sources is common. A white, curd like, discharge is usually present and is often associated with vaginal itching. Predisposing factors are Diabetes, pregnancy, oral contraceptives and antibiotic therapy. The condition is difficult to control in the presence of these factors unless they are eliminated or controlled.
Candida vulvo-vaginitis occurs commonly in females of all ages although it is less commonly seen in the very young or elderly. It occurs also in virgin women which should help to dispel the myth that candida vaginitis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). It is not. Yeast is not an STD and will not cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) which women worry about because of its (PIDs) association with blocked tubes and infertility.
Yeast is such a common female disorder that it mightwell be commonly found in associated with STD organisms but the relationship is coincidental. In many women yeast vaginal infection is a recurring disorder and not a one time infection.
This is not because yeast is incurable for it can be treated and eliminated, but because the female is such an ideal host for this organism, providing the yeast regularly with nourishment and a warm environment. Note what happens to cooking yeast when it is mixed with flour and baked in a hot oven. The flour rises and expands. The vagina provides a warm "oven" environment in which Candida Albicans (yeast) thrives. This is especially so in the summer months when the temperatures are significantly hotter.
Over weight women also have this problem more often as legs rub together generating more heat in the vaginal region. The monthly menses (period) also provides a rich source of nourishment for yeast and the organism will grow and multiply at this time. A common complaint of women with yeast infection is that vulval and vaginal itching is worse near the menses and these women might experience a thick white discharge just before or after the menstrual bleed.
Treatment options for yeast abound and most are capable of eradicating yeast under ideal conditions. It is the conditions mentioned previously, in association with the ease of access to yeast which is a naturally occurring organism in the environment, which makes yeast infections more difficult to eradicate.
Some strains of yeast have also developed resistance to some treatment regimens. Where yeast infection keeps recurring vaginal inserts can be combined with oral (systemic) antifungal medication and repeated monthly, just before the menses, for several months. This regime does result in higher rates of eradicating yeast although, if care is not taken, yeast can be easily reintroduced from external sources.
Proper hygiene is important. Be clean and keep cool. Women are encouraged to wear white or light coloured cotton panties which keep the genital area cooler. A low starch diet is also associated with decreased yeast infection so sugars and complex carbohydrates should be avoided for a period of time.
