Overgrowth of Candida Albicans
How do you get a vaginal yeast infection? And is it actually contagious? The answers to eight frequently asked questions about vaginal yeast infections.
1. How do I know if I have a vaginal yeast infection?
Have you ever had a yeast infection before? Then you will undoubtedly recognize a new fungal infection immediately. You may experience irritating itching in and around the vagina, a burning sensation and white, crumbly discharge. Sometimes the vagina and labia are red and swollen.
Not all women experience all of these symptoms. If your discomforts do not go away and if you are not sure whether they are the result of a fungal infection, go to your doctor. Based on your complaints, they can often estimate whether you have a vaginal yeast infection or not. Sometimes the discharge needs to be looked at under a microscope just to be sure.
2. Is it a sexually transmitted disease?
A vaginal yeast infection is not a STD. The yeast that usually causes the infection, Candida Albicans, already lives in the vagina anyway. So you don’t get it from someone else. Even if you are not sexually active, you can get a vaginal yeast infection.
3. Is it contagious?
Candida is not seen as a contagious disease, because the yeast already lives on and in everyone’s body. You will only suffer from it if there is an enormous overgrowth of candida.
Men normally have little candida on their penis. If they suddenly get much more candida through sexual contact with a woman with a vaginal yeast infection, they will also have an inflammatory reaction. This way you can transfer your fungal infection to your partner.
4. Can you have sex if you have a yeast infection?
If you have a vaginal yeast infection, making love painful and give a burning sensation. Sex while the vagina is not moist enough also irritates the mucous membranes. Use a lubricant or wait for your yeast infection to clear up. Creams and tablets against a vaginal yeast infection also affect condoms, making them unreliable during and up to two days after treatment.
5. Do hormones have something to do with it?
It seems that hormonal fluctuations promote the development of fungal infections. Some women get a yeast infection just before their period or just after menstruation. They are also more common during pregnancy. Some women get it when they take a birth control pill.
6. Do you get a yeast infection from not washing your vagina enough?
You don’t get fungal infections from poor hygiene, but rather from too much scrubbing. Thorough scrubbing irritates the delicate mucous membranes. Soap also disrupts the acidity in the vagina, giving bacteria and fungi the chance to multiply. So wash only with lukewarm water or with a special, soap-free washing emulsion. You do not have to wash the internal vagina, it cleans itself.
7. Does my partner also need to be treated?
Only if your partner also has complaints and they do not pass, should they also be treated. Men often don’t notice a yeast infection, but sometimes they experience itching and a scaly, red penis. Your partner may use the same external anti-fungal cream as you do.
8. What can you do if it keeps coming back?
Have you had a vaginal yeast infection more than three times in the past year? Or do creams and tablets just not help? Talk to your doctor about what is best for you.
Your doctor can prescribe other anti-fungal medicines that may work. For example, there are capsules that you should use every fifth day after menstruation to prevent the fungus from returning. If you are taking the pill, you can try whether it is causing the fungal infections by stopping it for three months and using alternative contraception.
If you have completed the menopause, it is best to contact your GP. You are more likely to have a bacterial infection than a fungal infection.
Sources):
