But you're not the only one, other women also end up with the chronic yeast infection, or ping pong yeast infection. If it’s a chronic in nature then it is the time for action.

This means you're going to have to be proactive. And find a solution to the issue. This infection is due towards the overgrowth of fungus called Candida Albicans inside the system. If this fungus is present in balance than it does not interfere with body functions but when there is an imbalance –watch out.

Candida Albicans yeast infections can multiply very quickly especially when unchecked. The problem can cause both short term and chronic health difficulties for men and women.

If you think you have a yeast infection during your period, and the irritation is primarily on the area just above the clitoris (called the mons pubis) then you need to rule out other causes as well. If you use sanitary napkins or minipads you may not have a yeast infection but a reaction to the sanitary napkin or minipad. This often happens when women use fragranced or 'deodorized' minipads. That's not to say you can't get a yeast infection during your menstrual cycle. With the changing hormones during your menses, it is entirely possible for the yeast Candida Albicans to overgrow and cause the yeast infection.

Chronic yeast infection is often resistant to the medications prescribed by the doctors. It can be controlled only for a short period of time and will remain dormant for only a short span of time. This chronic or recurrent yeast infection is triggered by yeast spores which are cyclical in nature and become active after particular period of time. Basically not everything that needs to get killed is killed by the medication and so the infection returns.

One of the reasons behind chronic yeast infection may be the level of tension inside your life. With a stressful life, the hormones that let us cope with stress, can have other changes inside the body. This can cause a condition which lets the Candida overgrow. The tension upsets your internal balance of hormones and bacteria. The imbalance leads to the yeast or Candida Albicans overgrowing thus becoming a yeast infection. Try whenever feasible to minimize stress in your daily routine.

Secondly, diet can play a big role in chronic yeast infections. Having a stable blood sugar decreases the chance of chronic yeast overgrowth. Minimize the amount of sugar in your diet.

Thirdly, unprotected sex, can lead to ping pong yeast infections. If you are infected then you and your partner can pass it back and forth multiple times. If you have a yeast infection, avoid sex until your yeast infection is under control.

Fourthly, medications like birth control pills and antibiotics change the normal working of your system functions. Antibiotics will not only treat your sore throat, but also kill the helpful bacteria inside your vagina. This can lead to a yeast infection. Birth control pills prevent pregnancies via their hormones, but the hormones also change the composition of fluids in your vagina which can encourage the overgrowth of yeas.

Finally, poor self care and personal hygiene can lead to your experiencing chronic yeast infections. Avoid wet clothes like wet bathing suits. Good personal hygiene is important, so keep yourself dry and clean. Hygiene sprays and douching is not needed. In fact, these items can often upset the delicate vaginal area and lead to irritation and sometimes yeast infections. Wear nightgowns instead of pajamas to let your genitals stay dry.

Don't ignore chronic yeast infections. Remember if you have a yeast infection more than 3-4 times a year, you may have a chronic yeast infection problem. Be observant and note what happens just before the yeast infection symptoms start.

• Did you go swimming?
• Start antibiotics?
• Wear tight jeans?

Write your activities down as this can help you treat the chronic yeast infection problem. Then take your notes to your healthcare provider and have them do a microscopic exam of the fluids/ discharge from your vagina. You may have an allergy or sensitivity causing the problem. Or you could have some conditions like diabetes or immune disorders which can make a yeast infection chronic. It's important to know the cause of the symptoms, before you start treatment for recurrent yeast infections.

Thanks to Ralaenin for use of the photo.

Candida Infection Causes And Results

Antibiotics attack not only the problem bacteria that cause your strep throat or your infected finger but also helpful bacteria as well.  Though antibiotics do their job to protect you, one of their side effects is to kill helpful bacteria as well.

When the helpful bacteria die, the body is unable to stop the overgrowth. Thrush is the result.

So when you have antibiotics to treat an infection elsewhere in your body, eat yogurt with live acidophilus to help build up the helpful bacteria.

If you are given a prescription, check with your healthcare provider to make sure the antibiotic is truly necessary.

Your sexual partner can spread the infection back and forth to each other. Though unusual it is more apt to occur when the male partner has not be circumcised. If you have a yeast infection avoid sexual relations until the infection has gone.

A yeast infection ping ponging back and forth between partners is no fun. It also can be very time consuming when trying to treat them.

Sugary foods set the stage for the fungus to grow. Sugary products, a doughnut, pastry or candy bar can dramatically raise your blood sugar. This can add fuel to the growth of yeast, which can increase the chances of your yeast infection continuing.

Check with your healthcare provider to determine your best course of action for your condition.  In the meantime start by taking control of your health care by checking out holistic healthcare alternatives.

When the helpful bacteria is eliminated, yeast cells start
reproducing rapidly. This can lead to a yeast infection.

Antibiotics are often part of a medically prescribed plan
of treatment for a bacterial infection. Sometimes a side
effect of taking antibiotics is a yeast infection. Not every
person will get a yeast infection as a side effect.

Risk Factors For Yeast Infection

There are some factors, which can increase your risk of
yeast infection. Stress is one of the prime risk factors
leading to yeast infection after antibiotics. When your body
is stressed you are less able to fight off other infections
including yeast.

Physical exercise, meditation, getting enough sleep are all
ways to decrease the stress in one's life. Finding a
therapist or enrolling in a stress reduction course can also
help. Some people believe in distraction such as hobbies,
volunteering or other activities to get your mind off the
stress in your life. Poor diet can also contribute to the
risk of yeast infections. With our hurry up lifestyles we
often skip meals or eat meals low in healthy foods. Green
vegetables and other high nutrition foods can help your body
build immunity to yeast and other infections.

The changing levels of female hormones also play a big part
of whether or not yeast overgrows in the vagina. Things such
as birth control pills, the menstrual cycle, and pregnancy
all change the pH level of the vagina. With the pH change
the yeast is allowed to grow unchecked causing a yeast
infection.

Bacterial vaginosis is the most common form of vaginal infection. Women having bacterial vaginosis have a large number of organisms called Gardnerella vaginalis. If this infection is present, a strong foul odor after sexual intercourse is present as well as, profuse white or discolored discharge.

Candida caused vaginitis is another frequent type of vaginal infection. This is characterized by itching, redness and swelling of the vaginal area. If this is present, there may be larger amounts of thick, white discharge or no discharge at all.

In cases of vaginal infection, one third of women have an unknown cause. These infections may extend to the urinary and reproductive system. Menopause, low hormone levels, allergies and weak immune system are among the causes of vaginal infections.

There is no one cause for vaginal infection. They may occur in stress, illnesses and with overuse of antibiotics.

In terms of diagnosis of vaginal infection, a simple physical assessment is done. The physician may ask for a history of the disease process as well as the clinical presentation.

The treatment for vaginal infections depends on the cause. A medication called metronidazole (Flagyl or Protostat) is prescribed for Trichomonas Vaginalis.  This drug is taken by mouth. Alcohol is contraindicated while taking this drug because it may have an adverse effect of stomach upset or nausea. Other medicines such as clindamycin (Cleocin), miconazole (Monistat), clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin or Mycelex-G) and anti-fungal creams or gels are also available as treatment for Candida yeast infections.

If the infection gets worse or recurs, a physician must be consulted immediately.

Hear the word antibiotics and your first thought is "great for treating infections". In our mind we often connect antibiotics with other words like healing, wellness and medical treatment. Yet sometimes we forget antibiotics cannot only kill the 'bad' bacteria, but also good bacteria as well.

When we take antibiotics we upset the normal bacteria balance inside our body. Yes, we have a normal bacteria balance in our body. Bacteria help us digest food. Some very helpful bacteria help us break down carbohydrates in our body so we can use the food as energy. For women another helpful bacteria balances the yeast normal found in the vagina. The helpful bacteria keep the pH balanced so normal yeast doesn't overgrow.

The problem with antibiotics is when the antibiotic kills the helpful bacteria. We can end up with diarrhea or yeast infections or even other infections.

Does that mean we shouldn't use antibiotics? No, it just means using antibiotics appropriately. Ask your healthcare provider if the prescription is really needed. Too often providers write antibiotic prescriptions because they think we want a prescription to fix our sore throat or cold. And the antibiotic doesn't do much to help the common cold or virus caused flu. In fact, taking antibiotics can lead to the development of superbugs, which are resistant or not affected by antibiotics.

If you are taking antibiotics, be aware of the possibility of yeast infections. Yeast infections are found on the skin, mouth, and in skin folds. Yeast grows best in warm, damp areas. For women, vaginal yeast infection is frequently seen with taking antibiotics.

Some antibiotics seem to predispose people to yeast infections. These include Keflex and the rest of the cephlasporin family. Other antibiotics such as amoxicillin, augementin and other penicillin family can also lead to yeast infections in some people.

When you are given a needed antibiotic for an infection, consider adding yogurt with active cultures to boost your natural body's defenses. Eat a healthy diet with vegetables to boost your immune system.

If recurrent yeast infection is a problem for you, then consider an anti Candida diet. You can find some excellent information at Natural Remedies for Yeast Infection. Want some tasty, easy to make recipes for your anti Candida diet? Then check out the cookbook, Yeast Free Cooking Recipes for delicious recipes you and your family will love.

Photo courtesy of Richard Dunstan

Medications Treating Yeast Infections

Most yeast infection medications are prescribed for periods of 1-7 days depending on the medication. Vaginal yeast infections will cure 80-90% of the time. Unfortunately the other 10% will have their symptoms quiet down and go away only to return.

Misdiagnosis Often A Reality

In medical studies have shown well over 50% of women misdiagnose their yeast infection. Women think they have a yeast infection when they have a bacterial infection, trichomonas, gardnerella, chlamydia or gonorrhea infections. The symptoms are similar but necessary treatments are quite different. Unless one is absolutely certain about the type of infection, diagnosis by a healthcare provider skilled in women’s issues is needed.

Boosting Resistance To Yeast Infections

A healthy diet is always a part of building the body’s resistance to any type of infection. And yeast infections are no exception. The bacteria in the intestines, called intestinal flora is important in the body’s defenses. Eating foods containing healthy bacteria called probiotics can keep the body’s level of healthy bacteria at needed levels.

One quick source of probiotics is yogurts and yogurt drinks. Be sure to read the labels to make sure the cultures of acidophilus are live cultures. Dead cultures won’t do a thing to help your body’s defenses. Fats like coconut oil and avocados also help the body build up its defenses. And they’re tasty as well.

When a trigger affects your body, include ways to help your body stay in balance. If the balance of your body is upset and you think you have a yeast infection, then seek the appropriate treatment from your healthcare provider.

Treat Yeast Infection Because Of Antibiotics

There are many triggers fro starting a yeast infection, but let's review first why do we have a problem with chronic yeast infection.  Unfortunately you may end up having to treat yeast infections because of antibiotics, but that's not the only trigger for yeast infections. Some of the other triggers for yeast infection include hormone medication such as birth control pills, a depressed immune defense system and tight fitting clothes can all set up the conditions perfect for a yeast infection to grow.

Antibiotics are often a common trigger for oral thrush outbreaks. It’s often difficult to understand how antibiotics can help with infections but otherwise cause trouble in our bodies.

Yeast Infections After Antibiotics

Antibiotics don’t distinguish between harmful bacteria causing the infection and good bacteria, which helps our body. So the antibiotic kills them all. With the good bacteria dying the body’s balance system is knocked out. The death of the good bacteria lets the Candida normally found in the body grows unchecked.

Holistic health planning can help you help your body. You can build up your immune system and be able to better figh when the next potential yeast infection lurks in your future. Stop the yeast infection from starting by going to this GetRidOfYeastInfections.com.

Photo courtesy of Julia Freeman-Woolpert