Thrush 101
Yeast infection is a condition known to many, many people. Known by many names: vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), thrush, candidal vaginitis, monilial vaginitis, and monilial infection.
In the UK the term most commonly used for yeast infection is thrush. The location of the yeast infection is usually used when describing the infection. So a yeast infection of the mouth would be thrush mouth.
For those in the US, thrush usually means an oral or yeast infection of the mouth.
A type of yeast called Candida Albicans causes the majority of yeast infections. Candida Albicans is a normal organism that grows either on or in our bodies.
Yeast cells can be found inside our digestive tract, on genitals and some people even have Candida on their skin.
For most of us the Candida is there in and on our body and causes no problems. Our bodies have a variety of organisms such as bacteria and yeast, which live in or on our body.
Most of the time there is a state of balance between the bacteria and yeast. No problems.
But every so often that balance is upset or changed. With thrush the number of Candida cells start to grow very quickly.
The Candida grows so quickly the bacteria are quickly overcome. The body’s immune system and the balancing with the body’s bacteria can’t help. The overgrowth of the yeast then becomes a thrush infection.
