Vulvovaginal Candidiasis


What to do if yeast infection coincides with menstruation?
If you get your period during the treatment of yeast vaginitis, you should stop using vaginal medication and can switch to oral medication. You can also wait until after your period is over to resume placing medication in the vagina. Yeast vaginitis is relatively easy to treat and there are many effective drugs available; generally, it can be cured after seven days of use. However, it is essential to maintain good hygiene of the vulva regularly, wear pure cotton breathable underwear, and place sanitary products in the sun for disinfection.


How is yeast vaginitis caused?
Yeast vaginitis, also known as candidal vaginitis, generally forms due to improper care. Normally, the vaginal environment is acidic. If a person is particularly hygienic and uses cleansing solutions or water to wash the vagina daily, it can disrupt the vaginal microbiota, leading to recurrent episodes of yeast vaginitis. Additionally, long-term use of large doses of anti-inflammatory drugs can also cause an imbalance in the vaginal microbiota, resulting in recurrent yeast infections. Furthermore, patients with poorly controlled diabetes may also experience recurrent yeast infections. Pregnant women, 30%-40% of whom, may also develop yeast vaginitis due to microbial imbalance. Moreover, in households where someone has athlete's foot, washing socks and shorts together can also lead to yeast infections. Therefore, in addition to treatment, the precautions mentioned earlier should also be taken seriously.


How does fungal vaginitis occur?
Under normal circumstances, women have yeast present around the vagina, anus, and mouth. Usually, it does not cause disease, but yeast infection in the vagina may occur under certain triggers. Many women also experience recurrent episodes. For example, if a woman has diabetes, an increase in local blood sugar levels can trigger a yeast infection of the vagina. Additionally, women with decreased resistance or immune deficiencies, the use of immunosuppressants, or the large-scale use of antibiotics can also trigger an infection. Furthermore, some women, especially in the summer, prefer to wear tight synthetic underwear, which can prevent timely discharge of vaginal secretions, accumulate around the external genitalia, and potentially lead to infection.


How is fungal vaginitis caused?
Common causes of candidal vulvovaginitis include long-term use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, patients with diabetes, patients who long-term use immunosuppressive drugs, wearing tight underwear, and moisture in sanitary products. All these factors can lead to the occurrence of candidal vulvovaginitis. Changing unhealthy lifestyles, stopping the use of antibiotics, actively treating diabetes, wearing breathable cotton underwear, and keeping the vulva clean can all reduce the occurrence of candidal vulvovaginitis.


What medicine is used to treat fungal vaginitis?
The clinical symptoms of yeast vaginitis include a curd-like or cottage cheese-like discharge, itching, and no foul odor. Once diagnosed with yeast vaginitis at a hospital, it is essential to treat the condition based on its specifics. Generally, a washing solution such as baking soda water can be used, and topical medications common for treating yeast vaginitis can be applied. Oral medications for yeast vaginitis can also be taken. After a week of targeted treatment, most cases tend to improve. However, this fungus is prone to recurrence, particularly around the time of menstruation, when it may flare up again. At such times, another course of treatment can be used, and generally, using the medication consecutively for three menstrual cycles can treat yeast vaginitis effectively.


Which medicine is best for fungal vaginitis?
For the treatment of fungal vaginitis, the main drugs include miconazole nitrate suppositories, clotrimazole-based preparations, or antifungal agents. These medications are generally very sensitive, and only a very few people with long-term fungal vaginitis may develop resistance. In such cases, it is necessary to perform a culture and drug sensitivity test. Only a minority of people require this kind of culture, and the final choice of sensitive drugs can treat the condition. For recurrent fungal vaginitis, it is necessary to strengthen the treatment and extend the course of therapy. Oral medications such as fluconazole can also be used.


What is yeast vaginitis?
Normally, women have yeast present around the vagina, anus, and mouth, which usually does not cause illness. Only when a woman's immunity is lowered, or due to other factors such as having diabetes, taking oral immunosuppressants, or irregularly taking large doses of antibiotics, which alters a woman's resistance, can yeast-induced vaginitis be triggered. It is caused by an infection with Candida, a type of fungal pathogen. This infection can cause vaginal discharge to become particularly thick, sticking to the vaginal walls and unable to be expelled, leading to congestion and swelling of the vaginal walls, causing severe itching of the vulva, and pain and cracking at the vaginal opening during intercourse.


The Harm of Candidal Vaginitis
The harm of yeast vaginitis manifests as severe itching of the vulva, which can significantly affect a patient's daily life. Therefore, yeast vaginitis has a substantial impact on the body, affecting work and studies, and must be actively treated. Clinically, yeast vaginitis presents with curd-like or cottage cheese-like vaginal discharge, which is itchy but odorless. At this time, treatment requires going to a hospital to obtain a secretion sample for testing. After confirming the diagnosis of yeast vaginitis, appropriate medication is selected based on the test results to treat the condition symptomatically. If not treated actively, yeast vaginitis may recur around the time of the next menstrual period and can worsen before and after menstruation. Thus, it is crucial to actively seek symptomatic treatment for yeast vaginitis.