Today we want to talk to you about why does your candidiasis keep coming back and what candida overgrowth symptoms might include. Getting a vaginal yeast infection is definitely not a pleasurable experience. However, as it turns out, it is inevitable for most women. It is estimated that 3 out of 4 women will be affected by it at some point in their lifetimes.
And while going through one infection is not that bad, it becomes more problematic when the health condition keeps coming back. When this happens, it’s important to determine what causes the infection to return. You might not realize it, but the culprit could be your habits. Once you know the reason, you’ll be able to eliminate those practices from your everyday life and keep your vagina healthy.
Candida word cloud on a white background.
In this article, we will be focusing on vulvovaginal candidiasis. So, if you want to know the reason why it keeps coming back, continue reading.
Candida – What Is It?
Candida is a type of yeast. Although small amounts of this yeast live in your body without causing any harm, there are certain factors that can contribute to it multiplying rapidly and provoking a Candida infection. Some of the vaginal Candida overgrowth symptoms include:
- burning sensation in the vagina and vulva (which very often results in painful sex)
- white curd-like vaginal discharge
- an itchy, bright red rash on the vulva, as well as the surrounding skin
- vulvar edema, excoriations, and fissures
Vulvovaginal candidiasis, which is a medical term for the Candida infection happening in the vagina, usually affects women of child-bearing age. It is uncommon to see it in pre-pubescentl girls and postmenopausal women.
When vulvovaginal candidiasis happens more than four times within a year, it is defined as recurrent. If that is the case for you, then you might have to change some habits so that the infection stops coming back and your vagina can become healthy again.
Reasons for Your Recurring Vulvovaginal Candidiasis
Recurrent Use of Antibiotics
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The ecosystem of your vagina is composed of both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria – they work together to keep your vagina’s pH levels balanced. Unfortunately, one of the side effects of taking antibiotics is that it affects the vaginal ecosystem and depletes some of the naturally-occurring ‘good’ bacteria.
Although you may not be able to simply stop taking antibiotics, you should be aware that they might be a reason for your reoccurring infection. Make sure that your gynecologist knows about the antibiotics you take and monitors it, so that they can treat the infection properly.
Exposure to Irritants that Upset the pH Balance
The vagina is very delicate and can be affected by everyday routines. Any effect on the pH balance is a negative effect.
Unfortunately, you might not even realize that something is irritating your vagina. Some of the common irritants that might cause a yeast infection include detergents, fragrant soaps, nylon underwear or bathing suits, tampons, creams, and so much more.
Too Much Caffeine or Alcohol
Your lifestyle choices are affecting your vagina’s health more than you might imagine. A good example of this is the amount of caffeine and alcohol you consume – both of them affect the delicate pH of the vagina. What’s more, they can make your blood sugar rise, which creates a perfect environment for yeast to thrive.
Too Much Sugar
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People suffering from diabetes, who have a sugar-laden diet, have an increased chance for a recurrent yeast infection. With non-diabetic people, the matter is slightly more complicated. Sure, constant sugar highs and the glucose production that accompanies them can create an environment for the yeast to grow. However, eliminating sugar from your diet, even completely, won’t eliminate yeast infections.
Staying In Your Workout Clothes
Staying in tight clothing for a long period of time, including workout clothing, is not healthy. It allows for increased perineal moisture and temperature and promotes a perfect environment for yeast to grow. That’s why it’s important that right after you finish working out, you change into clean clothing – this also includes underwear. Ideally, you should take a shower before changing.
Some Forms of Birth Control
Some forms of birth control can put you at a greater risk of a yeast infection. Sometimes, women who use oral contraceptives might have an increased level of estrogen which can increase the ability of Candida to adhere to the vagina and take over and, therefore, cause symptoms to appear. What’s more, an IUD can hold onto the Candida and form biofilms.
Resistance to Medication
Now, we know that resistance to medication is not something you can change on your own. However, it is still worth keeping in mind. If you keep getting yeast infections despite taking the medications prescribed by the doctor, the chances are that the fungus causing it is resistant to traditional treatment methods, such as fluconazole or the over-the-counter antifungal preparations.
Your physician should be able to figure out whether it is the Candida yeast or maybe another that causes similar symptoms so that they can modify the treatment.
The Bottom Line
Getting a yeast infection is definitely not something people want to experience. Depending on what kind of infection you catch, it might make everyday tasks painful and almost impossible to complete.
There are several types of vaginal yeast infections, one of them being vulvovaginal candidiasis, caused by a yeast called Candida. Usually, the infection doesn’t last longer than a few days, but sometimes, no matter what you do, it just keeps coming back.
If that’s the case for you, then you should take a look at your everyday life, as well as your diet. You might not even know that some of your habits are the cause of your recurring yeast infection.
When you identify the habits that are affecting your ability to get rid of the infection, you should either eliminate them completely from your lifestyle or at least limit them, so that your vagina can recover and become healthy again.
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