subject: How To Treat A Yeast Infection [print this page] Yeast infections are some of the most common conditions that any person can face, but that doesn't make the symptoms any less distressing. While you might think that only women would be interested in how to treat a yeast infection, the condition actually affects men as well.
Yeast infections or candida are caused by certain types of microscopic particles of yeast. To date, over 20 difference types of candida causing organisms have been identified. Most people associate yeast infections with the genitals but it can actually occur anywhere, including the breast, the abdomen, and even in the nails. They can also occur at any age, although it most often affects older people.
Women are at a huger risk of developing the condition than men, simply because the vagina is so conducive to bacterial growth. Bacteria thrive in moist, dark environments, which makes the vagina the ideal breeding ground for yeast infections. Unfortunately for men, they can pick up the condition just as easily as women, especially if their partner already has an existing case of yeast infection.
There are many ways to deal with the condition of course, and there are even more guides on the Internet and in print on how to treat a yeast infection. Most people consider clinical remedies as the first step in dealing with the problem, and some of them can be pretty effective. However, there are also clinical treatment methods that only deal with the symptoms of the condition rather than addressing the cause. The results of these solutions are therefore only temporary, and the infection will reoccur sooner or later.
If you want to try to treat yeast infection at home, yogurt can be surprisingly effective. Eating the yogurt will have some benefit in terms of treating your yeast infection, but it can also be used internally. The beneficial bacteria in yogurt combats the microorganisms present in the vagina and help clear up the condition a lot more quickly.
When using yogurt internally, it is important to make sure that the product you are using is the sugar-free variety. Yeast will actually feed on the sugar so sweetened or flavored yogurt might actually make the condition worse. When using this method, you can either apply the yogurt with your fingers or you can use a tampon dipped in a bit of yogurt.
Opinions seem to be split on whether or not to leave the yogurt in the vagina for more than a few minutes. Some people find that they get better results by leaving the yogurt inside the vagina for 10 to 20 minutes, while other people wash it off much sooner. Depending on how sensitive you are, leaving the yogurt inside for prolonged periods may even cause further irritation. If you have a particularly heavy infection, you may benefit more from a prolonged treatment. For best results, you should try it out for only a few minutes at first, and increase the treatment period as you get used to the effects of the yogurt.
