Chronic
yeast infection
(candidiasis) is a painful and debilitating health
condition caused by Candida fungi. Candida fungi are
opportunistic pathogens that are allegedly present in
more than 80% of the population, but can cause chronic
yeast infection only under certain conditions.

More
than 100 species of Candida can be found in nature, but
only two dozens of those species are considered to be
actual triggers of yeast infection in humans. Candida
albicans are the most prevalent species, followed by
Candida glabrata and Candida krusei. Candida albicans
causes about 80 percent of all yeast infections, while
other types of fungi account for the additional 20
percent.
Yeast
organisms are normally present in a large percentage of
healthy individuals. They inhabit the warm, moist
environments of the vagina, mouth, gastrointestinal
tract and rectum. Yeast organisms are balanced by
beneficial microorganisms (probiotics) and cause little
harm in a healthy individual. However, in case of
infection they begin to reproduce
rapidly.
Excessive
concentration of yeast organisms, especially in warm and
moist areas of the body surface, may trigger
candidiasis. There are some special conditions, which
can encourage this process. These conditions usually
depend on the candidiasis’s subtype. For instance:
vaginal candidiasis may be accelerated by pregnancy,
birth control pills or antibiotics, whereas male yeast
infection develops mainly due to the poor personal
hygiene. Nevertheless, weakened immune systems can be an
overall cause of recurring yeast infection of any
subtype. Additionally, being overweight or stressed may
increase the risk of Candida
infection.
Here
is some candidiasis related data:
·
According
to some researchers, the 21-30 years age group has the
highest prevalence of chronic yeast infection, followed
by the 11–20 years age group.
·
The
most common type of Candida infection is vaginal, and
affects about 75% of all women at least once in a life.
Approx. 40% of all women have chronic
candidiasis.
·
Since
yeast bacterium thrives in warm, moist environments -
chronic candidiasis tends to be more common in hot
weather conditions.
·
Physical
and emotional stress may lower your immune system and
increase your tendency to herpes and colds outbreaks.
This can also contribute to yeast
cultivation.
·
Certain
foods, including yeast foods, sweets, refined
carbohydrates, dairy products (which are hard to digest,
are loaded with lactose, hormone growth chemicals and
are mucus forming) and wines (which are high in glucose)
can trigger candidiasis.
Some
researchers showed that the consumption of live strains
of lactobacillus acidophilus - either in the form of
yogurt or supplements - can help ward off Candida
infections. Indeed, a study conducted during 1990s at
the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York
revealed, that women who’ve eaten a cup of yogurt every
day for 6 months had managed to decrease their incidence
of chronic candidiasis three fold. However, only
thirteen women completed the study, and this was
certainly not enough to support the
theory.
Candidiasis
can affect dogs as well as people. Actually, yeast has
become a common thread that connects many dogs, which
have skin disease of various
types.
The
most prevalent subtypes of chronic yeast infection
are:
·
Vaginal
subtype: develops inside vagina or vulva. This is the
most prevalent type of chronic
candidiasis.
·
Oral
subtype (thrush): develops inside the mouth. Thrush is
seen most often in infants or in people with severely
suppressed immune systems.
·
Baby
subtype (diaper rash): a condition that causes rashes in
the area of the diaper.
·
Male
yeast infection: a subtype that leads to inflammation of
the penis glands.
·
Nail
bed infections (paronychia): a sub type of yeast
infection that usually appears in the area of the
fingernail.
Additional
yeast infections can manifest in almost any part of the
body, especially in the skin folds: under the arms,
under the breasts, between the toes etc. Note that every
subtype of yeast infection has its own unique
characteristics.
In
many cases, yeast infections are superficial, treated
easily and are not associated with serious health
impairments. The local symptoms of candidiasis can
eventually vanish without the use of medication.
However, in certain instances it can spread to different
parts of the body. This may serve as evidence of severe
deterioration of a body’s inner
balance.
Chronic
Candida infection can also be a mere symptom of more
severe conditions, including socially transmitted
diseases that have similar symptoms, diabetes, leukemia
and AIDS, to name a few. For this reason, the appearance
of candidiasis symptoms requires professional
consultation with a qualified physician.
While chronic yeast infections symptoms can be relieved at home using an OTC or prescription medication, bear in mind that almost all Candida infections are a warning sign of a major internal imbalance that needs to be properly addressed. Since the root cause of most yeast infections is Candida overgrowth, unless you fix the internal problem that's causing the discharge, rash and other Candida related symptoms, these symptoms will re-appear after a while. Moreover, failing to tackle the internal factors that trigger chronic candidiasis related symptoms could often lead to serious health complications. Since the causes of Candidiasis are so multi dimensional, it is best to follow a holistic treatment which will work towards healing your body from within and restore it to a state of well being and health.
body from within and restore it to a state of well being and health.