Yeast Infection Symptoms - Everything You Need to Know

Do you know what a yeast infection is? Chances are, you may have already suffered from one at one time or another. A yeast infection is a very common ailment, and both men and women are known to experience outbreaks several times a year due to various reasons.

Yeast infections are caused by a single-celled fungus known as Candida albicans. It is found in small amounts within the body, usually in the gastrointestinal tract, but can rapidly multiply and cause a yeast infection due to a number of triggers. An overgrowth of Candida albicans is when a person starts manifesting yeast infection symptoms. People who are diabetic often suffer from yeast infections. So do people who are under a lot of stress, practice poor hygiene and have bad eating habits. Yeast infection symptoms often appear in people who take antibiotics, steroids, or birth control pills. In some cases, an infection comes from having unprotected sex with a person suffering from a yeast infection.

Yeast infection symptoms range from uncomfortable, to irritating, to debilitating. These fungi feed on substances in our body that we normally use for energy, such as proteins, fats and glucose, and the toxic waste products they excrete into our bloodstream and cells are usually the cause of yeast infection symptoms.

Symptoms of a yeast infection include redness, itching, and irritation in the genital areas, a white cheesy discharge or yellow fluid discharge in women, swelling of the vagina or vulva, as well as painful sexual intercourse and urination. Secondary symptoms include headaches, fatigue, painful or swelling joints, depression, and even memory loss.