Yeast Infection

What is Yeast Infection?

Yeast infections, otherwise known as genital or vaginal candidiasis or Candida vulvovaginitis or vaginitis, are very commonly occurring, self-diagnosable, non-contagious infections in women. A species of yeast or fungus called Candida resides in the moist areas of the body, without causing any trouble. Most cases of yeast infection are caused by the excessive Candida Albicans strains of fungi.

Women with a vaginal injury, undergoing chemotherapy treatment or a compromised immune system are more susceptible to infections than their healthier counterparts. The infection is not a serious condition if treated correctly. However, some anti-fungal resistant strains called Candida Auris have also been found in hospitals across the globe.

Even though these infections are not classified as STDs or sexually transmitted diseases, yet males could contract it from a woman during sexual intercourse. Candidiasis, in men, is treated with the administration of anti-fungal drugs and topical application of ointments.

Yeast infection Symptoms

Women in constant discomfort and experiencing pain during intercourse or urination may seek out professional assistance. Fever, nausea, vaginal discharge accompanied by the stomach or lower back pain or increased frequency or irregularity of urination can be considered as signs of yeast infection.

When this organism multiples to large numbers disturbing the delicate balance, the following localized indications can be found:

• Constant Itching and Irritation
• Burning sensation
• Bloody discharge
• Soreness, Redness, and Inflammation
• Odorous Discharge
• Thick greyish or off-colour discharge
• Additionally, there could also be considerable discomfort during sexual congress and urination.

Yeast infection diagnosis

A healthy woman could carry the yeast throughout her life without being symptomatic. Women who are not sexually active may also contract the infection as the organism resides in the host body and infection is triggered only when there is an abnormal increase in their numbers.

Pregnancy, regular intake of oral contraceptives, hormonal imbalance, chronic diabetes or any such disease that lowers the body’s resistance and suppresses body immunity, makes an individual an easy target for contracting STDs. In case you have contracted an STD, yeast infections could plague you frequently, resulting in a condition called RVVC or recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Your medical expert will initially go for a physical examination of the pelvis. Then they probe your symptoms and past disease and sexual history. The comprehensive questionnaire involves topics on personal hygiene, the preferred choice of clothing, usage of chemicals and detergents or soap, the specific type of discomfort etc.

To further determine the cause and for yeast infection diagnosis, they may collect samples of urine and the vaginal discharge to run lab tests and create tissue cultures from culture swabs. Pap smear tests, colposcopy or cervical biopsy, may help to narrow down the diagnosis further.

Yeast infection Treatment and Cost in India

Yeast infection treatment includes topical applications of creams and emulsions, tablets, suppositories and orally administered antifungal medications. Some medical practitioners prescribe over-the-counter antifungal ointments for local application and single-dose fluconazole pills, to be taken orally. Regular treatment costs and doctor’s consultation charges could run into a few thousand in India.

Yeast infection is quite common during pregnancy. Treatment of yeast infection in a pregnant patient may be different as a few oral-antifungal drugs may not be suitable during certain stages of pregnancy. Practising good personal hygiene is the best method of yeast infection prevention. Probiotic supplements containing good bacteria called Lactobacillus help in culling the numbers of the fungi and are also known to be useful in inhibiting the intensity of the infection.

Health Insurance in India

Health insurance over the last few years has gone through massive change to accommodate and cater to the people’s numerous and ever-changing needs. The best health insurance policies offer comprehensive healthcare plans to satisfy all your specific needs.

Cashless hospitalization and treatment benefits, health insurance for family, maternity and ambulance cover, thousands of network hospitals, quick claim settlement etc. are some of the advantages of medical insurance.

You can purchase the best health insurance policy online by comparing various plans provided by a range of insurers. You can go for a plan that is best suited for your needs and provides you with the required coverage. It is important to remember that the cheapest plan may not always be the best plan.

Other Diseases in India

In India, fatalities resulting from non-communicable diseases are extremely widespread. The number of those individuals, falling prey to infectious disease is also on a steady rise. Regional epidemics and serious outbreaks of wildly spreading strains have managed to cause a lot of disease burden in the country.

Other significant diseases prevalent in India are:

• Mental health
• Illness caused by substance abuse
• Influenza
• Tuberculosis
• Oral and Gastric cancers
• Leprosy