If you are among the unfortunate ones to experience chronic yeast infections, you must be well acquainted with the distress and frustrations that the bouts of infection bring with them. Yeast infections do not belong to the category of life threatening illnesses. However, the nagging discomforts that accompany yeast infections are no less painful to bear.

According to a particular survey, minimum three women out of four go through the painful experience of a yeast infection at some point during their lifetimes. The number of women who go through recurrent or chronic yeast infections extending over months or years is also staggeringly high. In fact along with women, men also suffer the discomforting symptoms of yeast infections. They may sometimes even be asymptomatic carriers.

Probable causes of recurrent yeast infections

Candida albicans is a form of yeast that is found in natural course inside everyone's body. In a normal, healthy individual, there is a balance of yeast population and Lactobacillus acidophilus which is a friendly bacterium. A state of imbalance occurs when the number of Candida albicans far exceeds the Lactobacillus acidophilus population. This is the typical symptom of a yeast infection.

Candidiasis or a yeast infection generally starts in the genital or digestive system of the body and can spread to different body parts like skin or sinuses. Yeast infections often are caused by intake of antibiotics and hormonal or pH changes within our bodies. Antibiotics disturb the healthy environment of bacterial balance within our systems by destroying the useful bacteria along with the harmful ones resulting in yeast infections.

Other causes of yeast infections include use of contraceptive pills, and a weak immune system. The latter condition is common in pregnancy, and no wonder about 75% of pregnant women suffer from yeast infections. Certain steroid medications that are immune suppressing are also known to be responsible for this condition. Diabetes, parasitic infections, excess consumptions of sugar, carbohydrates, and alcohol are also factors leading to yeast infections.

Treatment of chronic yeast infections

You have to first make sure that you are actually suffering from a yeast infection prior to following any treatment meant for candidiasis. Misdiagnosis is quite a common phenomenon. Prescription treatments and over - the - counter medications for treating yeast infections may be effective in providing symptomatic relief. However these drugs do not work effectively as far as recurring or chronic infections are concerned.

Treating of chronic cases of yeast infections should start with removing the causes behind the infections.

• Shift from contraceptive pills to some other methods of contraception. Contraceptive pills are known to change the hormonal levels and vaginal pH.
• Wear cotton under garments that let your skin breathe. Do not wear tight underwear or bathing suits that are wet for too long.
• Antibiotics should only be taken when it is absolutely required. Antibiotics alter the pH level within our systems.
• Blood sugar level should be controlled to the maximum for the diabetics. Sugar encourages the growth of yeast.
• Women afflicted with recurrent attacks of yeast infections should ask their partners also to undergo the treatments. This is to reduce scopes for relapse of infections. Using condom is another good alternative.

Bring changes to your diet: Avoid having processed foods such as white rice, white flour, and anything with high sugar content. Yeast growth is nurtured on vinegar, sugar, fungus, as well as fermented foods. Do abstain from mushrooms, vinegars, and alcohol. Have a lot of yogurt which contains the friendly bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus. Including these changes in your diet will gradually diminish the recurrence of yeast infections.

Intake of acidophilus: In addition to consuming yogurt, you must take in acidophilus supplements subsequent to antibiotics in order to replenish the levels of the good bacteria within the digestive tract. This will help in counteracting the overgrowth of Candida albicans.

Use antifungal agents: Since there are a variety of yeast strains, it is most unlikely that all types of yeast infections can be treated following the same course. A doctor may suggest gentian violet which is a purple medicine to be used inside the vagina and vulva. It is wise to start with one product and then switching to another if no improvement is noticed. You have to continue with the treatment for one month or six months depending on the degree of the infection. Some antifungal agents include:

• Garlic for oral intake and also as a suppository of the vagina.
• Capryllic acid which is available in liquid and capsule form.
• Extract of olive leaf. 500 mg thrice a day is the usual dosage.
• Citricidal, which is an extract of grapefruit seed, is also effective in combating the menace of yeast infection.

In conclusion, we can safely say that chronic yeast infections can be effectively tackled through a scientific and systematic approach.