Tag: birth control

The Yeast Infection: Its Causes and Symptoms

What Causes a Yeast Infection to Occur?

An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure, especially when it comes to yeast infections. Once you learn the yeast infections causes and symptoms, you will be armed in the fight against it. While you may not be able to avoid all yeast infections in the future, you will know how to protect yourself from most of them.

Yeast infections are caused by levels of yeast that have gotten out of control. This can happen due to a number of factors. Fingers and toes that develop yeast infection in their webs were infected due to excessive sweating. Invest in some loose, cotton socks; they help your feet get more air and dry the sweat that invariably occurs when feet are confined in shoes.

Vaginal yeast infections can come about when a woman is having her period or is pregnant. This is due to hormonal changes that occur in her body at these times. Birth control pills and steroids also contribute to vaginal yeast infections. A stressed-out emotional state or a compromised immune system can also allow a yeast infection to spring up. Yeast infections have been known to occur due to vaginal injuries.

All types of yeast infections can be caused by taking antibiotics. In the normally functioning human body, the yeast fungus is kept to reasonable levels because our good bacteria kills some of it. However, if we take antibiotics to kill off bad bacteria, we often get rid of the good stuff along with it. This leaves the yeast with no natural predator; so much yeast is allowed to grow that an infection takes place. This is a good reason to take antibiotics only when absolutely necessary.

How Can I Recognize a Yeast Infection?

The answer depends on which part of the body is being attacked. Oral yeast infections, also known as thrush, are fairly common in babies. Thrush will appear as a red patch of skin in the mouth; often, this rash will be coated with what appear to be milk curds. However, this is not milk; do not try to clean it off, or bleeding will result. A rash on the skin from a yeast infection will usually have a scalloped shape and may have several patchy, red areas on the surrounding skin.

A vaginal yeast infection will have symptoms including redness, irritation of the tissues, and swelling. There may be a white discharge that is noticeably thicker than the discharge that occurs with ovulation. In some cases, it may be clumpy to the point that it resembles cottage cheese. There may be discoloration. Urination is likely to cause burning pain, and intercourse may also be uncomfortable. The vaginal area will probably be very dry and itchy.

I Have a Yeast Infection; Now What?

Not so fast you still need to see a doctor to make sure that you do, indeed, have a yeast infection and not some other kind of infection. Your doctor will be able to prescribe a medication to help your body fight off the yeast infection.

The Truth About Vaginal Yeast Infections

What is a Vaginal Yeast Infection?

This type of infection is very common; out of four women, three will get a vaginal yeast infection in their lifetimes. This condition comes about when a woman has too much of the fungus Candida growing in her vagina. While this fungus is always around, it can get out of control.

Signs that a woman is suffering from a yeast infection include pain when urinating, burning or swelling of the vagina and the surrounding area, and redness in the area. She may also have a white discharge from her vagina; this discharge will not have an offensive odor.

How Can I Treat a Yeast Infection?

There are many treatments on the market today that can help you leave your yeast infection behind. You may be able to use over-the-counter medications if your yeast infection is a relatively light case.

You should still visit a doctor to make sure that the infection is merely a yeast infection, and not an STD with similar symptoms. This may sound like a hassle, but it is worth it to protect your health! The doctor will probably examine the affected area and take a sample with a swab in order to identify what is causing the infection.

How Can I Prevent a Yeast Infection?

You can drastically reduce your risk for a vaginal yeast infection by simply keeping your body clean and dry. Yeast thrives in warm, moist environments, so you will want to change out of wet bathing suits and sweaty exercise clothes as soon as you are done with the activity. Wear cotton panties whenever you can, and avoid tightly-fitting underwear. If you are taking birth control pills, this may increase your risk of getting a yeast infection.

You should not use douches, because they get rid of the good bacteria that is supposed to kill yeast. Similarly, avoid feminine sprays and scented tampons. If you have diabetes, you must keep your sugar level under control; there is evidence that extra sugar in the urine can help feed the yeast and encourage an infection.

Other Important Facts

If you get yeast infections often, you may suffer from a condition known as RVVC. This stands for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. Your doctor can provide guidance in getting rid of this disease, and will usually prescribe some type of medicine to kill fungus. You might need to take this prescription for up to half a year.

You should not try to diagnose yourself. If you take antifungal or antibiotic medications for a condition that merely mimics a vaginal yeast infection, you may be setting yourself up to experience a yeast infection that is very hard to kill.

If you can cut down on your intake of sugary foods, you might be able to avoid yeast infections. You should also stop taking steroids if possible.

Vaginal yeast infections can be tough to stop. However, with a little help from a doctor and a few precautions, you may be able to put these infections behind you.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Adolescents

Sexually transmitted diseases are transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse and are highly infectious diseases. Unprotected sexual contact risks the lives of the young by afflicting with sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV infection and even unwanted pregnancy. Every year, nearly nineteen million cases of sexually transmitted diseases are reported in the United States alone and out of these, half of the cases involve people from the age group of fifteen years to twenty four years.

The best way to make sure the adolescent doesnt contract sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from all types of sexual activities. In spite of this, if the adolescent becomes sexually active, he/she must be advised by the parents to take precautionary measures to reduce the risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease. The best precautionary measure is to use a condom every time the adolescent has sexual intercourse. Only when other sexually transmitted diseases are prevented and controlled, HIV infections can be prevented.

It is best when the adolescent delays and abstains from sexual relationships, because the younger the person, the more susceptible he/she is to get a sexually transmitted disease. Having sexual contact during menstruation is also risky. It is good to avoid anal intercourse and if it is performed condom is a must, even when having oral sex. Every person should get STD checkups as frequently as possible, irrespective of being sexually active or not, after they turn into adolescents. Precaution must also be taken when getting injected by an intravenous drug, that the needle used to inject must be sterile. The adolescent must be educated about the symptoms and risks of sexually transmitted diseases.

Adolescents must be thoroughly informed even if they say they know it all. They must be asked to indulge in only safe sex, if doing so. Parents should talk honestly and calmly about safe sex and must answer all their childs queries. Topics such as STDs, birth control methods, having sex because of peer pressure, and date rape must be discussed in detail. Most people think that kissing is safe, but it can spread the sexually transmitted disease, herpes and many other diseases. Condoms do not provide hundred percent protections for genital warts, AIDs and genital warts. Females shouldnt douche as it can make the infection go deeper into the reproductive tract and can also wash off spermicidal protection. At a time, sexual intercourse must be provided with only one partner, who isnt involved with any other sexual partner.

The sexually transmitted diseases are Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS, Human Papillomaviruses or HPVs, chlamydial infections, pelvic inflammatory disease or PID, Gonorrhea, Genital Herpes, syphilis, and genital warts. The symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases take time to surface. Some of them are also symptom less and even these diseases can be contagious. Especially in the case of female, the symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases can be confused with the symptoms of other diseases. But females get severe symptoms and get it more frequently. Sexually transmitted diseases can harm the fallopian tubes and uterus. It can even lead to inflammatory disease, which in turn can cause ectopic pregnancy or infertility. Cervical cancer, in females, can be associated to sexually transmitted diseases. If a female gets a sexually transmitted disease during her pregnancy, the disease can pass onto her child. Sometimes the newborns infections can be treated successfully, but at other times, the child can be disabled for life or die.

If an adolescent is diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases, his or her treatment must start immediately. The early the sexually transmitted diseases are diagnosed, the easier it is to treat them successfully. The other sexual partner must be informed so that they can get themselves diagnosed and can undergo treatment. The adolescent must be instructed to stay away from sexual activity while the treatment is going on. The checkup must be followed after the treatment. Tests such as pelvic examination, Pap test, and test for STDs should be taken periodically.

Sexually transmitted diseases can affect people of all economic levels and backgrounds. Half of the cases of sexually transmitted diseases involve young people below the age of twenty five. The more sexually active the person is the more risk he/she is. And multiple sex partners at a given time are very dangerous too and must be strictly abstained from.

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Accutane Helps Your Skin Renew Itself More Quickly

Accutane is a form of vitamin A. It reduces the amount of oil released by oil glands in your skin, and helps your skin renew itself more quickly.

Accutane is used to treat severe nodular acne. It is usually given after other acne medicines or antibiotics have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.

What is the most important information I should know about Accutane?

Accutane can cause severe, life-threatening birth defects if the mother takes the medication during pregnancy. Even one dose of Accutane can cause major birth defects of the baby’s ears, eyes, face, skull, heart, and brain. Never use Accutane if you are pregnant.

Women of child-bearing potential must agree in writing to use two specific forms of birth control and have regular pregnancy tests before, during, and after taking Accutane. Unless you have had a total hysterectomy or have been in menopause for at least a year, you are considered to be of child-bearing potential.

Accutane is available only under a special program called iPLEDGE. You must be registered in the program and sign agreements to use birth control and undergo pregnancy testing as required by the program. Read all program brochures and agreements carefully.

It is dangerous to try and purchase Accutane on the Internet or from vendors outside of the United States. The sale and distribution of Accutane outside of the iPLEDGE program violates the regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the safe use of this medication.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Accutane?
Accutane is available only under a special program called iPLEDGE. You must be registered in the program and sign documents stating that you understand the dangers of this medication and that you agree to use birth control as required by the program. Read all of the iPLEDGE program brochures and agreements carefully. Ask your doctor or call the drug maker if you have questions about the program or the written requirements.

Before taking Accutane, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any foods or drugs, or if you have:

– a personal or family history of depression or mental illness
– heart diease, high cholesterol or triglycerides
– osteoporosis or other bone disorders
– diabetes
– asthma
– an eating disroder
– or liver disease

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Accutane.

Accutane can cause severe, life-threatening birth defects if the mother takes the medication during pregnancy. Even one dose of Accutane can cause major birth defects of the baby’s ears, eyes, face, skull, heart, and brain. Never use Accutane if you are pregnant.

For Women: Unless you have had your uterus and ovaries removed (total hysterectomy) or have been in menopause for at least 12 months in a row, you are considered to be of child-bearing potential.

Even women who have had their tubes tied are required to use birth control while taking Accutane.

It is not known whether Accutane passes into breast milk. Do not take Accutane without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.