When you have never had a yeast infection, it can be hard to tell whether what you have are yeast infection symptoms. There are also several different kinds of yeast infection, which can strike different areas of your body. However, once you know what yeast infection symptoms look like, it becomes a whole lot easier to treat any infections you might get.
In this article, we look at the most common yeast infection symptoms for vaginal yeast infections. Other yeast infections have slightly different symptoms, but most will share a few of these common traits.
- Itching. Itching around the vagina and vulva is probably the most common of all vaginal yeast infection symptoms. It is present in most cases of yeast infections, although not all. Remember that yeast infections are also transferable, so if you have been having unprotected sex, and your partner develops an itch, it is probably a sign that they have a yeast infection too.
- Swelling, burning, or redness are less common, but they are still yeast infection symptoms. If you notice any of these, in conjunction with any other yeast infection symptom, then you should probably seek treatment or advice.
- A discharge is another one of the common yeast infection symptoms. This is usually whitish to greyish, and can resemble cottage cheese.
- Pain while having sex, when combined with the other symptoms on this list, is another one of the common yeast infection symptoms to watch out for. Remember that you can have sex while you have a yeast infection, but also that you can pass it on to your partner, so make sure you use a physical barrier method of protection, like condoms.
- Finally, you might notice, as one of your yeast infection symptoms, that you experience painful urination. This is because of the urine further irritating the already irritated vulva and vagina, but it is still not fun!
If you have had yeast infection symptoms before, then you probably already know what to do. You might even have medication or treatments for yeast infections at home. On the other hand, you might head to the pharmacy to buy an over the counter treatment, all of which is fine.
That is particularly true if you have been doing something that is known to cause yeast infection symptoms, like excessive douching, or using antibiotics to treat an illness. There is probably no reason to assume that if you experience yeast infection symptoms at a time like that, that it could be anything else.
However, if you notice that the treatment you are using is not working, then there is a good chance that what you have might not be a yeast infection at all. Remember that yeast infection symptoms are similar to those of other types of infection too, and if the treatments you usually use to prevent and treat yeast infections are not working, then it might be, time to head to your doctor for a second opinion.
