Antibiotics and Yeast Infections
Antibiotics and Yeast Infections
Antibiotics and yeast infections have a strange relation. While antibiotics are known to help cure many other infections, sometimes they also cause or aggravate yeast infection.
Yeast infection, also known as candidiasis is an infection caused by a group of microscopic fungi or yeast. Yeast occurs mostly in warm moist body areas such as the vagina, rectum, underarms and mouth. Small amounts of yeast quantities do not pose any health problems. However, when they multiply and spread, it turns into an infection, that needs immediate medical attention. Antibiotics have been used to cure many infections and diseases. But there have been many instances where antibiotics have triggered complications. One such complication is the yeast infection or candidiasis. It is important to understand the relation between antibiotics and yeast infections, to prevent yeast from occurring.
Yeast infection Caused by Antibiotics
Our immune system plays a vital role in controlling all infections. However, when antibiotics components travel in our body, it causes some changes in the delicate chemical balance of the body. It disrupts the bacterial flora in the body, resulting in Candidiasis. Certain antibiotics while destroying the harmful bacteria, also damage the good or necessary bacteria. As the good bacteria reduces, candidiasis multiply and spread quickly. Strong or overuse of antibiotics cause an imbalance in the bacterial flora.
Treating Antibiotic Caused Yeast Infection
Treating candidiasis depends on the type, severity and place of occurrence. Following is the list of types of yeast infections and what may help it to treat it.
- Deep Candidiasis: Deep candidiasis can be quite well cured by fluconazole or intravenous amphotericin B.
- Candida Vaginitis: Treatments includes antifungal medications like clotrimazole, nystatin, terconazole, etc in form of emollient, ointments or suppositories which can be directly applied into the vagina.
- Cutaneous candidiasis: Cutaneous candidiasis can be effectively cured using antifungal powders and creams. Before applying these antifungal medications one must completely clean and dry the skin.
- Oropharyngeal Candidiasis (Oral Thrush): Oral thrush is often cured with antifungal medications like nystatin and clotrimazole, and it comes in liquid form.
Prevention while Using Antibiotics
Although it may become necessary at times to take antibiotics to stop the spread of some infections, there are ways one can keep yeast infection caused by antibiotics at bay. Avoid overdosing the body, allow the body to use its own immune system to fight off infection. Never medicate yourself, using a prior prescription, even though one may feel that the problem facing now was corrected by using the antibiotics earlier. While taking antibiotics, reduce the consumption of sugar, as this accelerates the growth of yeast infection. Add a large quantity of fresh yogurt to your diet daily. The live cultures help to fight infection naturally. Drink plenty of water, water will flush out many toxins from the body. A healthy balanced diet will increase the body’s resistance to infections.
There are some natural remedies that can help one prevent yeast infection from occurring while one is taking antibiotics. Include yeast fighting foods like foods fused with probiotics, and natural dietary supplements as grapefruit seed extract, garlic, oil of oregano, etc. Keep the affected area clean and dry at all times Use mild soaps to bathe. However, the most important thing to remember is to ensure that one does not overuse antibiotics, and immediately see a doctor, in case one feels that the yeast infection has been caused by antibiotics. Antibiotics and yeast infections will not be a major cause of worry, if one is equipped with knowledge on the way to deal with them.
| By Loveleena Rajeev Published: 8/25/2009 |
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