HIV and AIDS: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More

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Do I Have A Vaginal Yeast Infection Or Something Else?

Yeast infections can be uncomfortable, but they're usually not serious. You may have itching or irritation in or around your vagina, as well as a thick, white discharge. In many cases, an antifungal treatment will clear up your symptoms.

If you're not sure whether you have a yeast infection or something else, it's important to see a doctor for the right diagnosis and treatment. If you don't have a yeast infection, antifungals won't help you get better. They can actually prolong the problem because the real cause will continue to get worse.

A yeast infection is a fungal infection of the vagina and vulva — the outside parts of the vagina. Anyone with a vagina can get a yeast infection. These infections are so common that up to 75% of people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) will get at least one vaginal yeast infection in their lifetime. Around 45% will get two or more of these infections.

The fungus candida causes yeast infections. Candida naturally lives in the vagina. Normally, bacteria in the vagina keep the yeast in balance. But if the yeast gets out of balance with the bacteria and grows too much, you could get an infection. This imbalance can happen if you:

Take antibiotics, which kill bacteria

Have poorly controlled diabetes

Are pregnant

Have a weak immune system

Take birth control pills or hormone therapy that increase estrogen levels in your body

Sit in a wet bathing suit or sweaty clothes

Wear scented tampons or use deodorant in your vagina

A yeast infection causes symptoms such as:

Itching, pain, and irritation in the vagina and vulva

Burning when you pee or have sex

Redness and swelling of the vulva

Thick white discharge from the vagina that may look like cottage cheese but doesn't smell bad

Rash on the vagina

Many other conditions that affect the vagina and vulva cause symptoms like these. That's why it's important to see your doctor for a diagnosis, especially if you've never had a yeast infection before.

Yeast infections are not sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), but having sex could increase your risk for a yeast infection. That's because sex sometimes creates breaks in the skin of the vagina where yeast can get inside and grow.

You might confuse an STD such as chlamydia, trichomoniasis, or gonorrhea for a yeast infection because they cause some of the same symptoms, including:

Itching and burning in the vagina and vulva

Burning when you pee or have sex

Thick discharge from the vagina

The main difference is the type of germ that causes these infections. Bacteria or viruses cause most STDs, while a fungus causes yeast infections.

Because the symptoms are so similar, often the only way to know for sure which type of infection you have is to see a doctor. The doctor will examine you and take a sample of discharge from your vagina to confirm whether you have a yeast infection. To diagnose STDs, your doctor tests a sample of your pee.

Yeast infection vs. Herpes

Herpes is a type of STD. Herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) such as HSV-1 and HSV-2 cause the infection. Herpes spreads through skin-to-skin contact during sex.

Like a yeast infection, herpes causes symptoms such as vaginal discharge and pain when you pee. But with herpes, you may also have small blisters around your vagina, anus, or mouth. Those blisters may break open and bleed or ooze liquid, and then form scabs as they heal.

Most yeast infections usually clear up after you take an antifungal medicine for a few days. You can treat herpes with an antiviral medicine, but it's not curable. Symptoms may go away with medicine, only to return in the future.

Yeast infection vs. Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a very common STD. The bacteria that cause chlamydia can spread from your partner to you during unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex. This infection causes symptoms such as white discharge and burning or pain when you pee or have sex, but most people with chlamydia don't have any symptoms.

You can have chlamydia without showing symptoms; so, if you're sexually active, ask your doctor if you should get screened. Your doctor will take a sample of your pee or fluid from your vagina. A lab will then test the sample for the bacteria that cause chlamydia.

Antibiotics should cure chlamydia in a week or two. It's important to treat this infection. Untreated chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which could damage your fallopian tubes and make it difficult or impossible for you to get pregnant.

It's normal to have bacteria in your vagina. Usually "good" and "bad" bacteria balance each other out. But in bacterial vaginosis (BV), there is an overgrowth of "bad" bacteria, and they outnumber the "good" bacteria. This imbalance can sometimes happen if you douche or have unprotected sex.

Bacterial vaginosis can affect anyone with a vagina. About 1 in 3 people AFAB will get this infection.

Most people with BV don't have symptoms. When it does cause symptoms, one of them might be discharge from the vagina and a burning feeling when you pee, similar to the symptoms of a yeast infection. The difference is that with BV, the discharge is off-white, gray, or green, and it has a fishy smell.

Your doctor can confirm whether you have BV with a pelvic exam and a test of fluid from your vagina. If you do have BV, you can't treat it yourself like you might do with a yeast infection. Your doctor can prescribe an antibiotic that you take by mouth, such as metronidazole (Flagyl) or tinidazole (Tindamax). Some antibiotics come as a cream or gel that you insert into your vagina.

Another condition that's easy to confuse with a yeast infection is a urinary tract infection (UTI). This infection is in your urinary tract, which includes the:

Bladder

Ureters

Kidney

Urethra

You get a UTI when bacteria travel up your urethra and multiply in your bladder, kidneys, or other parts of your urinary tract. You're more likely to get a UTI after you have sex, during pregnancy, and as you get older. People who were AFAB are more likely to get UTIs than those assigned male because they have a shorter urethra.

A burning sensation when you pee is a symptom of both yeast infections and UTIs. With a UTI, you'll also have symptoms such as:

The urge to pee, even when your bladder is empty

Red, pink, or brown pee — a sign that there's blood in it

Smelly pee

Pain in your lower belly

If the infection travels to your kidneys, possible symptoms include:

Fever

Chills

Pain in your lower back or side

Nausea or throwing up

Your doctor can diagnose a UTI by testing your pee. They may send your pee sample to a lab for a urine culture to find out which type of bacteria caused your infection. Knowing the bacteria type will help your doctor know which antibiotic is most likely to work against it. You may need to take antibiotics for a week or longer to fully clear up the infection.

Redness and itching in your vulva might also be a sign of a skin condition called vulvar dermatitis. It includes:

Atopic dermatitis, a problem with your skin's barrier that makes it more sensitive to allergens and irritating substances

Contact dermatitis, a reaction to something in your environment that causes an itchy rash

You can get vulvar dermatitis if you're sensitive to products such as:

Soap and bubble bath

Laundry detergent and fabric softener dryer sheets

Underwear made from synthetic materials such as nylon

Douche, tampons, and feminine hygiene sprays

Scented toilet paper

Dyes

Pain during sex is a symptom of both a yeast infection and dermatitis. With dermatitis, you might also feel pain when you insert a tampon or get a pelvic exam from your OB/GYN.

Vulvar dermatitis also causes symptoms such as these in the vulva:

Itching, burning, or stinging

Thick patches of skin

Red or dark color to the skin

Fluid oozing out of damaged skin

To get a diagnosis, your doctor will ask about your symptoms and examine you. They may test a sample of discharge from your vagina or do patch testing of your skin to see if you have any allergies.

Treatment starts with avoiding whatever substance is irritating your skin. Your doctor might prescribe a corticosteroid ointment or anti-itch medicine to relieve symptoms such as redness, swelling, itching, and burning.

Redness, swelling, itching, and discharge can also be symptoms of an allergic reaction of the vulva called vulvitis. Vulvitis isn't an infection, but a reaction to products such as soap or laundry detergent. Sometimes an infection causes vulvitis.

With vulvitis, the itching is intense. Plus, you may have:

Small cracks in the skin of the vulva

Fluid-filled blisters that may break open, ooze, and crust over

Thick, white, and scaly patches of skin on your vulva

To diagnose vulvitis, your doctor will do a pelvic exam. They may do blood and urine tests and check you for STDs. You might also have a Pap test, which not only screens for cancer but also helps diagnose infections and inflammation.

To treat vulvitis, first avoid the irritating substance that caused it. Cortisone creams can ease itch and irritation. Sitting in a sitz bath helps with itching.

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the rectum or the skin around the anus. They sometimes cause itching, swelling, and pain in and around the vagina. But mainly, you'll feel the itching and discomfort around the anus. With hemorrhoids, you can actually feel a swelling around your rectum and you may have some bleeding.

Yeast infections are less common as you get older. If you have symptoms such as vaginal irritation and you're past menopause, they could be due to low estrogen.

As you get older, your level of estrogen goes down. This causes changes in your body, such as thinner skin in your vagina called vaginal atrophy. With atrophy, you can have symptoms that mimic an infection, such as vaginal burning or itching and pain during sex.

Other low estrogen symptoms are very different from those of a yeast infection. Look for signs like these to help you tell the two conditions apart:

Dry skin

Sore breasts

Moodiness

Trouble concentrating

Hot flashes and night sweats

Weight gain, especially in the belly

Tiredness

Trouble sleeping

Reduced sex drive

What does discharge look like with yeast infection and low estrogen?

Discharge from a yeast infection is thick and white, and it doesn't smell. With low estrogen, the discharge is thin, watery, and yellow.

Because the symptoms of so many other conditions resemble a yeast infection, it's better to see an OB/GYN or other doctor for a diagnosis and treatment, especially if you've never had one of these infections before. Your doctor can do tests to confirm which condition you have. Then if you do have a yeast infection, they can prescribe an antifungal medication that's stronger than ones you can buy over the counter.

While you can treat a yeast infection yourself if you've had them before and you know what medicine works for you, don't use antifungal medicines if you're pregnant. Some of these medicines can harm your growing baby.

If you get frequent yeast infections, a chronic condition such as diabetes might be behind them. Your doctor can diagnose the cause and recommend treatments to prevent these infections in the future.

Yeast infections are so common that most people who have a vagina will get at least one of them in their lifetime. These infections cause symptoms such as burning, itching, irritation, and vaginal discharge. Many other conditions also cause similar symptoms. So, see your primary care doctor or OB/GYN for a diagnosis and treatment if you have symptoms like these, especially if it's your first yeast infection.

What is the fastest way to get rid of a yeast infection?

Take an over-the-counter or prescription antifungal medication. These medicines can clear up a yeast infection in 3-7 days.

Will a yeast infection go away on its own?

Some mild yeast infections do go away on their own, but not all. Most of these infections will clear up after you take an antifungal medicine for a few days. Others will need longer treatment.

Should I treat a yeast infection myself?

If you've had these infections before, you could try to treat them yourself using an over-the-counter antifungal medicine. But if this is your first yeast infection or your symptoms don't improve with over-the-counter treatment, see a doctor.

How can I be sure I have a yeast infection?

The only way to know for sure that you have a yeast infection is to get a diagnosis from your doctor. The doctor will do a pelvic exam and test fluid from your vagina to make the diagnosis.

Can a yeast infection cause back pain?

Back pain isn't a usual symptom of a yeast infection. The cause of back pain is more likely to be a muscle, ligament, or joint problem such as arthritis or a bulging disc.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

While talking about sexually transmitted diseases or STDs, one usually hears only about HIV/AIDS. But there are a host of STDs that can ruin one's system and health if a person gets infected with anyone of them. Even if they aren't as life threatening as AIDS they can do enough damage to the person's sexual health and general wellbeing. Here are the different types of STDs that one can get infected with:

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is caused due to bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. This infection can happen to both men and women and it has some serious consequences too. It can cause permanent damage to the reproductive organs of a woman and affect her chances of getting pregnant later if left untreated or ignored. During the initial days after being infected with the bacteria, there might be few or no symptoms to suggest the presence of the disease. The symptoms usually start to show one or three weeks post the bacterial attack. Remember, the signs are too mild in the beginning to even make you realize that you're infected.

You can get this infection by having anal, vaginal or oral sex with a person suffering from Chlamydia. Though it is more common in the genital tracts one can even get this infection in the rectal area too.

Symptoms of Chlamydia

In women, the infection can give rise to abnormal vaginal discharge, painful urination, pain during sexual intercourse and lower abdominal pain.

In men, the infection can cause testicular pain or swelling in the testis, painful ejaculation, discharge from the penis and burning sensation while urinating.

In case of a rectal infection there could be bleeding, discharge and rectal pain both in men and women.

If a woman is pregnant with the infection there is a fair amount of chance that she can spread the infection to her child during the time of birth.

Diagnosis and treatment

Chlamydia infection is tested either by taking a urine sample or by a vaginal swab. In general, it is treated with oral medications and certain precautions. Sexual intimacy should be avoided if you're taking medication for the same. Remember immunity from an STD is not expected after an infection. In fact, the chances of a successive infection only increases after the first bacterial attack. Hence people affected with this disease should go for a proper check up for any recurrence once in every three months, if one is sexually active.

Gonorrhea

This is another form of bacterial infection that affects the genital tracts of both men and women. The bacteria causing the infection can grow in moist and warm areas of the reproductive organs of a woman including the cervix, the fallopian tube and the urethra of both men and women. That's not all, sometimes the bacteria can also grow in the mouth, throat and anus regions. The symptoms of gonorrhea can either appear within a week after being infected or remain silent for months together before acting up.

Symptoms of gonorrhea

In women, it can cause abnormal menstrual bleeding, pain during urination, burning sensation in the vagina, lower abdominal or pelvic pain, spotting after intercourse and swelling in the genital tracts. Sometimes, it can also result in a throat infection if contacted during oral sex. At times it can also cause conjunctivitis.

In men, it can cause discharge from the penis, pain or a burning sensation during urination, swelling in the testicles and throat infection if transmitted through oral sex.

A pregnant mother can pass the infection to the baby during the birthing process if she is infected with the same.

Diagnosis and treatment

To diagnose the condition a swab might be taken from the genitals of a man and cervix of a woman. Sometimes, even a throat culture or anus culture is done to check if the infection has spread to those areas. Gonorrhea can be treated and cured either with oral medications or with antibiotic injections depending on the severity of the condition and your health care expert's diagnosis of the same.

Trichomoniasis

This sexually transmitted infection is usually spread by a microscopic one-celled parasite called the trichomonas vaginalis. The parasite usually infects the urinary tract of men and the vagina of the women. But this infection often remains silent for a long time before it calls for attention. When trichomoniasis causes symptoms it can range from mild irritation to severe inflammation of the genitals.

Symptoms of trichomoniasis:

In women itching, burning, redness or soreness of the genitals, discomfort during urination, and vaginal discharge with an unusual smell are seen.

In men, the symptoms can be that of itching or irritation inside the penis, burning after urination or ejaculation, or discharge from the penis.

In general, the infection can kill the appetite for sex and without treatment it can last for months or even years.

Diagnosis and treatment

Symptoms alone would not give your doctor an accurate diagnosis of the condition. A lab test of swabs taken from the genitals of both the men and women might be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. The infection can be treated with a single dose of antibiotic but is recurrent in nature. One in five people treated for the condition has a chance of getting this infection back. So if symptoms persist even after treatment it is wise to pay a visit to the doctor again.

Hiv Infection

This is undoubtedly the most deadly of all the sexually transmitted diseases. Till date prevention of HIV is being more stressed on as a definite cure for the same has not yet been ascertained. The HIV infection interferes with the body's ability to fight of viruses or bacteria effectively that can give rise to a disease causing the immune system to weaken. This leads to AIDS or acquired immune deficiency syndrome which is a chronic life threatening disease.

HIV doesn't present with any classical symptoms at the onset. But some people develop flu-like symptoms a fortnight after acquiring the infection. Also read 9 risk factors of HIV/AIDS.

Symptoms of HIV

Fever

Headache

Sore throat

Swollen lymph glands

Rashes

Extreme fatigue

These symptoms subside within a week or so and are mistaken for other viral infections. More persistent or severe symptoms of HIV infection may not appear for 10 years after the symptoms of the initial infection subside. As the infection continues to erode the immune system it gives rise to more prominent symptoms like:

Swollen lymph nodes — often one of the first signs of HIV infection

Diarrhea

Fever of high grade

Cough and shortness of breath

Persistent, unexplained fatigue

Soaking night sweats

Persistent headaches

Unusual, opportunistic infections

Diagnosis and treatment

Once the signs and symptoms of the infection are persistent your doctor might ask for a blood test if he is suspicious of the same. The count of CD4 T cells determines the severity and status of your health with the HIV infection. HIV doesn't have a definite cure, vaccinations for the same are still in the testing phase. Medications given to check the symptoms also have their own side effects. The best way to deal with HIV infection is to practice prevention.

Genital Herpes

This is a highly contagious viral infection that is caused due to a type of virus called the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The infection is usually spread by having vaginal, oral or anal sex with someone who already has the disease. Like other STDs the signs and symptoms of genital herpes go unnoticed or are very mild in the beginning. This infection can happen to both men and women in the genital areas. When the signs and symptoms of the infection present itself it can be painful and too irritable. Know more about the symptoms and causes of the same.

Symptoms of genital herpes

Small bumps or blisters or open sores appear to be in the genital, anal and nearby areas

There can be pain or itching around the genital area, buttocks and inner thighs too.

After sometime the ulcers can rupture and bleed.

In women, sores can rupture in the vaginal area, external genitals, buttocks, anus or cervix.

In men, sores can appear on the penis, scrotum, buttocks, anus or thighs, or inside the urethra, the tube from the bladder through the penis.

The sores can even happen in the mouth and skin too.

These ulcers can make it painful to urinate too.

Diagnosis and treatment

Often the symptoms present in the genital areas can help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis of the same. In case your doctor still needs confirmation, swabs from the sores or open ulcers can be sent to the lab to check for the infection. Genital herpes has no cure. Though medications are used to suppress the symptoms it doesn't provide complete cure. Sometimes a person can end up having recurrent infection too.

Genital Warts

This is again a very common and contagious form of sexually transmitted disease that is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Usually the warts may have no symptoms in the beginning. They infect the genital areas of both the men and the women alike.

Symptoms of genital warts

In women, genital warts can grow on the vulva, the walls of the vagina, the area between the external genitals and the anus, and the cervix.

In men, they may occur on the tip or shaft of the penis, the scrotum, or the anus.

Genital warts can also develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has had oral sex with an infected person.

The warts appear as small, flesh-colored or gray swellings in your genital area

Itching or discomfort in your genital area

Bleeding with intercourse

Diagnosis and treatment

At times the warts just go away on their own if the body is capable of fighting the virus else one might need medical help for the same. There are various treatment options available to remove and treat the warts. Remember even if the warts go away they can still return in the future because the treatment can take care of the warts but not the virus. So it is necessary to talk to your healthcare provider while choosing a treatment option to keep the infection at bay for long.

Syphilis

This is also a potent form of STD, which not only affects the genitals, but the skin, the mucous membranes and also other parts of the body, like the brain or the heart. It is spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex. Syphilis symptoms can occur in four stages.

Congenital syphilis happens when a pregnant woman passes the infection to her baby while birthing. Hence it is imperative that a woman gets treated for the same before planning a pregnancy.

Symptoms of syphilis:

The primary phase: The primary symptoms of the condition are presence of small, painless sore (chancre) on the part of the body where the infection was transmitted, usually the genitals, rectum, tongue or lips along with enlargement of lymph nodes. Though these symptoms disappear with no proper treatment but the underlying disease is still there.

The secondary phase: The secondary symptoms present itself after 10 days of the sores have appeared and are marked by red or reddish-brown, penny-sized sores over any area of your body, including the palms and soles; fever, fatigue and a vague feeling of discomfort accompanied with soreness and aching. These signs also disappear within a few weeks and remain absent for as long as a year.

The latent phase: The latent phase of the condition is the phase following the secondary phase which is silent and the person suffers from no symptoms of the disease as if nothing had really happened.

The tertiary phase: One can reach this phase if the previous symptoms were ignored and treatment was delayed. The tertiary symptoms usually mark neurological problems like stroke and infection and inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and the spinal cord (meningitis). It can also give rise to poor muscle coordination, numbness, paralysis, deafness or visual problems, dementia etc. Cardiovascular problems due to the disease can give rise to bulging and inflammation of the aorta and of other blood vessels. Syphilis may also cause valvular heart disease, such as aortic valve problems.

Diagnosis and treatment

Syphilis can be cured with antibiotics effectively. But if the condition has passed to the tertiary stages surgical intervention can be necessary to treat the complications of the condition. Though the treatment cannot undo the physical damage the virus has done. There is also a possibility that one can get the bout of infection back in the future.

Hepatitis

Hepatitis refers to a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver and can lead to complications that could be serious. There are chances of getting infected with hepatitis A, B and C during a sexual intercourse, as the virus can be transmitted from an infected person to another through blood or other body fluids. Though, a hepatitis infection can be transmitted by other means also like using unsterilized injections, blood transfusion, bad hygiene habits etc.

Symptoms of hepatitis:

The symptoms with hepatitis A, B or C appear to be similar but are more potent and life threatening with the last two. In case of Hepatitis B the symptoms appear to be chronic and can lead to permanent damage of the liver if treatment is delayed or ignored. With hepatitis C delayed treatment or diagnosis can lead to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis or even liver cancer. The symptoms that one can suffer from due to a hepatitis infection are:

Shortness of breath

Flu-like symptoms

Nausea,

Vomiting,

Diarrhea,

Weight loss,

Jaundice marked with yellowish colour in the white areas of the eyes with pale colour urine and faeces.

Diagnosis and treatment

There is no specific treatment for Hepatitis A virus, though there are vaccinations available to provide protection from the same. Most people fight off the virus naturally or with the help of antiviral drugs prescribed, returning to full health within a couple of months. The doctor would advise avoiding alcohol and fatty foods as these can be hard for the liver to process and may exacerbate the inflammation.

In case of a mild hepatitis B infection little medical help in form of corrective lifestyle changes, hygiene and medications would be needed to fight the infection. Antiviral medications are prescribed to those with chronic symptoms to help prevent further liver damage. These medications may be injected or given in pill form. Vaccinations for hepatitis B are given in the form of injection over a period of three or six months to provide protection from the same.

There are no vaccinations to prevent hepatitis C infection, though drugs like antiviral medications are used to treat the symptoms of the condition. Even with developments in the field of science and medicine the success rate of such treatment is very low. Prevention is the best resort in such a case. Know more about the potent hepatitis C disease.

Prevention

Though not all STDs are potent, they do alter a person's life in one way or the other if infected. It is important to prevent the occurrence of a STD. Here is what you can do to prevent the same:

Practice safe sex. Use condoms every time you have intercourse and dental dams during oral sex.

Avoid having sex with multiple partners. This can increase your chance of getting infected with an STD if one of your partners has one.

If you are diagnosed with a STD refrain from sexual activity while you are treated. Some of the STDs have no cure and it is better to refrain from sex if you are infected with one. Else talk to your partner and a sex therapist to explore your options.

Never neglect treatment. Remember if you have been infected with a type of STD your chances to get another type of STD infection is very high. So get treated soon and follow proper instructions.

Maintain proper hygiene and sanitation. This is more needed to restrict the spread of the disease from the genital areas to other parts of the body in an infected person that transmitting it to the partner.

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