Yeast infection can have serious complications, especially for those with compromised immune systems (especially those with AIDS) and persons with diabetes. However, it is easily treatable given a prompt diagnosis and proper medication.
The most common and best known form of yeast infection (candidiasis) is thrush,
which most commonly affects women's genitalia. While it is not impossible for men to contract, it is exceedingly rare for this to happen. However, yeast infections do not solely affect men or women; they just affect different parts of the body in each.
Yeast infections most commonly occur on the skin or mucous membranes. In human beings, yeast infections are due to the genus Candida. In laboratory cultures, it appears as round colonies which are white, white-gray or cream colored. The best known species of the Candida genus is Candida Albicans; although it is not the only species of Candida which can cause yeast infections in humans.
Under normal conditions, Candida Albicans coexists with the other flora naturally present in our bodies. The fungus lives in warm wet areas, especially the mucous membranes and in the GI tract. The fungus is also known to grow on the surface of the skin, particularly warm, damp areas like armpits and folds in the skin.
Candidiasis is generally termed a yeast infection since the most commonly seen form of the fungus is single, ovoid yeast cells. Candida reproduces by budding, meaning that the Candida cells reproduce by creating genetically identical clones which grow out of the parent cell. These new cells grow on the parent cell for a time before separating.
So what are the conditions which can create a yeast infection? The body temperature must be at just the right level and pH must be in the correct balance for Candida to grow without out competing other organisms found in the body. When the pH level and temperature change, Candida cells can grow out of control, resulting into a yeast infection.
The symptoms of a Candida Albicans infection include itching, tingling, soreness and a burning sensation. Sometimes more than one of these symptoms will happen at a time. You should not scratch affected areas, since this leads to the spread of the infection.
Other symptoms include muscle aches, joint pain and swelling, dizziness, fatigue, dizziness, mood swings, anxiety, depression and a host of other symptoms. Since these symptoms are seen with many other illnesses, it is important to get a physician's diagnosis to be sure.
There are other, more visible signs of a Candida infection – there will be cream-colored or white patches in the mouth in some cases (especially in thrush). These patches can reach back into the throat and cause digestive issues. In men, there can be sores on the glans and foreskin. There may also be discharge from the bowels (visible in the stool), the ears and of course the genitalia.
