Yeast infection symptoms in women: The signs you should not ignore

Yeast infection symptoms in women

Yeast infection symptoms in women can cause many discomforts and are known to reduce the quality of life of many women (1). The most common signs of yeast infection in women are vaginal yeast infections. Vaginal yeast infection symptoms in women typically include unique signs, especially when appear together:

Intense vaginal itching, constant urge to scratch.
Abnormal vaginal discharge, looks like cottage cheese, thick, clumpy.
Irritation, severe inflammation, soreness. redness, rash around the vagina.
Burning during urination.
Pain during sex.

Don’t treat the symptoms. Learn from them about the treatment you need.

What causes yeast infections in women?

One of the most common causes of yeast infection in women is a systemic yeast and candida overgrowth in the body. In this case, the symptoms of yeast infection in women may affect the the vagina but can also appear in other areas in the body. This has to be taken into consideration during the treatment. Recurring yeast infections in women are usually caused by a systemic candida overgrowth problem that wasn’t properly addressed during the treatment.

As you can see in the table below, the yeast infection treatment for women is different when the infections is caused by a systemic yeast infection in the body.

Affected Areas	Possible Cause	Yeast infection treatment for women
Only the vagina is affected.	Specific issue in the vagina.	Antifungal creams. Probiotics. Prevention treatment.
Vagina and other areas are affected.	Systemic candida overgrowth.	Candida overgrowth treatment. Antifungal creams (relief).

Yeast infection in women

Vaginal yeast infection symptoms in women

Yeast infection symptoms in women that affect the vagina can cause many discomforts. The severity and frequency may change from one woman to another. Common vaginal yeast infection symptoms in women may include:

Abnormal vaginal discharge.
Thick, chunky, curd like discharge, looks like cottage cheese.
Milky white discharge or very light yellow discharge.
No smell, odorless, or mild bread yeast like smell.
Intense itchiness of the vulva (vulvar pruritus).
Irritation, redness, swelling and burning around the vulva.
Vaginal pain and soreness.
Vaginal rash. In some cases yeast infection bumps.
Pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia).
Pain or burning during urination (dysuria).

Symptoms of yeast infection in women usually do not include the following signs:

Strong musty fishy vaginal odor, or strong unpleasant smell.
Discharge color: dark, dark yellow – green, gray.
Thin watery discharge.
Homogenous discharge.

If any of these symptoms apply to you, you may have a bacterial infection. We strongly suggest you should see your doctor and get tested to confirm the type of infection you may have.

Symptoms of yeast infection in women due to candida overgrowth

Symptoms of yeast infection in women due to candida overgrowth are very common and typically affect multiple areas in the body. Candida overgrowth symptoms may include external signs causing infections of the skin, toenails, feet, mouth, tongue and genitals, as well as internal symptoms causing digestive issues, mood swings, brain fog, muscle and joint pain and breathing or sinus infections.

In other words, the vaginal infection is only one symptom of a systemic problem of excess candida yeast overgrowth in the body. This should be taken into consideration during the yeast infection treatment for women, as the needed treatment can be completely different.

To see if your symptoms and medical history may be related to candida overgrowth infection in your body, see:
online candida overgrowth test.

Causes of yeast infection in women

Risk factors and causes of yeast infection in women have been extensively studied and very well documented in the medical literature. As you can see from the list below, some of these risk factors can be easily avoided. Becoming aware of these causes and make the needed changes when possible, can be very helpful in preventing yeast infections.

Risk factors and causes of yeast infection in women that are related to the vagina may include:

Women who carry out vaginal lavage (2).
Wearing tight clothes (3).
Poor sanitary and vaginal hygiene (4).
Women who use tampons or perfumed toilet paper (5).
Women who use sanitary pads for menstrual protection (6).
Women who use intrauterine device (IUD) (7).
Frequent sexual intercourse, seven or more times a week (8).

Risk factors and causes of yeast infection in women that are related to systemic candida overgrowth in the body may include:

Antibiotics and oral contraceptives (9).
Weakened immune system (10).
Uncontrolled diabetes or blood sugar issues (11).
Diet high in sugar (12).
Pregnancy (13).
Absorption (14).
Exogenous hormones and hormone replacement therapy (15, 16).
Chronic stress (17).
Reduced antioxidant capacity (18).

If any of these causes of candida overgrowth may be related to you, it is very important that they should be addressed during the treatment. To see the complete list of causes of candida overgrowth with treatment options for each cause, see: candida overgrowth causes and how to treat them.

Yeast infection treatment for women

When it comes to yeast infection treatment for women, it is always best to consult with your doctor. The yeast infection treatment for women is directly related to the cause of the yeast infection. For this reason, identifying what causes the yeast infection is always the first step of the treatment.

Doctors usually test for yeast infection by:

Vaginal exam looking for specific signs of yeast infection in women.
Risk factors based on your medical history.
Lab tests.
Additional yeast infection symptoms in women you share.

Becoming aware of the different symptoms of a yeast infection in women is very important as in many cases they are helpful in revealing the cause of the infections. This is a very useful information that can help your doctor identify the correct treatment you may need, especially since some symptoms such as digestive issues may not be identified during the physical exam.

Yeast infection treatment for women – additional points to consider

Relieving the intense itching is a very important part of the vaginal yeast infection treatment. Constant itching often causes the desire or reflex to scratch (pruritus) which can make the infection and irritation become worse. If you need a relief, see: natural antifungal creams.
To avoid chronic yeast infections or other complication, it is important to confirm that no other yeast infection symptoms are present in other areas of the body. To see the complete list of yeast infection symptoms broken down by different areas in the body see: candida overgrowth symptoms checker.

Yeast infection in women

Yeast infection in women is well documented and studied.
According to research data, it is estimated that (19, 20, 21):

3 out of 4 women will experience at least one episode of vaginal yeast infection.
About half will experience recurring vaginal yeast infections, out of which 10-20% severe yeast infections.

Additional facts about candida and yeast infections:

Vaginal yeast infection is also commonly known as: Candidal vulvovaginitis, Vaginal Candidiasis.
The yeast infection is commonly referred to as Candidiasis.
There are over 20 species of candida yeasts that can cause infection in humans, the most common of which is candida albicans (source).

Yeast infection while pregnant

Yeast infection while pregnant is common and well documented in the medical literature as a known risk factor. The research data suggests that yeast infection occurs more frequently in pregnant women. It is believed that higher estrogen levels and higher glycogen content in vaginal secretions during pregnancy increase a woman’s risk of developing vaginal yeast infections (22).

According to research, the incidence of vaginal yeast infection increases with the duration of pregnancy, from 9% in the first trimester to 54% in the third (23).