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Gynecologic Health

Yeast Infections: When Should You Treat Yourself?

Summary & Participants

When women experience the signs of a yeast infection, they often prefer to self-medicate rather than check with their doctor. But the symptoms are similar to those of more serious conditions and only your doctor can tell the difference. Tune is as our experts share important information all women should know.

Medically Reviewed On: July 02, 2008

Webcast Transcript

LISA CLARK: I'm Lisa Clark. Welcome, and thanks for joining us for this webcast. Our topic today is something that most women are, unfortunately, quite familiar with: yeast infections. It's estimated that 50% of college women in the U.S. have been diagnosed with at least one yeast infection by the age of 25. It's usually easy to treat, but it's very important to know how to recognize the symptoms and when you should consider a visit to your doctor.

Joining me to discuss this topic we have gynecologist Dr. Gloria Bachmann and Dr. Joseph Apuzzio. Thanks to both of you for joining me. Let's start with the basics. What exactly is a yeast infection?

JOSEPH APUZZIO, MD: A yeast infection is an overgrowth of yeast in the vagina severe enough to cause the patient to have symptoms.

LISA CLARK: So this is a naturally occurring yeast that's there all the time ,and it just gets out of control?

GLORIA BACHMANN, MD: Correct. Only when it overgrows does it become a problem or a vaginitis.

LISA CLARK: Let's talk about some of the very common causes, and there are a lot of them. Dr. Apuzzio?

JOSEPH APUZZIO, MD: I think first of all, diabetes. If the patient has diabetes, they're more prone to have yeast infections of the vagina. Also, if the patient is taking a steroid preparation for some medical illness, that also puts her at high risk. Antibiotics, patients who are taking antibiotics for a long period of time are also at high risk, because the antibiotic kind of suppresses the other flora in the vagina and allows the yeast to overgrow.

LISA CLARK: What about the pill? I understand that can be a cause sometimes.

JOSEPH APUZZIO, MD: Birth control pills in some patients may actually be a cause as well, so that certainly is the case.

LISA CLARK: Dr. Bachmann, there are a lot of environmental factors having to do with what women wear.

GLORIA BACHMANN, MD: That's right, lifestyle, if they wear tight-fitting jeans. Even toilet habits. Wiping from back to front rather than front to back is important. Wet bathing suits, all these things are really critical.

LISA CLARK: And douching has been considered problematic for some women.

JOSEPH APUZZIO, MD: Yes. What douching may do is actually kill off organisms in the vagina that suppress the growth of the yeast, so in essence, one should not douche unless they consult their doctor.

LISA CLARK: And it's also important to mention that HIV can be a contributing factor as well to recurrent yeast infections. Is that right?

JOSEPH APUZZIO, MD: Yes, that's correct. Any time the patient's immune system, their natural way of fighting off infections, is suppressed, such as a patient who has HIV, they can also get yeast infection.

LISA CLARK: Let's talk about what a woman notices when she's getting a yeast infection? What are some of the symptoms, for those who have not experienced one?

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