Why Do We Suffer from Yeast Infection?

Yeast infection or thrush is a widely spreading diseased condition especially in women. In majority of cases, this infection occurs near the private areas i.e. as vaginal infection in women and penile infection in men. There is a pressing need of spreading awareness regarding the yeast infection causes among the people to curb the critical conditions it can lead to. Here are some of the major yeast infection causes:

Yeast Infection Causes in Women

Yeast grows and flourishes in warm and moist places. This makes vagina the most vulnerable place for yeast infection. Similar suitable conditions are also found on the skin under the breast and in the mouth. Yeast infection occurs in women when foreign yeast is brought in the vaginal area or there is an increase in the amount of yeast compared to normal bacteria. This increase weakens the immune system and multiplies and attacks the vaginal tissues and leads to innervations in the inner linings of the vagina.

There are chances that a woman may contract yeast infection if there are damages in her inner vagina due to some reasons. At times, chemotherapy leads to such damages which help yeast to flourish along the inner vaginal linings. Other common yeast infection causes are:

  • Use of vaginal hygiene sprays or douches.
  • Instability in the pH levels of vagina.
  • Use of anti-fertility devices such as diaphragm, intrauterine devices or vaginal sponges.

This infection is usually found in women who have their monthly periods and is less common in women who are in their postmenopausal stages and have not taken estrogen, and in females who do not have their menstruation cycles started yet.

Yeast Infection Causes in Men

The common causes for yeast infection in men are:

  • Antibiotics
  • Corn Products
  • Wheat Products
  • Alcohol
  • Barley
  • Weak Immune system
  • Peanuts etc

The most significant cause is the imbalance in the ratio of good bacteria to yeast in the digestive system which aide’s yeasts to thrive and disperse in the entire body. Except antibiotics, all other food articles mentioned above are contaminated by mold and fungi. They lead to Candida overpopulation by weakening the immune system by the acidity they cause in intestines.

Male yeast infection thrives on beer and sweet foods which help the yeast survive and spread in the body. The Candida fungus then dominates the digestive system and the infection becomes systemic. Males also contract thrush from their sexual partners by unprotected sex. During unprotected sex the male urethra is completely exposed, which makes it vulnerable to thrush from infected partner. This infection then spreads up through the urethral canal and settles in the prostate gland. If appropriate measures are not taken on time to prevent this infection, then prostate cancer develops in later stages.

Yeast Infection Causes in Children

The most common reason for yeast infection in children is unhygienic clothing. The wet diapers provide a warm and damp condition to fungus for breeding. Also the high sugar ratio in the commercial infant foods leads to thrush in children.