Vaginal Infection

Every woman has yeast in her vagina at all times. However, when yeast grows too much, it can cause burning when urinating, itching, and a heavy, clumpy kind of discharge -- sort of like cottage cheese. Yeast infections commonly occur when a woman is taking antibiotics, because the medication kills off the bacteria that keep the yeast under control.

The term "nonspecific vaginitis" is used to describe a variety of bacterial infections in the vagina. Two of the names you will hear for bacterial infections are Hemophilus or Gardnerella vaginalis. Usually a heavy discharge from an overgrowth of some type of bacteria will be yellowish to greenish and runny, with a strong odor.

Types of Vaginal Infections

There are three main causes of vaginal infections: the fungus (yeast) Candida albicans, the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis, and the bacterial organism Gardnerella vaginalis.

Factors that can contribute to vaginal infections include the use of antibiotics (which kill friendly bacteria, allowing yeast to grow), corticosteroids and HIV (which suppress the immune system), oral contraceptives and pregnancy (which alter the vaginal environment by changing hormone levels), and diabeters (increased sugar levels provide a friendly environment for yeast).

Conventional medical treatment for vaginal infections caused by Candida include vaginal suppositories containing antifungal medications, or in some cases, oral antifungal medications. Women with diabetes often find that yeast infections are less common when their blood sugar levels are well controlled.

Trichomonas infections are treated with oral metronidazole and Gardnerella infections with oral or vaginal metronidazole or vaginal clindamycin.