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There are several diseases that affect women much more than men. This is the case of candidiasis, which, according to recent studies, affects about 75% of women in Brazil. And despite being such a common disease, there is still a lot of unknown information about candidiasis, in addition to several myths that orbit around it.
So in today’s text we will explain what are the causes, the main symptoms and how treatments for the disease are carried out. With this information it is easier to know what are the best ways to prevent it from appearing. But first, we need to explain exactly what candidiasis is.
What is Candidiasis?
Candidiasis is an infectious disease usually caused by the fungus Candida or Candida albicans, although there are more than 20 types of fungi in this family that can cause this disease.
This fungus is part of the vaginal flora of all women, however, in small quantities. When a woman has lowered immunity, this fungus creates a means for it to proliferate, and then candidiasis occurs.
It is worth remembering that it is not a sexually transmitted disease , even if it occurs in the woman’s vagina or in the man’s penis in rarer cases. It is also not a dangerous disease, but it can cause a lot of discomfort and therefore needs to be treated.
Types of Candidiasis
As we mentioned earlier, there are more than 20 types of fungi in the Candida fungus family, so there are also many types of candidiasis and in different parts of the body. Let’s talk here about the main types of candidiasis besides vaginal, explain how they occur and what are their symptoms. These types of candidiasis are:
- Oral Candidiasis
- Candidiasis on the Skin
- Esophageal Candidiasis
- Penile Candidiasis
Oral Candidiasis
Also known as “frog”, it has as main characteristic the appearance of lesions on the tongue and on the inner part of the cheeks. It is very common in babies and in people with low immunity . Other symptoms that can also occur in oral candidiasis are difficulty in swallowing and redness in the mouth.
Candidiasis on the Skin
Also known as Intertrigo , this type of disease is characterized by the appearance of several lesions in different places on the skin. Some of the main places where candidiasis on the skin appears are the armpits, the groin, the buttocks, the neck and the inner thighs.
Esophageal Candidiasis
It is the rarest type of candidiasis and occurs only with those who have very low immunity, such as those with AIDS or children and the elderly with some immunity problem. The main symptom of this disease is the immense difficulty that the person has to swallow any type of food.
Penile Candidiasis
It is much less common than vaginal candidiasis, but it can also occur when a man’s immunity is very low. Symptoms are usually redness and pain in the glans, in addition to the appearance of white plaques.
Causes of Candidiasis
As we mentioned earlier, the Candida fund combined with a woman’s low immunity ends up creating the ideal scenario for the onset of the disease. There are some specific factors that can lower a woman’s immunity, such as:
- Excessive stress;
- Pregnancy ;
- HIV virus ;
- Menstruation ;
- Use of the contraceptive pill ;
- Use of antibiotics;
- Diabetes
There are several factors that can lead a woman to develop this disease and, although it is not a sexually transmitted disease, when the immune system is weaker, this disease can end up developing because of sexual intercourse and, therefore, it is not It is recommended to have sex while the disease is being treated.
Main Symptoms of Vaginal Candidiasis
Several symptoms can indicate whether a woman has candidiasis or not, even though the final diagnosis has to be given by the doctor. Some of the main symptoms of the disease are:
- Whitish discharge;
- Intense itching in the vagina;
- Burning sensation when urinating;
- Pain during sexual intercourse ;
- Swelling and redness in the vagina
It is worth remembering that some of these symptoms may indicate other diseases that have nothing to do with candidiasis and, therefore, it is necessary to visit a doctor for a more accurate diagnosis and to know exactly how the treatment should be done.
Treatment of Candidiasis
The treatment of candidiasis usually takes only a few weeks, but if the person strictly follows medical recommendations, the healing time tends to be shorter. Some of the steps to treat candidiasis are:
- Application of antifungal ointments;
- Wear cotton panties;
- Sleep without panties whenever possible;
- Avoid sex during treatment;
- Avoid eating too much fat during treatment;
- Do not use tampons;
- Avoid consumption of alcoholic beverages during treatment;
- Avoid smoking during treatment;
- Always wash the genital area with mild soap and water only.
You should not take any medication without first consulting a doctor. Doing so can not only aggravate your condition, but also develop other, even worse problems.
Risks of Candidiasis
Candidiasis is not usually a dangerous disease, as we mentioned earlier, however, if not treated correctly, it can appear more and more frequently, causing great discomfort in women.
In severe cases, there is also the possibility of candidiasis reaching other organs of the human body, causing even renal, respiratory complications or, in more extreme cases, even death. The treatment of the disease is easy and relatively quick, so there is no reason why it is not done in the right way for the cure to be complete.
Myths Around Illness
Although candidiasis is a well-known disease, there are some myths that circulate the disease and that many people believe. Many still think today that it is a sexually transmitted disease, for example, which we have already explained is not true.
In addition, there are people who believe that candidiasis affects only people who have low immunity , which is also inconsistent with reality. Low immunity is a
factor that contributes to the development of the disease, but there are other factors that cause candidiasis to appear, as we have already mentioned.
Other myths about the disease say that candidiasis does not reach men and that it is necessary to eliminate all types of Candida fungus from your body. These fungi are necessary for the balance of vaginal flora and are even healthy in small amounts.
It is quite common to hear about diseases like candidiasis, but it is necessary to know exactly how it appears and what effects it has on our bodies in order to be able to treat ourselves and even prevent us.
Another important point is to know that it can manifest itself in different ways and, therefore, knowing the types of candidiasis is also important for the disease to be identified as soon as possible.
There are several diseases that affect the female body and, although this is a common disease, it can bring certain risks and consequences that interfere with your life, so don’t let candidiasis interfere with your life. You probably already have a lot to worry about.
See Also: Breast Candidiasis – What is it and How to Treat It?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
