Self-Care at Home

Most candidal infections can be treated at home with over-the-counter or prescription medication and can clear within a week. But if some other disease has weakened your immune system, consult your doctor for any new symptoms before attempting self-treatment. You may risk getting an infection.

• Yeast infections
  • Most women can treat yeast infections at home with over-the-counter medications:
    • Miconazole (Monistat-Derm, Monistat Vaginal)
    • Tioconazole (Vagistat Vaginal)
    • Butoconazole (Femstat)
    • Clotrimazole (Femizole-7, Gyne-Lotrimin)
  • Massage these remedies into your vagina and surrounding tissues for 1-7 days depending on the formulation. If increased irritation occurs to the area, discontinue the medication immediately.
  • If you are pregnant, consult your doctor before using these treatments.
  • If symptoms continue for more than 1 week, consult your doctor.

• Thrush
  • In thrush, swish the antifungal agent nystatin around in your mouth. Take care to maintain excellent oral hygiene.
  • All objects put into a child’s mouth should be sterilized after each use.
  • Breastfeeding mothers should be evaluated for Candida of the breast.
  • If you wear dentures, clean them thoroughly after each use and practice good oral hygiene.
  • Adults have several treatment options not available to babies, such as troches (antifungal lozenges) or pills such as fluconazole (Diflucan), to help clear the infection in addition to nystatin.

• Skin and diaper rash
  • Clotrimazole creams and lotions can be applied to superficial skin infections. Other medications need a prescription and a visit to your doctor.
  • The affected area should be kept clean and dry.
  • For diaper rashes, frequent diaper changes and the use of barrier creams will speed recovery.

• If your immune system is weak, your doctor may handle minimal local infections with home care. More serious infections may need IV medications given at the hospital.

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Source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/candidiasis_yeast_infection/page6_em.htm

Yeast Infection Overview

Candidiasis is an infection caused by a group of microscopic fungi or yeast. There are more than 20 species of Candida, the most common being Candida albicans. These fungi live on all surfaces of our bodies. Under certain conditions, they can become so numerous they cause infections, particularly in warm and moist areas. Examples of such infections are vaginal yeast infections, thrush, skin and diaper rash, and nailbed infections.

* Candidal infections commonly occur in warm moist body areas, such as underarms. Usually your skin effectively blocks yeast, but any breakdown or cuts in the skin may allow this organism to penetrate.

* Typical affected areas in babies include the mouth and diaper areas.

* In adults, oral yeast infections become more common with increased age. Adults also can have yeast infections around dentures, under the breast and lower abdomen, nailbeds, and beneath other skin folds. Most of these candidal infections are superficial and clear up easily with treatment.

* Rarely, the yeast infection may spread throughout the body. In systemic candidal disease, up to 75% of people may die. Even common mouth and vaginal yeast infections can cause critical illness and can be more resistant to normal treatment.

* Yeast infections that return may be a sign of more serious diseases such as diabetes, leukemia, or AIDS.

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Source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/candidiasis_yeast_infection/article_em.htm

Candida albicans is a yeast that normally resides in the body in the digestive tract and vagina. Candida levels are kept in check by the immune system and beneficial probiotic bacteria in the body.

If probiotic bacteria are killed by antibiotics or if the immune system becomes weakened, Candida yeast may grow unchecked.

Local infections, such as oral thrush, skin infections and vaginal yeast infections in women can result.

People with severely weakened immune systems, such as those with cancer or AIDS, may develop widespread Candida infection, a serious medical condition called systemic candidiasis.

Some alternative practitioners believe that overgrowth of candida albicans yeast in the intestines is responsible for a yeast syndrome that results in symptoms such as fatigue, headache, mood swings, sinus congestion, depression, poor memory and concentration, and cravings for sweets.

The excess Candida yeast in the intestines is then thought to penetrate the intestinal wall, causing yeast and other unwanted particles to be absorbed into the body. The absorbed yeast particles are believed to activate the immune system, resulting in an allergic hypersensitivity to Candida.

This yeast syndrome, popularized by William Crook, MD, in his 1983 book, The Yeast Connection, is considered highly controversial. Most conventional doctors think this syndrome is overdiagnosed by holistic practitioners and many disagree with the validity of the diagnosis.

Contributing Factors

• Use of oral contraceptives, steroids, antacids, anti-ulcer medications, or frequent or long-term use of antibiotics
• High-sugar diets
• Pregnancy
• Smoking
• Food allergies and intolerances
• Diabetes

The Candida Yeast Screening Quiz

The candida yeast screening quiz describes the symptoms of yeast overgrowth.
Take the Candida Yeast Screening Quiz

The Candida Diet

Some alternative practitioners use diet to address Candida overgrowth. For example, Dr. Crook recommends people with Candida overgrowth follow certain diet guidelines:

• Avoid sugar. According to Dr. Crook, sugar promotes the growth of yeast. The total carbohydrate intake per day is often limited. For example, during the initial two to three weeks on the diet, the carbohydrate intake may be restricted to less than 60 grams per day, depending on age, health, activity level, and the extent of food sensitivities. Low-carbohydrate foods such as meat, chicken, turkey, shellfish, non-starchy vegetables, and certain nuts are emphasized instead. As symptoms subside, the carbohydrate total of the diet is often gradually increased.
• Avoid foods containing any type of yeast. This includes fermented foods such as bread made with yeast, cheese, tomato paste, mushrooms, and beer. Although Dr. Crook believed that people with Candida overgrowth would also be allergic to other fungi, not all practitioners believe this restriction is necessary.

The length of time on a Candida diet depends on the length of time one has had symptoms and the severity of the symptoms. The general level of health is another important factor to alternative practitioners when recommending a treatment plan.

People who do respond to the diet often report that it takes a minimum of four weeks before any improvement is noticeable. For many, it may take months. Once there is sufficient improvement in symptoms, practitioners suggest slowly reintroducing foods from the restricted list back into the diet.

• Candida Diet – List of Foods to Avoid Entirely
• Candida Diet – List of Foods to Limit

Herbs and Supplements

Another important component of Dr. Crook’s plan is the use of herbs and supplements, or in certain cases, prescription drugs, to decrease the amount of Candida yeast in the body.

Alternative practitioners usually recommend starting with smaller amounts of herbs and supplements and increasing gradually. Otherwise, a temporary worsening of symptoms called a Herxheimer reaction, or yeast die-off, may occur. It is believed to result when Candida yeast are killed and they release protein fragments and toxins that trigger an antibody response from the immune system. Natural Remedies for Candida

Lab Tests

The Candida Immune Complex test is used by some alternative practitioners. It costs approximately $100. Labs that perform this test include Immuno Sciences, Great Smokies Diagnostic Lab, and Antibody Assay Laboratories.

Scientific Evidence

There is very little scientific evidence showing that candida yeast overgrowth is common, or that diets, herbs, and supplements can help.[/]

One clinical trial looked at the use of the antifungal drug nystatin in 116 people who were thought to have candida yeast overgrowth. After four weeks, treatment with nystatin improved symptoms compared to placebo. Some people in the study also avoided dietary sugar and yeast and reported an even greater improvement in symptoms.

Another study, involving 42 women, didn’t find any benefit on symptoms with nystatin use.

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Source: http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/candidadiet_2.htm

Candida albicans, and other strains of Candida are yeast that normally inhabits our digestive system: the mouth, throat, intestines and genitourinary tract. Candida is a normal part of the bowel flora (the organisms that naturally live inside our intestines, and are not parasitic). It has many functions inside our digestive tract, one of them to recognize and destroy harmful bacteria. Without Candida albicans in our intestines we would be defenseless against many pathogen bacteria. Healthy person can have a millions of Candida albicans. Our immune system is suppose to keep it under control, together with “friendly” bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus , B. bifidum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, S. thermophilus and L. salivarius, …). If the number of friendly bacteria is decreased (antibiotics, pesticides, chlorine,…) in relation to a number of Candida, the immune systems is weakened or other conditions for yeast proliferation occur (diet high in sugar, improper pH in the digestive system) Candida albicans will shift from yeast to mycelial fungal form and start to invade the body.  In the yeast state Candida is a non-invasive, sugar-fermenting organism, while in fungal state it is invasive and can produce rhizoids, very long root-like structures. Rhizoids can penetrate mucosa or intestinal walls, leaving microscopic holes and allowing toxins, undigested food particles and bacteria and yeast to enter the bloodstream. These condition is known as Leaky Gut Syndrome, one more name for the food and environmental intolerances.

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Source: http://curezone.com/diseases/candida/

Definition of Candida Albicans

Candida albicans (sometimes referred to as monilia) is a fungus that is normally present on the skin and in mucous membranes such as the vagina, mouth, or rectum. The fungus also can travel through the blood stream and affect the throat, intestines, and heart valves.

Description of Candida Albicans

Candida albicans becomes an infectious agent when there is some change in the body environment that allows it to grow out of control.

Causes and Risk Factors of Candida Albicans

Most of the time, candida infections of the mouth, skin, or vagina occur for no apparent reason. A common cause of infection may be the use of antibiotics that destroy beneficial, as well as harmful, microorganisms in the body, permitting candida to multiply in their place. The resulting condition is known as candidiasis moniliasis, or a “yeast” infection.

Candidiasis moniliasis:

• is called thrush when it grows in the mouth, especially in infants
• shows up on skin as a red, inflamed, and sometimes scaly rash, such as diaper rash
• causes vaginalitis moniliasis, commonly known as a yeast infection, in the vagina
• causes candidal onchomycosis in the nails or paronychia next to the nails
• can also affect the esophagus and the digestive tract

Candidal infection of the penis is more common among uncircumcised than circumcised men and may result from sexual intercourse with an infected partner.

In rare instances, when body resistance is low as in leukemia or AIDS, candida albicans can enter the bloodstream and causes serious infection of vital organs.

Symptoms of Candida Albicans

Thrush appears as creamy-white or bluish-white patches on the tongue – which is inflamed and sometimes beefy red – and on the lining of the mouth, or in the throat.

Diaper rash caused by candida is an inflammation of the skin, usually red and sometimes scaly.

Vaginitis is characterized by a white or yellow discharge. Inflammation of the walls of the vagina and of the vulva (external genital area) causes burning and itching.

Infections of the fingernails and toenails appear as red, painful swelling around the nail. Later, pus may develop.

Infection of the penis often results in balanitis (inflammation of the head of the penis).

An infection in the bloodstream can affect the kidneys, heart, lungs, eyes, or other organs causing high fever, chills, anemia, and sometimes a rash or shock. Candida can cause the following problems depending upon the organ infected:

• in the kidneys can cause blood in the urine
• in the heart can cause murmurs and valve damage
• in the lungs can cause bloody sputum (mucus discharge)
• in the eyes can cause pain and blurred vision
• in the brain can cause seizures and acute changes in mental function or behavior

Diagnosis of Candida Albicans

A medical history, physical exam, and laboratory tests, including blood tests, blood cultures, and wound cultures may be done. Tissue biopsy may be necessary to diagnose invasive systemic disease.

Treatment of Candida Albicans

Most candida infections can be treated at home with OTC or prescription medication. These include topical administration of antifungal drugs such as clotrimazole (Femizole-7, Gyne-Lotrimin), miconazole (Monistat-Derm, Monistat Vaginal), nystatin, tioconazole (Vagistat Vaginal), or oral administration of drugs such as fluconazole (Diflucan) and amphotericin B. Many women prefer a single, oral dose of fluconazole for vaginal candidiasis, rather than topical creams. More serious infections may need IV medications given at the hospital.

Although antifungal drugs usually clear up the trouble, the infection can recur, sometimes as a result of reinfection by a sexual partner. Hence, treatment of both partners is sometimes necessary.

If possible, use of antibiotics should be discontinued during a candida infection. For diaper rashes, use barrier creams and change the diapers frequently. People with a tendency to skin candidiasis should keep their skin dry.

Prevention of Candida Albicans

Keeping skin clean, dry, and free from abrasions or cuts can help prevent skin candida infections.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor About Candida Albicans

What is the underlying condition that has caused candidiasis?

What kind of treatment will you be recommending?

What if the antibiotic cannot be discontinued?

Will the candidiasis continue to get worse?

Could this lead to a systemic infection?

What is the treatment for a systemic infection?

How long does it take for relief of symptoms?

Can measures be taken at home to help relieve symptoms?

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Source: http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/312/main.html

Candida is a genus of yeasts. Many species of this genus are endosymbionts of animal hosts including humans. While usually living as commensals, some Candida species have the potential to cause disease. Clinically, the most significant member of the genus is Candida albicans, which can cause infections (called candidiasis or thrush) in humans and other animals, especially in immunocompromised patients.[1] Many Candida species are members of gut flora in animals, including C. albicans in mammalian hosts, whereas others live as endosymbionts in insect hosts.
The last decade has seen the sustained medical importance of opportunistic infections due to different Candida species mainly due to the worldwide increase in the number of immunocompromised patients, who are highly susceptible to opportunistic infections. Meanwhile, the genome sequence of several Candida species has been completed, enabling the detailed investigation of some aspects of their biology with the aid of post-genomic approaches. The basic knowledge gained from these investigations of pathogenic Candida, and related yeasts, can translate into innovations in the development of novel antifungal therapies, original approaches for targeted immuno-interventions, or highly sensitive diagnosis of fungal infections.

Candida antarctica is a source of industrially relevant lipases.

Clinical characteristics

Some Candida species are responsible for superficial infections such as oropharyngeal candidiasis (thrush) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (vaginal Candidiasis). In otherwise healthy individuals, these infections can be cured with antifungal medications. However, persistent and deep-seated yeast infections can be lethal in, e.g., AIDS patients.

Candida are also responsible for a number of life-threatening opportunistic infections in AIDS patients and other immunocompromised persons – including patients treated in intensive care units (ICUs), cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, and organ transplant patients.[4]

Another common Candida infection is oral candidiasis caused by acrylic dentures, especially in elderly denture wearers.[6] Colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by C. albicans may result from taking antacids or antihyperacidity drugs. This colonization may interfere with absorption of Coenzyme Q10.[7]

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Source:Wikipedia.com

Antibiotics can alter the delicate balance in your vagina by suppressing some of the “good” bacteria that keep the yeast fungus under control. When the bacteria are suppressed, yeast can multiply rapidly and cause infection. This can also happen if you are taking birth control pills or certain steroids.

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Few people would sign up to do battle with microscopic plant life, especially if they knew that the plant life would use guerrilla tactics at every opportunity.

Unfortunately, most women are destined to fight this battle. An estimated 75 percent of women get at least one yeast infection during their lives. To deal with yeast infection, many women head for the local drugstore and buy an over-the-counter treatment such as miconazole nitrate (Monistat). But if treatments address only vaginal symptoms, you’re getting at only half of the problem, says Lorilee Schoenbeck, N.D., a naturopathic doctor with the Champlain Centers for Natural Medicine in Shelburne and Middlebury, Vermont.

When it comes to chronic or recurring infections, the heart of the problem is often the intestines rather than the vaginal area, according to many naturopaths. Candida albicans, the organism that most frequently causes yeast infections, can sometimes become overgrown in your intestines. Yeast that exits the gastrointestinal tract can migrate into the vagina. That area can become infected repeatedly, says Dr. Schoenbeck.

Yeast infections can also mimic urinary tract infections or sexually transmitted diseases, so it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis from a medical practitioner before beginning treatment. Also, you should definitely consult your doctor if this is your first experience with symptoms of a yeast infection or if you are pregnant and have an underlying condition such as diabetes. Your doctor can determine whether you have a yeast infection.

Fortunately, there are many things that you can do to ward off yeast infections in the first place. Limit the amount of sweets you eat, suggests Dr. Schoenbeck. Candida breeds even more profusely when you ingest a lot of sugar.

Another preventive measure is spelled d-r-y. Candida loves a warm, moist environment. Panty hose, tight jeans, wet bathing suits, and sweaty exercise clothes all provide the yeast with an ideal set of moist conditions. If you get damp clothes off as fast as you can and change into something dry and airy, you just might discourage the little diehards. Also, wear only pure cotton underwear and change it daily, says Dr. Schoenbeck.

Apart from these precautions, fighting off a chronic yeast infection usually requires a combined approach. With the correct diet, herbs, and a good topical treatment regimen, most women can expect to begin winning the battle in about a month, says Dr. Schoenbeck. As for supplements, consider them potent allies in this battle. Some can help clear up a minor infection, and others can actually help ward off a yeast invasion.

Acidophilus—The Right Stuff

Because the vaginal itching, redness, and pain can drive you absolutely nuts, you have to take care of the immediate outbreak first, says Dr. Schoenbeck. Lactobacillus acidophilus is your ally because it’s a type of good bacteria that helps keep candida in check.

When the level of acidophilus is down, candida starts growing like wild. This is frequently the case if you have recently taken antibiotics for an infection or are continuously taking them for acne. In the process of killing off infectious bacteria, antibiotics inadvertently kill off acidophilus as well, giving candida an extra chance to flourish. One way to get more acidophilus is to eat live-culture yogurt. Acidophilus also comes in supplement form.

Acidophilus capsules can help re-establish normal intestinal health, says Dr. Schoenbeck. Take the capsules only when you have an active yeast infection or are having a problem with recurring infections.

Taking oral doses of acidophilus for just two to four weeks can help decrease candida in both your vagina and your intestines, she says. That makes you less prone to repeat infections.

Look for acidophilus capsules that are refrigerated and contain at least one billion organisms per capsule. Dr. Schoenbeck recommends two capsules before breakfast and two before dinner, one hour before each meal, for one month. At the end of the month, see your medical practitioner to be certain that the infection is gone.

Acidophilus capsules can also help with prevention. If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, you can help prevent a yeast outbreak by starting the acidophilus capsules at the same time as your prescription. Continue taking the capsules for just two weeks, says Dr. Schoenbeck.

Turning to Herbs

“Garlic is one of the best things to take for yeast infections,” says naturo pathic doctor Tori Hudson, N.D., professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, and author of Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. It is both antifungal and immunity-boosting, she says.

In a laboratory study, researchers gave some animals with yeast infections a solution of aged garlic extract and others a plain saltwater solution with no active ingredients. After two days, the animals that received the garlic extract showed no signs of yeast infection. The other group still had infection.

In humans, two garlic capsules a day are enough to protect against yeast, according to Dr. Hudson. It’s best to take enteric-coated capsules because the coating prevents the active ingredients in garlic from breaking down in the stomach. Look for garlic capsules with 4,000 milligrams of allicin-alliin, which is the antifungal agent found in garlic, she says.

Herbs such as Oregon grape root extract, teatree oil extract, and lavender extract all help reduce the amount of candida growing in the intestines. “There are supplements that contain all of these extracts, but they are hard to find. I’d ask an alternative practitioner to prescribe one,” Dr. Schoenbeck says. She recommends taking two tablets three times a day. After a month, see your practitioner to be sure the infection is gone.

Echinacea is beneficial, too. A German study found that women taking antifungal medicine plus echinacea extract had only a 10 percent recurrence of yeast infections. In the study, this group was compared to women who took only antifungal medicine. Nearly 60 percent of that group had recurrent infections.

Another great anti-yeast herb is goldenseal, says Dr. Schoenbeck. Like Oregon grape, goldenseal contains berberine, a chemical that has antibiotic properties and works particularly well against yeast. You can buy echinacea and goldenseal separately or in combination capsules. Whichever you choose, take them daily as directed on the product you buy. If the capsules are 450 milligrams of an echinacea and goldenseal combination, a typical dose would be two or three capsules daily with water. Do not use goldenseal if you are pregnant, however.

Drinking a tea made with pau d’arco bark or taking a supplement may also bring relief, says Kathleen Head, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Sandpoint, Idaho, and senior editor of Alternative Medicine Review.

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Source: http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/23/139.cfm