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Yeast Infections

Treatment and Prevention of a Common Condition

By Shel Franco

Treatments range from over-the-counter creams or suppositories inserted into the vagina to prescription oral one-dose medications. Some women use homeopathic remedies as well. Only your doctor will know which treatment is right for you.

Pregnant women often experience yeast infections due to high levels of hormones. During pregnancy, it is even more important to seek counsel from your healthcare provider on how to treat your infection.

When it comes to dealing with this condition, your best line of defense could be prevention. Here are a few things that the American Academy of Family Physicians suggests you do to help prevent another yeast infection:

• Don't wear tight-fitting or synthetic-fiber clothes.
• Wear cotton underwear.
• Don't wear pantyhose or leotards every day.
• Use your blow dryer on a low, cool setting to help dry your genital area after you bathe or shower and before getting dressed.
• Wipe from front to back after using the toilet. This may help prevent the bacteria that normally live in your rectum from getting into your vagina.
• Change out of wet swimsuits or other damp clothes as soon as you can.
• Don't douche or use feminine hygiene sprays, deodorant sanitary pads or tampons or bubble bath, and avoid using colored or perfumed toilet paper. These items seem to affect the balance of acidity of the vagina and can lead to symptoms of a yeast infection.

Miller takes things a bit further. "I've had enough yeast infections to know what my 'triggers' are," she says. "I stay away from those things, regardless of what science says. I'm prone to them. I know what causes them in me. I'm much happier stopping the itching before it even starts."

* Names have been changed to protect privacy.

Want to see more?

• Yeast Infection Questions: What to Expect at the Doctor's Office
• Time for a Change: Detecting and Treating Diaper Rash
• Oral Thrush: Preventing and Treating This Common Condition
• Candida and Pregnancy: When Your Sweet Tooth and Cravings Spell Trouble
• pH Balanced Diets: A Passing Fad or Dietary Common Sense?
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