One question people would like the answer to is how to cure a yeast infection. Anyone who has ever had this ailment knows how miserable they are. There are different types of this infection and places on or in the body where they can occur.
They can occur in any place that is moist, dark and has little to no airflow. These places include the intestines, the genital area (especially in women), the mouth (most commonly in infants though other can get it there when infections located elsewhere on the body are not treated soon enough) and the skin surfaces. Some infections can even be systemic, meaning throughout the entire body, though this usually happens due to an untreated, localized infection.
If you suspect you may have a yeast infection, you should go to your doctor to get a confirmed diagnosis rather than assume it is a yeast infection and self medicate. The reason for this is to make sure that the symptoms you have are in fact cause by an overgrowth of yeast and not some other condition that won't respond to treatment for yeast infection. Among the symptoms are itching, pain, yeasty odor that can be bread- or beer-like, a white or yellowish film (in skin folds) and a thick, white or yellowish discharge (vaginal yeast infection).
These infections are most common in the genital areas. This is especially true for the vaginal area. Men who are circumcised rarely get them but uncircumcised men do have a problem with it if the area is not kept properly clean and dry. With all yeast infections, especially in the genital area and groin area, proper cleaning and drying should be considered a vital part of treating and preventing them. Making sure there is good airflow as much as possible is also needed. This can mean changing the type of clothing worn on a day-to-day basis. Very snug clothing and certain synthetics block airflow to vulnerable areas and should be avoided on a regular basis.
There are many cures and treatments available, both from conventional medicine and more natural types. No matter which type of treatment you use, it is best to also use diet. Foods that feed yeast should be avoided to help speed up the cure by starving the yeast. This includes sugars of any kind and fungal foods such as mushrooms and yeast-containing baked items like bread.
The first step in curing this infection is in understanding what it is and how it can start. Yeast is part of the body's natural flora and when the naturally present bacteria that keeps its growth in check is nearly or completely killed out, the yeast grows out of control, resulting in an infection internally or, for women, vaginally. In this case, the use of antibiotics is the culprit. On skin surfaces, areas of skin that can retain moisture and don't get good airflow are prone to infection, often from lack of being kept clean and dry enough.
After you have a confirmed diagnosis, you can decide how to cure a yeast infection by using prescriptions, over the counter medications, or the less expensive, natural cures that can be found in your kitchen.
By: Blake Allen