Yeast infection what happens if you dont treat

And you may find that a mild infection goes away on its own. But you may not be able to go without treatment if you have severe symptoms. The biggest risk is treating the wrong problem and delaying diagnosis and treatment of the right one. If you have been diagnosed with a yeast infection before, you likely know the symptoms and can treat it yourself with an over-the-counter medicine with little risk. Other conditions have similar symptoms to yeast infections, though. If you aren't sure that your symptoms are caused by a yeast infection and yet you treat it anyway, you might be delaying diagnosis and treatment of your true problem, such as a bacterial vaginal infection or a sexually transmitted infection STI.

Treating a yeast infection with a vaginal cream or suppository poses no major risks. This medicine only affects the vaginal area and usually does not cause pain or tenderness. These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions. During my pregnancy, I developed terribly uncomfortable vaginal yeast symptoms that just about drove me crazy. I knew it was a yeast infection, but since I was pregnant, I just didn't want to do anything I shouldn't.

So I went for a quick check, and my midwife sent me right off to get some over-the-counter cream. She told me that even though I'd been right about my diagnosis, I'd done the right thing to see her first.

Sometimes it isn't what you think it is, and you never know what medicines are safe when you're pregnant. I started getting a vaginal itch last week, which I've had diagnosed before as a yeast infection. Although I was going to get some medicine right away, my sister reminded me that sometimes they go away on their own.

After a few days, it was better. If it comes back again, I'll probably try a vaginal cream, but for now it seems okay. After taking antibiotics, I got a raging vaginal yeast infection. Believe it or not, I'd never had one before, so I went to my doctor to find out what was causing me such misery. She told me to use an over-the-counter vaginal medicine for 3 days since the strong 1-day kind might irritate my already inflamed skin.

What a relief that brought me! I swim year-round, so I have had some experience with yeast infections. So, when I get symptoms, I go right out and get the medicine. It's worked every time. Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements. Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision.

Show which way you are leaning right now. How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps.

Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision. Is it okay to treat your yeast infection yourself if you are pregnant? Is it okay to treat a yeast infection yourself if you know you have one and you are not pregnant?

Is it a good idea to see your doctor if you're not sure your symptoms are caused by a yeast infection? Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you? Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?

Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Fortunately, most mild to moderate yeast infections are simple to cure. Vaginal yeast infections are one of the most common types of candidiasis. Patients may report tenderness, milky discharge, a new odor, itching, a burning sensation when urinating, and pain in the vagina or around the vulva.

If you leave a vaginal yeast infection untreated, you may experience complications. Since Candida can irritate your skin, a yeast infection can lead to bleeding and open sores. Especially if you itch the affected area, you may experience infected wounds, swelling, and cracked skin. These potential symptoms will likely worsen without treatment.

When treated, a yeast infection will not prevent pregnancy. But recurring or untreated yeast infections can be an obstacle if you are trying to conceive.

Candidiasis alters the skin in your vagina, so it can thicken the mucus that lines your vagina and your cervix, and impede sperm from traveling to the fallopian tubes.

Treatment for vaginal yeast infection may include an internal cream like miconazole or an antifungal pill, fluconazole. Oral thrush is a yeast infection of the mouth. This condition is especially common in infants and young children.

Symptoms of oral thrush include a white film over the tongue, white-covered sores in your mouth, a lingering bad taste, pain when swallowing, and redness or inflammation on the inside of your cheeks or in your throat. Some people are more likely to develop oral thrush. Since yeast feeds on sugar and grows in moist, dark environments, these conditions can exacerbate oral thrush. If patients leave oral thrush untreated, the candidiasis may travel to their esophagus or—more rarely and more deadly—into their bloodstream.

Over time, oral thrush can result in growing sores on the tongue, cheeks, lips, gums, and in your throat. This irritation can make it difficult to eat, drink, or speak.

Your healthcare provider may recommend you treat your oral thrush with an antifungal pill, a medicated oral solution, drinking plenty of water to dissuade further yeast growth, and rinsing your mouth with salt water or diluted hydrogen peroxide. Candida can multiply in folds of the skin, where moisture can develop or where people may not wash effectively. If you are uncircumcised, you are more likely to develop balanitis on or around the foreskin. Without treatment, balanitis can lead to balanoposthitis or inflammation of the foreskin.

This swelling, redness, and irritation make urinating and intercourse painful. Treatment for balanitis may include a medicated cream, washing with water and unscented soap, and, in rare cases of more severe, chronic balanitis, circumcision. You may develop candidiasis elsewhere on your skin.

Potential locations for yeast infections include the folds of skin on your stomach, thighs, breasts, anus, toes, and between your buttocks. Depending on where you experience your infection, your symptoms may be different. However, many people report burning, itching, redness, and minor swelling during their candidiasis. No matter where candidiasis is located on your body, you may have negative health impacts if you do not treat it. Your irritated skin can lead to other skin infections and more severe pain.

Studies have shown patients who took prescription yeast infection tablets once a week for several months treated the condition faster. When you need long-term maintenance therapy for yeast infections, this tablet is the only answer. Over-the-counter medications won't provide the same result.

While there are many options available OTC to treat yeast infections, Sulak cautioned against using them for a first-time vaginal infection. You can buy non-prescription yeast infection medications at your local pharmacy in the form of anti-fungal creams, tablets, ointments or suppositories you insert into the vagina.

Application methods and length of treatment will depend on the brand you choose. If you suffer from recurring yeast infections a few times a year, it's probably OK to use these over-the-counter medications as treatment -- but you should still talk to your health care provider just to be safe.

Instead, some of these medications only contain a local antiesthetic to alleviate certain symptoms like burning. The good news is when a yeast infection flares up, you're not at risk for any other health conditions.

These infections may take weeks to completely treat. What do you suggest? It is safe to use your spa or a swimming pool while you have a yeast infection. The infection is not contagious in this way — it can only be passed through sexual contact. The contagion rate is actually so low that even with sexual contact , a person is not particularly likely to become infected.

The main precaution you should take is to keep the vaginal area as dry as possible once you leave the pool or spa, since yeast also known as fungus grows best in a moist environment. Be sure to dry off well, change out of a wet bathing suit right away, and use a drying agent, such as talcum powder, to stay dry if you perspire heavily.

My urine has a yeast-like odor. I have treated the odor with yeast infection over-the-counter drugs and it will go away for a few days, then return.