Yeast Infection - The Diabetes Connection

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Yeast Infection - The Diabetes Connection
By Bren Fisher
Ezine Articles


Generally, all women at some point in their lives will suffer through a yeast infection, however those who also have diabetes will be especially vulnerable. The normal environment in the vagina is acidic. Yeast cells are kept in balance there by the lack of available nutrients and this acidic environment.

Women who have diabetes have higher amounts of glucose, or sugar, in their blood. This causes vaginal secretions to also contain more glucose, which changes the environment. This change provides nourishment to yeast cells and as they feed on this extra glucose, they are able to multiply and turn into a yeast infection.

Another thing that helps to prevent candidiasis, yeast infections, is a normal immune system. Hyperglycemia can interfere with your immune system. If you get a yeast infection and you are diabetic it could mean a couple of things; One, your glucose levels are not completely under control, your blood glucose levels are too high; Or two, there is another area of your body suffering from an infection, and your immune system cannot handle assaults from both locations.

Yeast Infection Can Have Serious Effects On People With Diabetes

A yeast overgrowth in the vagina, or other parts of the body, may prevent the body's own defense mechanisms from effectively fighting off other types of infection. Women who are diabetic and have a yeast infection will be more vulnerable to other infections like cold and flu.

The body's ability to ward off other viruses and bacteria is inhibited by the combination of high blood glucose levels and yeast overgrowth.

An infection of any kind in people with diabetes can pose a serious risk. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate higher or lower than usual when the body is trying to fight off the infection; this of course causes complications with trying to control the diabetes. We are all aware of the risks to a diabetic person if their blood sugar spikes high or drops very low.

What Are the Treatment Options?

There are antifungal medications that can be gotten by prescription and over the counter, but you should definitely consult with a health care provider before taking any of these because of the risk of interaction with your regular medications. That is why it is so much better to go with a natural option to cure your yeast infection; there is so much less risk.

There is also the option of using a vaginal suppository; however you must be certain that you actually have a vaginal yeast infection, as misdiagnosis can actually lead to fungicide resistant yeast. Women with diabetes who have yeast infections may require longer than average treatment to ensure that all the yeast is brought under control.

Yeast infections can happen in other areas of the body and can be treated by topical or oral antifungal agents, or as we prefer, natural methods to cure yeast infections. One very important thing you need to remember when you are treating a yeast infection, for people with diabetes especially is the need to ensure that whatever regime you follow you continue right to the end of the course of treatment. This will ensure that the yeast is under control. If you stop taking treatments early because you feel somewhat better, you run the risk of having the infection return even stronger than before.

If you have diabetes, or know someone who does then please check out our resource box for more information. You owe it to yourself to do the right thing and seek help for this debilitating, and potentially fatal condition.

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