Vaginal Yeast Infection (Candida): Wetin You Need Know
Read in: English | Pidgin English
🩺 Medically reviewed by the Health Decoded Guide Editorial Team
🔍 Quick Breakdown
Candida na one kind of yeast (fungus) wey normally dey live quietly for inside vagina way no normally dey cause problem.
But if d natural balance inside vagina change,
d yeast fit grow pass normal and begin cause itching, burning and thick white secertion.
👉🏾 Yeast infection dey common, and most times person fit treat with correct medicine.
🟧 Wetin dey happen for d body?
Inside every healthy vagina, good bacteria and small amount of yeast dey live together.
Normally, dis good bacteria dey stop d yeast from growing too much.
But when dis balance change:
• yeast begin multiply pass normal
• d skin around vagina go become irritated
• inflammation go begin cause itching, redness and burning sensation for d vagina
👉🏾 Candida no be something wey suddenly enter your body. Na d normal yeast wey don overgrow.
🟧 Wetin fit cause am?
Different things fit change d natural balance inside d vagina.
• 1. Antibiotics
→ some antibiotics fit kill d good bacteria wey normally control yeast.
• 2. Pregnancy
→ hormone changes during pregnancy fit make yeast grow faster.
• 3. Diabetes
→ when blood sugar high, yeast fit grow more easily.
• 4. Weak immune system
→ body fit no control d yeast as e normally suppose do.
👉🏾 Yeast infection no mean say woman dirty or no keep herself clean o.
🟧 How you fit know say na Candida?
Many women first notice d itching before d discharge/secretion.
Symptoms fit include:
• serious itching for private part
→ sometimes na d itching dey disturb pass everything.
• thick white discharge
→ e fit resemble fresh cheese or milk curd and mostly no strong smell.
• redness and swelling
→ d vaginal area fit become sore because of d inflammation.
• burning sensation
→ especially when urine touch d irritated skin.
• pain during sex
→ because d skin don become tender/irritated.
👉🏾 Some women fit get plenty itching even when d secreton no too much.
🟧 How e different from other vaginal infections?
Plenty women dey confuse Candida with BV or sexually transmitted infections.
For Candida:
• discharge dey thick and white
• itching dey serious
• fishy smell usually no dey
For bacterial vaginosis:
• discharge dey thin
• fishy smell dey common
• itching fit no much
👉🏾 Different infections fit look alike, so correct diagnosis dey important before treatment.
🟧 Real life example
Few days after Munira finish antibiotics because of chest infection, she notice say:
• her private part begin itch seriously
• thick white discharge start
• e dey burn her anytime she urinate
At first:
she fear say maybe na sexually transmitted infection
she even shy to tell anybody
When she finally visit clinic:
Healthcare worker explain say d antibiotics reduce d normal protective bacteria inside her vagina
• na this one come allow d Candida yeast wey already dey there to grow pass normal
After she use antifungal medicine:
• d itching reduce and d discharge stop
• she begin feel normal again.
👉🏾 No be every vaginal infection na STI. Sometimes the normal yeast wey dey inside body simply overgrow when d natural balance change.
🟧 Wetin you fit do
• see healthcare worker if symptoms no clear
→ because no be every discharge na yeast infection.
• use antifungal medicine as doctor prescribe am
→ e fit remove d extra yeast.
• avoid unnecessary antibiotics
→ except doctor prescribe am.
• wear cotton underwear
→ e fit help reduce moisture around d private area.
👉🏾 If symptoms dey come back efter every time, make healthcare worker check whether another health problem dey behind am.
🟧 When you suppose go hospital 🚨
• fever or severe pelvic pain
• symptoms during pregnancy
• sores or blisters for private part
• symptoms no improve after treatment
• infection dey come back many times every year
👉🏾 These signs fit mean say another infection or medical condition dey wey need proper investigation.
🟢 Final reassurance
Vaginal yeast infection common well well, and treatment dey available.
Most women recover completely once dem get d correct diagnosis and medicine.
👉🏾 If itching, discharge or burning no improve, abeg no shame to talk to healthcare worker. Early treatment fit help you recover faster.
📚 Reference
For full medical references, see English version of this article.
⚠️ Disclaimer
This article na for education only. E no replace advice from doctor.
If symptoms serious or no go, abeg see qualified healthcare professional.
🔗 Related Health Topics
• Vaginal Discharge
• Bacterial Vaginosis
• Trichomoniasis
• Vaginal Itching
• Practicing Safe Sex and Protecting Your Reproductive Health
• How Diabetes Affects Women's Health (coming soon)