What Causes Thrush?
Too many women and most men are unaware of what actually causes a yeast infection, or thrush as it is often called. If you have thrush and don't bother finding out why you've got it then you are likely to be in for a repeat attack.
Thrush is a fungal infection caused by any of the Candida species with Candida Albicans being the most common. Many people have candida on or inside their bodies and have absolutely no problems or symptoms. As long as the levels of these candida species are low the human body can cope with them. However, this all changes if the candida begins to overgrow.
Yeasts are fungi of opportunity, meaning that they will take any advantage to spread if the conditions are right. What they like are warm, moist slightly acid surroundings. This why they flourish in the moist parts of the body like the vagina, mouth and scrotum. Armpits and underneath breasts can be other troublesome areas. Any increase in mositure or warmth like on a hot day in summer and candida will start to reproduce. So a quick trip to the toilet for some discrete dabbing with a tissue can help with the moisture problem on a hot day.
Because of the reasons above simple hygiene is important. Try using a soap with a neutral ph and may sure you keep the areas as dry as possible. Women should be extra careful with the types of bath products they use and shouldn't douche. Douching can quickly alter the environment of the vagina to somewhere that yeast infections can occur.
Another problem with yeast infections is that they thrive on irritated skin. Once any kind of irritation takes hold in the moister areas of the body, candida will take full advantage of it! This is why tight, chaffing clothes should be avoided especially in warm weather.
Taking antibiotics is known to trigger yeast infections. This is usually to do with the delicate balance of yeasts and bacteria that live naturally within the body. Normally they keep each other in check but as antibiotics tend to kill off a wide spectrum of bacteria this balance can be upset and the candida can become over-abundant. You can try and counteract these problems by eating live yogurt a couple of times a day whilst taking your medication.
So what about thrush and sex? It is possible to pass on a yeast infection through sex but it is rare. One point to remember though is that yeast infections can cause severe irritation in the vaginal area of women and the penis and scrotums of men. This can make having sex painful so it's probably wise to change to more gentle forms of love making while you recover from the infection.