Recurring Yeast Infections: 20 Causes of Chronic Symptoms
Medically reviewed by Sameena Zahoor, MD
If you suffer from four or more vaginal yeast infections a year, you may have chronic yeast infections.
Recurring yeast infections can be caused by natural hormone fluctuations around menstruation or during pregnancy, diabetes, or cystic fibrosis. Some people are more prone to yeast infections than others. Often, there's no underlying cause.
This article discusses the causes of recurring yeast infections, how to treat them, and how to prevent them from happening.
SDI Productions / Getty Images
What Qualifies as Recurring (Chronic) Yeast Infections?
It's normal to get a yeast infection now and then. The vagina has a delicate balance of bacteria that can easily be disturbed by common activities like sex or birth control.
Infections occur when yeast becomes too abundant for the vaginal microbiome to self-regulate. An imbalance can also occur when the pH balance of your vagina is disturbed.
About 45% of women are likely to have two or more yeast infections in their lifetime. Recurring yeast infections are classified by four or more yeast infections a year.
Self-Treatment
If you've been using over-the-counter (OTC) medication with no relief, you may not have a yeast infection. Getting diagnosed by a healthcare provider is important because symptoms of a yeast infection are similar to other vaginal infections, like bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis, which require different treatments.
Common Causes of Recurring Yeast Infections in Females
Some people are more prone to yeast infections than others, and there's often no underlying reason. Most often, yeast infections are due to a weakened immune system, hormone fluctuations, and other causes.
Medical Causes
A few serious health conditions can cause yeast infections, so monitoring recurring infections with a trusted healthcare provider is essential. Some medical causes include:
Cystic fibrosis
Radiation treatment
Immunodeficiency (transplant patients)
Medications (antibiotics, steroids, chemotherapy)
Hormonal Causes
Hormone fluctuations during different phases of a woman's life can cause candida (yeast) to grow more than usual. Hormonal causes may include:
High-dose birth control pills
Menstrual cycle (period)
Lifestyle Causes
Sometimes, yeast infections are due to products or seemingly unrelated life events. Lifestyle causes may include:
Intrauterine device (IUD)
High-sugar diet
Obesity
Sexual activity
Stress or lack of sleep
Scented washes, soaps, or tampons
Synthetic material or tight clothing
Chronic Yeast Infections in Males
Males can get yeast infections, too (penile candidiasis). Any moist skin around the penis and foreskin can harbor the overgrowth of candida. About 15% of men may get a penile rash from having unprotected sex with a woman who has a yeast infection.
Men are more likely to get yeast infections if they:
Are uncircumcised
Have diabetes
Practice poor hygiene
Are on long-term antibiotics
Males can also get a yeast infection from having unprotected sex with an infected partner. Some people are asymptomatic and don't know they have a yeast infection.
Yeast Infections and Intimacy
Having sex during a yeast infection can be painful and make your symptoms worse. Consider waiting a week or until your treatment is complete. This will also stop from passing yeast infections between partners.
Effects of Yeast Infections That Keep Coming Back
Studies show that clinical depression, poor self-esteem, and high stress are common among those with chronic yeast infections. Yeast infections can also negatively impact sexual and emotional relationships.
Most women with chronic yeast infections have no clear understanding of cause, and not having an answer can be difficult. More research is needed to help determine the reason for recurring infections.
If you're suffering from poor mental or emotional health, talk to a trusted healthcare provider. They can offer you many treatment options and suggest healthy lifestyle habits that can get yeast infections under control.
Treatment for Recurring Yeast Infection by Cause
Treating recurring yeast infections often requires a mix of lifestyle adjustments and long-term medications based on the underlying cause. Candida infections will rarely go away on their own.
For chronic cases, healthcare providers recommend taking Diflucan (fluconazole), an oral antifungal prescription, weekly for up to 6 months. It can also be treated with vaginal suppositories and long-course therapy.
Those with suppressed or compromised immune systems due to transplants, HIV, or other chronic diseases should seek help from the specialist treating their condition.
During pregnancy, only topical treatments can be used. Studies have shown a link between a single dose of antifungal medication and miscarriage (spontaneous abortion) or congenital disabilities.
Takeaway
After the initial yeast infection clears up, maintenance therapy is crucial. Consider a diet low in sugar and yeast (including alcohol) and high in probiotics, like Greek yogurt. Also, avoid tight clothing, maintain a healthy weight, and take vitamin C.
Overtreating Chronic Yeast Infections With Antifungals
There's no one-size-fits-all treatment for chronic yeast infections. If you're not feeling relief within a month of your long-term plan, a healthcare provider may recommend different antifungal medications or more serious holistic solutions.
Sometimes, long-term antifungal treatment can lead to resistant yeast. In this case, a healthcare provider may recommend boric acid vaginal suppository capsules. They have been shown to have antimicrobial and antifungal properties. (Note that boric acid can be fatal if taken orally.)
Self-Care With Chronic Yeast Infections
Although yeast infections are so common, they are often overlooked. Speak up and seek a healthcare provider you feel comfortable working with.
Keep home remedies on hand for future outbreaks. Some essential oils have been shown to have antifungal properties, such as:
Tea tree oil
Oil of oregano
Coconut oil
Try keeping a journal to track yeast infections. This can help narrow down what's triggering them.
Yeast Infection vs. STI Symptoms
While yeast infections are not considered STIs, they can be passed during sexual activity.
Many STIs share similar symptoms as yeast infections, and it can be difficult to tell the difference between the conditions. Common symptoms of a yeast infection are:
Itching
Pain
Burning
Thick, white discharge
A few key differences in STI symptoms include:
Foul odor
Spotting or bleeding
Lesions, spots, bumps
If you have any of the above symptoms, seek a proper diagnosis. STIs and yeast infections require very different treatments.
Summary
Frequent yeast infections can be uncomfortable, frustrating, and inhibiting. Medical causes, hormonal fluctuations, or your lifestyle can trigger them. Recurring yeast infections can also point to more serious health conditions.
If you've been treating recurring yeast infections with OTCr medicine, consider seeing a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis. Many other conditions, like bacterial infections, vaginal irritation, STIs, or bladder infections, have similar symptoms.
Treatments for recurring yeast infections include medications and lifestyle changes.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
