1. The Irritating Rash of Chronic Candidiasis
There are many symptoms related to chronic candidiasis, but having a recurrent yeast infection rash in your mouth, vaginal area or other moist areas of your body gives your doctor a clue as to what to look for. These infections usually itch and sometimes burn. People with compromised immune systems, whether the yeast did the compromising or not, may get yeast on other parts of their body as well. This rash resembles small bumps, which are sometimes pus-filled.
2. Chronic Candidiasis Is Often Misdiagnosed
While some who suffer from chronic candidiasis exhibit symptoms of typical yeast infections, oftentimes the symptoms mimic other conditions. Some with chronic yeast infections have symptoms as vague as fatigue, dizziness, depression, constipation, abdominal pain, infertility, loss of libido, food sensitivities, headaches, menstrual cramps and other menstrual irregularities, with none of the typical symptoms. Chronic yeast infects the inside of the body, instead of or as well as the outside, which might be the cause of these widely varying symptoms.
3. Bust the Sugar
The first and greatest help for chronic candidiasis and other yeast infections is changing your diet. Yeast loves sugar, and cutting the refined sugar and processed grains out of your diet dramatically decreases the load your immune system is taking on. Look for sugar even in the "healthy" probiotic yogurts and yogurt beverages. Food manufacturers don't generally put just sugar in their products, so you must look for the processed sugars. These include ingredients like corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, evaporated cane juice and high sugar content juices, like apple juice. Some may even need to limit their intake of sugary fruits as well.
4. Assess Your Risk
Many parts of the population are at a higher risk for developing chronic candidiasis than others. Although men share an equal risk with women, women are obviously the only ones to experience vaginal symptoms. Women, who have a greater chance of infection during pregnancy, also increase their risk by using birth control and other hormone therapy. These vaginal symptoms are the second most common cause of vaginitis, or inflammation of the vagina. Older people suffer with thrush more often. Certain medications, such as antibiotics, cancer drugs and corticosteroids, increase your likelihood of contracting yeast. Also, certain conditions such as diabetes or HIV increase your risk. In fact, chronic yeast infection is often one of the first signs of an HIV infection.
5. Team Up to Treat Chronic Candidiasis
Several drug therapies, such as Nystatin, treat chronic candidiasis. Developed over recent decades, these therapies sometimes work, but oftentimes, because of resistant strains of yeast, they don't. Along with changing your diet, there are several other treatments you may want to try, like probiotic supplementation (made without cow's milk), drinking 4-5 glasses of water a day and adding psyllium to your diet. These things support your digestive system and aid in healing.
