Ahh springtime, the rain is finally going to give us a break and let us have some well deserved vitamin D. The flowers are blooming, the weather is heating up, and everything on campus feels like a dream. Everything that is, except that yeast infection you have. With springtime comes many things for the University of Oregon campus and its students. The sunny warm weather lets everyone hang outside with their friends, the street fair is in town, homework is even more impossible, some pain in the butt allergies, and best of all sweat. That’s right, most women I am friends with including myself sweat. Some women sweat more than others which is all around unfair, but it’s the truth. And with more sweat comes more problems, personal problems that is.
Now, most women don’t exactly enjoy talking about yeast infections, or anything weird and painful going on in their nether regions. But if your vagina is angry with you, you need to have a thorough conversation with it/she/he/ whatever you call your lady parts. I personally have dealt with a yeast infection and it is no fun. So uncomfortable and I wish they didn’t exist honestly because they suck. It was a few days of burning and everything just felt hot down there. Until I had my doctor appointment I literally laid in front of a fan in my room naked. Do whatever you can to be comfortable, trust me. Anyway, the pain of wiping when going to the bathroom felt as if my toilet paper had become rough sand paper. I felt trapped by my own body.
Once I called and got an appointment with my OBGYN, it was confirmed that I had a yeast infection and I learned some very important things. Yeast infections are one of the most common type of infection women can get vaginally. They can be brought on by a multitude of reasons. Many of which I was doing, so I pretty much caused my own infection. Yeast lives and thrives in dark moist areas, aka your sweaty vagina is the perfect habitat for lurking yeast.
Some key tips I left the doctor appointment with were as follows:
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Where cotton underwear, this helps absorb sweat and therefore ruin the environment for yeast
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If you sweat easily throughout the day, change your underwear more than once if needed
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After working out or swimming, change out of your wet/sweaty gym clothes!
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Avoid using scented body soaps or tampons
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Take a daily probiotic
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Clean often with warm water, avoid soap (your vagina has a very specialized ecosystem of its own- don’t mess with it)
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AIR IT OUT
If you do notice any burning or itching sensation that does not go away within a few days, please contact your doctor. That way they can confirm if there are any kind of infections going on down there. Most likely you would get prescribed a medication to clear out the infection or you can buy over the counter medications from your local pharmacy. Yeast infections can last for a few days and up to weeks at a time. I took a prescription pill that cleared up my yeast infection within a week. All of these tips are very doable, yes you may have to put in a little more effort changing your clothes more often and buying a probiotic. But it’s so worth it. Why be in pain when you can avoid it all together. Happy vagina equals happy life am I right?
sources for images:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2339291/So-THATS-sweat-From-sk…
http://www.zestvip.com/g/hilarious-horrible-period-horror-stories/
http://www.gurl.com/2015/05/29/things-sweaty-girls-women-understand/