Sexual Health Reproductive Health Issues Vaginal Health Yeast Infections Yeast Infection Guide Yeast Infection Guide Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Symptoms of Yeast Infections By Elizabeth Boskey, PhD facebook twitter linkedin Elizabeth Boskey, PhD, MPH, CHES, is a social worker, adjunct lecturer, and expert writer in the field of sexually transmitted diseases. Learn about our editorial process Elizabeth Boskey, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Anita Sadaty, MD on July 13, 2019 facebook twitter linkedin instagram Anita Sadaty, MD, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology. She is a clinical assistant professor at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine and founder of Redefining Health Medical. Learn about our Medical Review Board Anita Sadaty, MD Updated on July 17, 2019 Print Table of Contents View All Frequent Symptoms Complications When to See a Doctor Next in Yeast Infection Guide Why You Keep Getting Yeast Infections Although yeast infections are associated with sex, they are not usually considered to be sexually transmitted infections. That said, it may be possible for yeast infections to be transmitted during oral sex and other sexual activity. The data isn't clear, but it's considered far more likely for yeast infections to be caused by health concerns and behaviors other than sex. As many as three-quarters of women will be diagnosed with a yeast infection at least once in their lives. Yeast infections are skin infections that are caused by one or more species of yeast. Most often, they are caused by various Candida species, specifically Candida albicans. However, there are more than 20 species of Candida that can cause yeast infections (also known as candidiasis). Oral candidiasis is generally known as thrush. It is vaginal candidiasis that is commonly referred to as a yeast infection. © Verywell, 2018 Frequent Symptoms Vaginal yeast infections are generally relatively mild infections. The symptoms are very recognizable and include: Itching or soreness of the vaginaPain during sexual intercoursePain or burning when urinatingChanges in vaginal discharge With a more severe infection, there may be redness and cracking of the skin. This can be painful. However, for most people, itching is the main symptom of a vaginal yeast infection. Oral yeast infections, or thrush, have slightly different symptoms. They usually do not cause itching. Instead, you may notice: White patches in your mouth, on your tongue, or in your throatRedness and sorenessDifficulty tasting thingsA feeling like your mouth is full of cottonPain when eating or swallowingCracking and irritation around the corners of the mouth Complications Recurrent Infections The most common complication of a yeast infection is another yeast infection. Research estimates that as many as a quarter of women who have one yeast infection will go on to have another within one year. Recurrent yeast infections can be disruptive to a person's well-being, affecting how they feel about themselves and their bodies. They can also cause difficulties in a relationship if the yeast infections disrupt normal sexual activity. Pregnancy Complications For most people, yeast infections are an unpleasant but minor health concern. However, there is some evidence that vaginal yeast infections may sometimes cause problems with a pregnancy. Pregnant women with yeast infections may be more likely to experience preterm labor, preterm rupture of membranes, or other problems. However, the research is not conclusive. Therefore, due to safety concerns about certain common yeast infection treatments during pregnancy, doctors may choose to just treat candidiasis symptoms rather than worry about eliminating a yeast infection. When to See a Doctor From an overall health perspective, yeast infections aren't that big of a deal. However, these infections can be very unpleasant. Therefore, most people will want to treat a yeast infection quickly in order to get rid of the symptoms. If you suspect a yeast infection for the first time, you see a doctor for a diagnosis. That's true even though treatment is available over the counter. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to distinguish between a yeast infection and an STD just by the symptoms. You want to make certain you're treating the right thing. Even if you've had a number of yeast infections, it's still good to go to a doctor to be certain of what is causing your symptoms. Many times, an over-the-counter yeast infection treatment isn't successful because you don't have a yeast infection. Resistance to treatment is also a possibility, but it's less common than for bacterial diseases. Causes and Risk Factors for Yeast Infections Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Planned Parenthood. What is a yeast infection? InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Vaginal yeast infection (thrush): Overview. 2019 Jun 19.Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK543220/ Singh A, Verma R, Murari A, Agrawal A. Oral candidiasis: An overview. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2014;18(Suppl 1):S81–S85. doi:10.4103/0973-029X.141325 Jeanmonod R, Jeanmonod D. Vaginal Candidiasis (Vulvovaginal Candidiasis) [Updated 2020 Feb 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459317/ InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Oral thrush: Overview. 2012 Apr 26 [Updated 2019 Aug 15].Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK367586/ Blostein F, Levin-sparenberg E, Wagner J, Foxman B. Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. Ann Epidemiol. 2017;27(9):575-582.e3. doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2017.08.010 Aguin TJ, Sobel JD. Vulvovaginal candidiasis in pregnancy. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2015;17(6):462. doi:10.1007/s11908-015-0462-0 Rajalakshmi R, Kalaivani S. Prevalence of asymptomatic infections in sexually transmitted diseases attendees diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis, vaginal candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. Indian J Sex Transm Dis AIDS. 2016;37(2):139–142. doi:10.4103/0253-7184.192121 Ringdahl EN. Treatment of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. Am Fam Physician. 2000;61(11):3306-12, 3317. Additional Reading Aguin TJ, Sobel JD. Vulvovaginal candidiasis in pregnancy. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2015 Jun;17(6):462. doi: 10.1007/s11908-015-0462-0. Blostein F, Levin-Sparenberg E, Wagner J, Foxman B. Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. Ann Epidemiol. 2017 Sep;27(9):575-582.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2017.08.010. Chew SY, Than LT. Vulvovaginal candidosis: contemporary challenges and the future of prophylactic and therapeutic approaches. Mycoses. 2016 May;59(5):262-73. doi: 10.1111/myc.12455. Roberts CL, Algert CS, Rickard KL, Morris JM. Treatment of vaginal candidiasis for the prevention of preterm birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Syst Rev. 2015 Mar 21;4:31. doi: 10.1186/s13643-015-0018-2. Xie HY, Feng D, Wei DM, Mei L, Chen H, Wang X, Fang F. Probiotics for vulvovaginal candidiasis in non-pregnant women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Nov 23;11:CD010496. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010496.pub2.