Effective Vaginal Yeast Infection Treatment in Southern California

With the right treatment, most yeast infections go away within a few days. Nearly 75 percent of women have had at least one yeast infection. They are very common. A yeast infection is an overgrowth of Candida yeast, a normal yeast in the vagina.

The skilled doctors at Dignity Health Southern California provide proper yeast infection diagnosis and treatment, so you can feel like yourself again fast. Use our online Find a Doctor tool to get help for your yeast infection symptoms in Southern California.

Yeast Infection Prevention

To help prevent yeast infections, you can:

  • Avoid or minimize antibiotic use
  • Wear cotton underwear
  • Avoid tight-fitting pants and undergarments
  • Change out of wet clothing as soon as possible

Yeast Infection Symptoms

If you have a yeast infection, you may experience:

  • A burning sensation, especially when urinating or having sex
  • Genital itching and irritation
  • Vaginal pain and soreness
  • Watery vaginal discharge
  • Thick, whitish vaginal discharge
  • Red, swollen vulva

Common Causes of a Yeast Infection

Yeast infections can be caused by a number of factors: 

  • Antibiotics, which can kill the “good” bacteria that helps keep yeast from overgrowing.
  • Corticosteroid medications that depress the immune system.
  • Hormone use. Yeast thrive in a high-estrogen environment. Taking hormone supplements and birth control pills can increase your estrogen level and risk of yeast infection. Natural hormonal swings can also increase the likelihood of yeast infection.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Diabetes. Yeast eat sugar, so yeast infections are particularly likely in women with uncontrolled diabetes. In fact, frequent yeast infections can be a warning sign of diabetes.
  • Medical treatments and diseases that lower immunity, such as chemotherapy and HIV.

Yeast Infection Treatment at Dignity Health Southern California

If you think you might have a yeast infection, it’s important to see a doctor. Different types of female infections respond to different treatments. Receiving the right treatment depends on the right diagnosis.

Your treatment plan may include: 

  • Prescription creams or suppositories. Antifungal vaginal medications are available by prescription. In some cases, prescription medications cost less than non-prescription medications.
  • Non-prescription creams and suppositories. Many non-prescription antifungal treatments are available, including one-dose treatments, three- and five-day regimes, and week-long treatments. Ask your doctor to recommend one.
  • Oral medication. Sometimes, a single prescription pill is enough to treat a yeast infection. Your doctor may prescribe multiple doses over a period of days or weeks to treat severe yeast infections or ones that keep coming back.

For more about prevention and treatment, partner with a compassionate doctor at Dignity Health Southern California. Your optimal health is our goal and priority.

Dignity Health provides a wide range of gynecologic care, including vaginal yeast infection treatment, in Southern California.