If you are the proud owner of female reproductive parts, menstruation and birth are not the only problems you will need to deal with in your life.
Sadly, UTIs, yeast infections, and a whole other host of problems come with having female reproductive organs.
While we admit UTIs and the like are god awful, yeast infections may just be worse.
Sadly, yeast infections are all too common, and cause so much pain and discomfort. Thankfully, they can be treated, and there are ways you can prevent infections from recurring.
However, if you want to get down and dirty while a yeast infection is running you up the wall, think again, even if you are at the end of your treatment, sex when there’s a yeast infection around never ends well.
What Is A Yeast Infection Exactly?
Yeast infections are caused by a fungus known as candida, which lives inside the vagina and on the skin, where it is usually not a problem.
Yet, if your immune system is weakened, or if you are taking antibiotics which kill good bacteria, this fungus can overgrow, and an infection is born.
Yeast infections are not sexually transmitted, and they are not serious most of the time. However, they are both painful and uncomfortable.
If you think you have one it is always wise to seek out your doctor,\ so they can help and can treat it as it needs.
What Can Cause Yeast Infections?
The following are all symptoms of a yeast infection:
Itching, redness, soreness, irritation and swelling. (The most common symptoms of vaginal yeast infections).
Sex when urinating or during sex.
Vaginal discharge that has a similar consistency to cottage cheese. It can be yellow or white in color and will often have an odor just dissimilar enough from your usual scent to notice.
How Long Do Yeast Infections Last?
Yeast infections do not have a time limit sadly and can last up to 2 weeks but will often go away within one (Find out Why Won’t My Yeast Infection Go Away?). However, it can take even longer than this. If your symptoms persist for more than a week, or if they do not go away after
Can You Get A Yeast Infection More Than Once?
It is totally possible to get a yeast infection on more than one occasion, but it does not come from sex, however, sex can make yeast infection worse.
It is possible that women who get frequent yeast infections are actually predisposed to them by being prone to an overgrowth of yeast.
These infections happen as a result of Candida overgrowth.
Let’s talk more about why you get yeast infections.
Why Do We Get Yeast Infections?
Yeast infections happen when there is too much Candida, however, they can be caused by many things. These include:
Pregnancy.
Hormones.
Diabetes.
Antibiotics.
Poor hygiene.
Poor sexual hygiene.
The vagina is a moist and warm environment which is ideal for yeast to grow, especially if your good bacteria are few and far between.
Can I Have Sex With A Yeast Infection?
Can you have sex with a yeast infection? Well, technically yes, but it is a really bad idea to do so. It is not like an STI or STD, however, you do risk giving it to your partner by engaging in sexual activity with them while it is still active.
It would also be extremely painful, imagine having a burn and applying a lot of friction to the burned area, the effects would be about the same as this.
Of course, you can also spread the yeast infection when you have sex, and not just to your partner, but to yourself.
If perhaps you are suffering more internally from the infection at first, then you decide to have sex, it could spread externally to your labia, and create extra pain for you.
It can be frustrating having to wait, especially if you have a very fiery sex life, however, it really is better to wait, or you could end up in more pain for longer.
Can I Have Sex While I Am Treating A Yeast Infection?
What about when you are treating a yeast infection?
Well, if you are using over-the-counter medication for a yeast infection, it is best to wait 24 hours once you have completed the full treatment course before you engage in sexual activity again.
However, if you still have symptoms, you need to wait a few more days.
If you do still have symptoms 3 days later, seek out a doctor again to find out if more medicine is required.
Why Is It A Bad Idea To Have Sex During Yeast Infection Treatment?
One of the main risks that comes with having sex during a yeast infection is that you increase the risk of reinfection.
Another risk is that it can spread, and you can also spread it to your partner.
Sex also has the potential to irritate your vaginal skin, which makes it more likely for you to develop an infection, or worsen one.
Also, you are more likely to worsen or catch a yeast infection if you have unprotected sexual intercourse.
This is not necessarily because the other person may have one but because there is physical intimate contact between the mucous membranes inside the body.
It is also extremely painful. Yeast infections are painful as it is, and while some women report little to no pain during sex with a yeast infection others report unbearable agony.
If you have a lot of redness and itching, and if you have a lot of discharge then any other symptoms you have are likely to be exacerbated by sex.
Overall
Yeast infections are nasty, and very common. While they are not an STI or STD, they are very painful and ruthless, avoid sex at all until it is cleared up to save yourself, and your partner from unnecessary pain!
Hello, my name is Amelia Martin and I am a relationship columnist. As part of my job, I like to talk about all the things that come with relationships, intimacy, communication, health, and all the nitty gritty details that come with it.
As an adult, I cannot believe how many people struggle to open up about their sexual health problems, and don’t have the knowledge and advice they need to solve them.
That’s why I have created babyboomerdaily.com. In all of my years dealing with relationship advice, you would be surprised how much information I’ve gathered when it comes to the sexual health issues that are incredibly common, but we don’t like to talk about them.
Hopefully, we can learn new things together, and open up a friendly discussion about how to deal with these topics!
