When women are experiencing issues with their reproductive tract it's important to determine what the problem is and the way to treat it best.
In the case of Gardneralla and vaginal Candidiasis it can be confusing for women to know which one of these infections they might have.
This is a problem since Gardnerella and Candidiasis are treated in entirely different ways.
If a woman thinks she has Candidiasis and then goes and gets an over the counter treatment for yeast infections, but at the same time has Gardnerella, then she is not only wasting her money, but also not treating the infection.
Infections left untreated only get worse.
Gardnerella is caused by bacteria infecting the female reproductive tract and it is referred to as bacterial vaginosis.
This overgrowth of bacteria can be brought on by having unprotected sexual intercourse with a partner who is infected with the Gardnerella vaginalis bacteria, however, it has been contracted in some cases non-sexually too.
Women with Gardnerella will have a grey or yellowish discharge when infected and it will produce a strong fishy odor especially when washed with alkaline based soaps.
Women will experience little to no irritation when infected with Gardnerella and the noticably symptom is the odor.
A doctor will prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection and sexual partners should also be treated.
Douching can help with the odor, but will not treat the infection.
Vaginal Candidiasis
Candidiasis, on the other hand is caused by the fungus Candida albicans and occurs when there is an overgrowth of the yeast cells in the vagina as a result of antibiotics, weakened immune systems, poor diet, or sexual transmission.
