Yeast infections, characterized by cottage cheese-like discharge and itching in the genital area, are uncomfortable for both partners. Sexual activity can exacerbate symptoms and prolong the infection.
While sex is not the primary cause of yeast infections, it does increase the risk for transmission through unhygienic practices and non-protective sex. This article will cover tips for avoiding a yeast infection after sex and managing symptoms during and after treatment.
Symptoms
If you have a yeast infection, your vulva may feel itchy and painful. You also might have a thick cottage cheese-like discharge. These symptoms are not only unpleasant, but they can be contagious. So, don’t try to have sex until your yeast infection is gone. If you do, your partner might get it too and that could cause more serious problems.
The good news is that a yeast infection can be treated with over-the-counter or prescription antifungal medication. A short course of a topical cream or a pill can usually help. But, you should avoid vaginal sex until your yeast infection is completely healed. Having sex can make your symptoms worse, especially if you’re using lubricant and your vulva is itchy and swollen. Plus, many creams for a yeast infection contain oil, which can break down latex or polyisoprene condoms.
If you’re a woman, you can use condoms to prevent pregnancy and disease during intercourse. Yeast infections are caused by a type of fungus called Candida albicans. The fungus grows in the vulva when the balance between bacteria and yeast is disrupted.
Treatment
If a woman is experiencing symptoms like extreme itching, pain during urination or sexual intercourse, or a telltale white-ish, odorless vaginal discharge that looks and smells a little bit like cottage cheese, she should visit her doctor to receive a diagnosis. The doctor may perform a vulva culture using a cotton swab and send the sample to a lab for evaluation. The swab will help determine whether the infection is caused by a yeast or another organism, and it will also give the doctor a clue as to how severe the infection is.
Treatment options include over-the-counter antifungal creams and suppositories, as well as oral medications such as one dose of fluconazole (Diflucan). The doctor will usually prescribe the medication, which must be taken orally. The patient should use the full course of treatment and not stop taking the medicine, even when symptoms disappear, to ensure that the infection is completely cleared up.
Women with yeast infections should not have vaginal or oral sex until their infection is fully treated and gone away. This can be particularly important for women who have a recurrence of the condition, as it is easy to transmit the fungus to a partner through vaginal or oral sex. Additionally, friction from sex can cause the medication to wear off or cause condoms to break.
Prevention
Yeast infections are often recurring, and they can affect a person’s sexual function. Yeast infection medications are usually the best way to treat them. There are also prevention options, such as avoiding tight underwear, wearing cotton in the crotch area, and changing out of wet workout clothes or swimsuits as soon as possible. Boric acid — which is available by prescription as a medicine that can be inserted directly into the vaginal canal — can help some people who don’t respond to antifungal pills.
A yeast infection occurs when a type of fungus called Candida overgrows in the vulva. It usually causes a clumpy, white, thick discharge that doesn’t smell and can cause pain during sex and urination. Yeast infections can be caused by many factors, including not cleaning after vaginal intercourse, using sex toys, and introducing bacteria from oral sex or penetration with a penis or finger.
A yeast infection can’t be transmitted to others, but it is common for the symptoms to come and go. It is important to avoid sexual activity until the infection clears up completely. This is especially true if the person has a partner who can have an impact on the severity of symptoms. There are also over-the-counter medicines that can be used for a yeast infection, but it’s important to talk with a doctor before taking them.
Communication
If you are experiencing symptoms that indicate a yeast infection, make an appointment with your doctor. They can diagnose the condition and prescribe an anti-fungal medication to treat it. This could be a cream, ointment or tablet depending on the severity of your symptoms. The longer the treatment course, the more likely you are to avoid recurrent yeast infections.
Yeast infections take your yoni hostage and irritate it, which can cause pain, burning and itching in the vagina or vulva. Sex can exacerbate these symptoms by increasing friction in the area. Penetrative acts can also create micro-abrasions that allow the infection to spread, explains ob-gyn Jacques Moritz at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
It’s also possible to pass a yeast infection from one person to another, although research on this is minimal. However, if your partner is uncircumcised, the likelihood of transmission increases.
If you’re taking an over-the-counter treatment, it’s best to wait for a few days after you finish your course of medication to have sex. You’ll want to ensure that the infection is completely cleared of its fungus. You may still feel itchy and irritated, but your symptoms should be much improved. A supportive partner won’t hold this against you and will understand that your comfort comes before orgasms. Yeast infections can be painful and unpleasant, so don’t let your discomfort stop you from having sex when you’re ready.
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