The Hidden Dangers of Antibiotics – They Promote Vaginal Infections in the Women They’re Supposed to Help
She has had recurrent vaginal infections for more than a year. Her doctor continues to prescribe antifungal antibiotics without determining the underlying cause. In fact, the prescriptions are augmenting her condition, and in the meantime she’s dealing with frustration and diminished libido.
Case #: 600
Concern：
I’ve been having yeast infections for over a year. The vaginal discharge is white, like cottage cheese. My gynecologist says it’s normal in a percentage of women and prescribed Fluconazole plus Metronidazole, but as soon as I stop using them, I have the same symptoms. I don’t feel comfortable with his explanations. I also have problems with orgasm and reduced sexual desire. It’s as if I lack sexual interest.
Discussion：
Around 75 percent of all women suffer from yeast infections at some point in their lives, so the idea that this condition is “normal” can be accepted to some extent. However, it isn’t normal to constantly have a yeast infection.
This is a clear sign that something is wrong with your body, as the most common cause of a yeast infection is compromised immune function. Prescription creams like Fluconazole and Metronidazole only bandage the problem, and they’re contributing to your infections by inadvertently promoting yeast growth.
The Truth about Yeast
Candida is a fungus that exists naturally in the body. Although it is known to be a “bad” fungus, it serves a beneficial purpose by acting as a food source to “good” bacteria. Candida exists in small number on the skin as well as internal tracts of the body, including those of female genitalia. This is why women are much more susceptible to yeast infections than men; their body compositions invite overgrowth of the fungus.
One of the most common symptoms of a yeast infection is vaginal discharge, usually white and clumpy with a cottage cheese consistency. Itching, burning and pain in and around the vagina also identify a yeast infection. Physicians typically treat these symptoms with prescription creams labeled as “antifungal antibiotics.” Sometimes these prescriptions work, but other times they do not.
Hidden Concerns of Antibiotics
The problem is that antibiotics indiscriminately kill bacteria that are both good and bad within the body. Good bacteria, such as intestinal flora, compose much of a person’s immunity. These warriors continually stave off bad bacteria and catalog unwanted invaders to provide life-long protection to the body.
When antibiotics attack good bacteria, they inadvertently weaken the immune system and open a person up to infection. The particular loss of intestinal flora allows Candida to quickly grow to alarming numbers. This is when the dreaded yeast infection sets in. As the Candida continues to propagate, protective bacteria cannot keep up in trying to subdue it. This vicious cycle leaves a woman miserable and defenseless.
Antibiotics also change the vagina’s natural environment. This region normally maintains an acidic pH balance to discourage the growth of bacteria. Again, that balance is regulated by beneficial bacteria that help produce discharge to keep the vagina free of toxins and disease-causing bacteria. The ingestion or application of antibiotics alters the growth of protective bacteria and thus changes the delicate pH balance, thereby allowing Candida to grow.
Vaginal Infections and Low Libido
Many factors can cause a woman’s sexual desire to wane, but yours is related to recurrent vaginal infections. The condition in and of itself can diminish your libido – who wants to have sex while dealing with the symptoms of a yeast infection? The stress you feel because of your infections must also be considered.
As you continue to worry about the discomfort and unseemly discharge, your arousal is nil. All of this is highly understandable, and for health reasons you shouldn’t engage in intercourse until your infections are cleared.
Regain Your Health
Rather than continuing to use the antifungal ointments prescribed by your doctor, you can opt for an all-natural approach to regaining your health. An herbal remedy known to correct vaginal discharge will help alleviate your symptoms and also restore your vagina to a normal state (see more: VRD Formula). Fenugreek is an herb known to increase blood flow to the vagina to encourage the growth of healthy tissues, while Bupleurum improves liver functions to eliminate toxins in your body.