SUMMER VAGINAL INFECTION ALERT

You probably didn't know it, but women are at MUCH higher risk for common vaginal infections during the hotter summer months....yeast infections, which are very common, are caused by yeast strains that are present in the air around us...These yeast are also present in the vagina of a majority of women.  In the absence of specific "triggers", they do not cause any problems....Add the appropriate "trigger", and subtropical climate with high humidity is a very common "trigger, and all of a sudden, those benign organisms are causing all kinds of symptoms...Heavy, thick white discharge and vaginal/vulvar itching are the most common symptoms...Vaginal bacterial infections are just as common as yeast infections...Again, they are caused by bacteria that are normally present and completely benign...add the appropriate triggers, and again, you guessed it - Infections occur...Just as with yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis is most common in hot, subtropical climates...Symptoms commonly include watery white or off-white discharge, burning and strong odor...


  
Obviously, it very important that you DON'T SELF-TREAT for these infections...You might not be treating for the actual infection that is present...Treating for an infection that is not there, could make the actual infection that is present much worse....Further there are no over the counter products that are effective for BV...And, over the counter yeast infection medications have succumbed to resistance by a majority of the yeast strains that are out there!...SO, take home message:  If you think you have either a yeast infection or a vaginal bacterial infection (BV), call your Ob/Gyn provider to schedule an appointment....Get it treated correctly the first time!


-DR CAZES......

Welcome!

Welcome to New Tampa Ob/Gyn's Blog site!  I am Dr. Elliot E. Cazes, an Ob/Gyn in practice in the Tampa Bay area for over 16 years.  My goal is to provide quality healthcare information to women in this area.  Please feel free to contact me or to post topics that you are interested in, and I will gladly reply!