Weird but True: You Can Have a Yeast Infection Without Knowing It

If you’ve ever had a yeast infection, you know it isn’t fun. Between the itching and weird discharge, it’s not exactly a party in your pants. But it’s also possible you've been a part of the yeast infection club and didn't even know it.

According to Jessica Shepherd, M.D., an assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology and director of Minimally Invasive Gynecology at The University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, up to 20 percent of all yeast infections can have no symptoms.

“All yeast infections are not characterized by itching and discharge,” she explains. “Some are mild and do not cause the usual symptoms.”

Board-certified ob-gyn Pari Ghodsi, M.D., says “classic” yeast infections have a cottage cheese-like discharge, but the infection can also just cause redness, burning, and irritation. Some women, on the other hand, may just feel like something isn’t quite right down there, but won’t be able to pinpoint why. And, if your pain threshold is higher than the average person, or you’re just not paying that much attention to what’s happening down there (because #lifehappens), you can have a yeast infection and not know it.

So…how can you find out if you have a yeast infection if you don’t notice any symptoms? Shepherd says your doctor may pick up on it during your annual pelvic exam by spotting some unusual discharge on the speculum. Your doctor might also notice some redness, although Shepherd says it’s usually less obvious in yeast infections with no symptoms. A swab of the area will usually be taken and then sent away for testing to determine if you do, in fact, have a yeast infection.

If you have a yeast infection and don’t realize it, it’s actually not a huge deal. In fact, Ghodsi says it doesn’t necessarily need to be treated unless you have some kind of symptoms, have an underlying medical condition, or are pregnant (yeast infections can cause contractions).

While Shepherd says you’re at a greater risk of developing yeast infections if you’re on antibiotics, take bubble baths, or tend to wear damp or tight-fitting clothes, ghost yeast infections really aren’t something to worry about. Just a little spooky!

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Source: http://www.glamour.com/story/weird-but-true-you-can-have-a-yeast-infection-without-knowing-it