Kidney Stones & Yeast Infections

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, most women will experience at least one yeast infection at some point in their lives. Many women also will experience kidney stones, though the University of Maryland Medical Center also states that they occur in four times more men than women. There is no connection between kidney stones and yeast disorders.

Causes

• Kidney stones occur because the bowel absorbs too much calcium. This is often due to a calcium-high diet, dehydration or lack of exercise. The calcium forms solid deposits in the kidney. On the other hand, yeast infections occur when the amount of the bacterium Candida albicans, which normally exists in trace amounts on the body, increases in the vagina. There are certain conditions that make this more like to occur, such as being pregnant or suffering from diabetes. Some antibiotics reduce the amount of bacteria that provide protection from Candida in the vagina, allowing the Candida to grow. Kidney stones do not cause yeast infections, nor do yeast infections cause kidney stones.

Symptoms

• Kidney stones cause terrible pain around the buttocks, fever and chills, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. As the stone moves it may cause pain in the genital area. A yeast infection may also cause pain, but occurring during intercourse and urination instead. A yeast infection also may cause an itching or burning sensation in the vagina and labia, as well as redness and swelling and abnormal discharge.

Risks

• If left untreated, smaller kidney stones may be passed without help, though this may be painful. Larger kidney stones that cannot be passed without treatment will continue to cause pain and may cause blockages, bleeding and tissue damage. In the case of yeast infections, repeated yeast infections that occur over a short period of time may be symptomatic of a more serious medical condition. In rare cases, chronic yeast infection can be an early sign of HIV, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Treatments

• Kidney stones may require painkillers to treat the pain they cause as they move. If they are particularly large they may need to be surgically removed using a procedure such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, in which shock waves are used to shatter the stone. On the other hand, a mild yeast infection can often be treated at home using over-the-counter medication available at most pharmacies. These medications may include miconazole, clotrimazole, tioconazole and butoconazole. If your yeast infection is not going away, it may become necessary to prescribe you fluconazole, to be taken orally.

Considerations

• You should consult your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms of yeast infections or kidney stones. Pain should always be a cause for concern, and what may appear to be symptoms of yeast infections and/or kidney stones may in fact indicate a more serious condition. There is no connection between kidney stones and yeast infections.