Are yeasts nocturnal beasties?

March 29, 2006 10:40 AM

Why do (maybe just my) yeast infections itch worst at night?

Every time I get a yeast infection, the associated itching/sensitivity is pretty minor during the day; without fail, however, as soon as I get into bed at night, it attacks with a vengeance, often keeping me from falling asleep or waking me up scratching (bad, I know). Sometimes just getting out of bed and moving around will calm it down temporarily. Is the reason for this physiological or psychological?

posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

Both physiological and psychological

The physiological is that bed is warmer. warmer skin normally means more sensitive.

The psychological is that during the day you're distracted by other stuff. When you're trying to sleep, any sound is loud, any sensation is amplified, just because your mind has nothing else to occupy itself.
posted by qvantamon at 10:52 AM on March 29, 2006

And when you're relaxed your peripheral blood vessels expand a bit, leading to more sensitivity. If you're a frequent sufferer, I'm sure you already know this but its worth repeating: that miconazole cream that comes with the drugstore treatment packs is pure gold for treating itch. It's generally the same stuff that's in cream to treat athlete's foot, in case you've run out.
posted by selfmedicating at 11:00 AM on March 29, 2006

I don't know the answer for your question, but I swear by garlic pills taken by mouth and wiping the affected area with a washcloth splashed with hydrogen peroxide. It will kill those yeasties dead.
posted by agregoli at 11:02 AM on March 29, 2006

I don't know anything about this particular issue, but my eczema gets way worse at night too.
posted by TurkishGolds at 11:07 AM on March 29, 2006

I think it has something to do with blood flow. When you lie down, the pelvic region gets more blood than normal, the area is more sensitive, etc.
posted by frecklefaerie at 11:09 PM on April 23, 2006