Thrush Treatment - Choosing the Best Treatment For You
Thrush Treatment - Choosing the Best Treatment For You
Thrush, also known as yeast infection or Candida, is a thoroughly unpleasant condition which can affect women, men and children. Thankfully, nowadays, you don't have to suffer in silence as thrush treatments are pretty widely available.
What is thrush?
Thrush (or to give it its medical name, Candida), is caused by an increase in the body of the levels of bacteria and the yeast which give rise to thrush. Normally, the bacteria and the yeast are present in the body together without causing any problems, but an escalation in either, may create an imbalance which, in turn, can manifest as thrush.
Generally, thrush affects women, appearing as vaginal thrush, but it can also affect men's genitals and manifest in the mouth. Oral thrush is very common in babies.
Genital Thrush in Women
The earliest sign of thrush is most typically an itch, which begins inside the vagina, but rapidly spreads to the inner and outer lips, before long becoming intolerable. Very often, the skin in this tender area becomes swollen, painful and in severe cases, broken.
The itching is very often accompanied by a disagreeable, thick white secretion and it's not uncommon for sufferers to also encounter a dull ache in the lower back, along with flu-like symptoms.
Undoubtedly, fast respite is the main priority for anyone suffering from thrush, and until a thrush treatment can be administered, natural yogurt applied right to the throbbing areas can act as an instantaneous, albeit short-lived, soother.
Whether conventional medical care or an holistic remedy is recommended, it is best to discuss your circumstances with a pharmacist, doctor or holistic practitioner for guidance on the most suitable thrush treatment for you.
Over-the-counter treatments such as creams, pessaries and pills are widely available, but these most typically tend to work on clearing the evident symptoms rather than attacking the root cause of the infection.
Whilst an holistic thrush remedy could possibly take slightly longer to produce results, this kind of remedy is more likely to determine and deal with the underlying reasons for the occurrences of thrush in the first place. As a result of this, holistic treatments quite often have a high success quota in limiting recurrences of thrush.
The other alternative is prescription medication, which can be issued by a doctor after he has considered the patient's personal circumstances.
There are several factors which can be conducive to an attack of thrush. A few examples are:
Poor health or diet: Food such as sugar, dairy products, coffee, tea and wine contribute to thrush by increasing urinary sugar, which in turn encourages the production of yeast in the vagina.
Antibiotics: These can aggravate the growth of the fungus which causes thrush, as antibiotics destroy friendly bacteria which keep yeast in the vagina under control. Also, the underlying illness, i.e.; the motive for taking the antibiotics in the first instance, may cause the body to become weak, giving the thrush bacteria the opportunity to multiply more easily.
Pregnancy: Hormone levels during pregnancy could cause high levels of sugars in vaginal secretions, which result in the production of thrush in the vagina.
Periods: Menstrual blood can alter the acidity of the vagina, which could cause thrush. Tampons and towels can in addition heighten the chance of thrush. Tampons, particularly if kept in for too long, can change the pH balance of the vagina and towels deliver a moist and warm environment, an ideal location for bacteria to increase.
Diabetes: The vagina contains mucus and friendly bacteria which help to guard it from thrush, and other germs. However, it's possible for a condition such as diabetes to change this natural defense system, which can lead to the multiplication of the thrush bacteria, especially if the blood sugar levels are consistently too high.
Contraceptive Pills: The jury is still out on this one! Some say that a high dosage contraceptive pill may lead to thrush, but that it's unlikely that a low dosage pill will do the same. Others say that women who take a contraceptive pill (despite its strength) are no more at risk of thrush than any other women.
Emotional or physical stress: Stress and being run-down may increase the risk of thrush, as suffering from these conditions will weaken the immune system, making you more unprotected.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy weakens your immune system, making you more susceptible to thrush.
Sexual Intercourse: External stimuli may change the balanced environment of the vagina which may, as a result, lead to a thrush infection in this area.
Perfumed soaps and bubble baths: Such products can aggravate the chance of thrush, as they may upset the natural acidity (pH level) of the vagina.
Wearing tight synthetic clothing: Any article of clothing or underwear which is tight-fitting and made of synthetic material, can prevent the vaginal area from 'breathing'. This can result in a warm, moist environment - an ideal place for thrush to develop.
Genital Thrush in Men
Although not as common as with women, men may also suffer from genital thrush.
In men, it tends to be present beneath the foreskin and/or red, itchy patches may be seen on the shaft. Additionally, it is not unusual for a sufferer to experience a discharge from the end of the penis.
Treatment is most typically given in the form of anti-fungal tablets or creams.
To try and keep incidences of male thrush at bay, the following care should be taken:
Hygiene: Make sure that the penis is kept clean, no more so than by washing under the foreskin, using non-scented products. Genital hygiene is especially important prior to and after sexual intercourse. It's also imperative to wash the hands well after going to the lavatory.
Clothing: Try and wear loose fitting underwear, trousers or jeans.
Showering and bathing: Ensure that you have your own wash-cloths, sponges and towels and don't allow anyone else to use them. Wash all these items regularly.
Oral Thrush
Oral thrush most often appears as pale colored lesions and can affect the inside of the cheeks, back of the throat, roof of the mouth, inside the lips, the tongue and the gums.
These spots can be totally painless or remarkably painful. If you experience the latter, even an action as natural as drinking a glass of water or cleaning your teeth can be tortuous.
New born babies can easily contract oral thrush, as they can contract it as they pass through the birth canal when they are being born.
Those who wear dentures, follow a poor diet, have a fragile immune system or use medication or inhalers containing steroids, are also prone to episodes of oral thrush.
The most frequent oral thrush remedy is an anti-fungal solution in the form of mouth washes to be slooshed around in the mouth and spat out, pastilles or lozenges which are retained in the mouth and allowed to dissolve slowly, or a course of prescription tablets.
There are quite a few thrush remedies available these days. If you need assistance in deciding which is the best one for your complaint, visit your doctor, or holistic practitioner, who can examine you, assess your condition and prescribe your remedy based on the diagnosis.
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