Everybody has yeast (medically called Candida). It’s in your intestines, and if you’re a woman, you also have it in your vagina. It’s normally kept in balance by helpful bacteria, pH, and other conditions. If the yeast experiences a population explosion, then you’ve got problems.
Even men occasionally get yeast infections. Doctors estimate that 75 percent of American women will experience at least one symptomatic yeast infection at some point in time. They say “symptomatic” because it’s possible for you to have a yeast infection and not know it.
For Those Who Are Prone to Them
If you are one of the nearly 10 million American women prone to yeast infections, you know how uncomfortable they can be. The intense itching infection can nearly drive you crazy.
Fortunately for today’s woman, there are many creams, ointments, and even a one-dose pill that can cut the out-of-control yeast population back down to size.
The First Step in Treating a Yeast Infection Is...
...making sure it IS a yeast infection.
Before you implement any kind of treatment, however, make sure your problem is in fact a yeast infection. Some symptoms, such as pain, discharge, and itchiness, mimic other vaginal infections including bacterial infection, urinary tract infection, trichomoniasis, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Mistreatment can increase the problems. If you’ve never had a diagnosis by a healthcare expert, that’s your first step in treatment.
Not all women experience symptoms, but most women have at least one. Typical symptoms include:
- Itching, burning, irritation of the vagina
- Painful urination and/or intercourse
- Redness, and swelling or soreness in the vagina, vulva, and surrounding skin
- Unusual discharge, ranging from thick, white, and cottage cheese-like to thin, yellowish, almost clear
- A scent similar to beer or bread (a yeast-like smell)
Home Remedies
If you’re sure that what you have is a vaginal yeast infection, you can try to treat it yourself, naturally. But be very careful. Even home remedies can have side effects.
- Yogurt with active cultures is the number-one choice for women who self-treat. It contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, a bacterium that kills yeast by producing hydrogen peroxide. You can eat the yogurt, and also insert it into your vagina. Use plain yogurt with no added sugar. If you are vegan, you might consider buying acidophilus pills from your local health food store.
- A sitz bath provides relief, and helps clean out some yeast. Fill a shallow tub with warm water (hot water encourages yeast growth). Add salt or vinegar (about half a cup) or an oatmeal bath product. Sit in the bath with your knees apart until the water cools.
- When you wash, use only water. A hand-held showerhead works best for this.
- Expose the area to air as often as possible.
- Apply cool compresses to the irritated area. You can soak the compresses in salt, vinegar, or oatmeal, each diluted with water.
- Garlic contains natural anti-fungal substances that kill yeast. Some women use it as a suppository.
- Women in European countries use tea tree oil to treat yeast infections. It can sting your vulva, so use care to contain it to your vagina.
- Gentian violet is another anti-fungal substance that has been used to treat thrush and other yeast infections. Swab it liberally into your vagina over your vulva twice a day for a few days. Gentian violet is a brilliant deep purple and stains whatever it comes in contact with. Wear dark clothes if you decide to try this treatment. Note that some people can have rather severe allergic reactions to it.
- Although douching is not recommended when you are healthy, there might be a place for medicinal douches when you have a yeast infection.
- Bacteria in your vagina naturally produce hydrogen peroxide, but you wouldn’t want to use hydrogen peroxide straight from the bottle. Be sure to dilute it. You could try one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide to one cup of water.
- Yeast cannot thrive in an acidic environment. Try douching with a mixture of two tablespoons white or cider vinegar to one quart of water.
- Avoid sexual contact. It can irritate your vagina and worsen your condition. In addition, a yeast infection can be sexually transmitted, so your partner can also become infected and can re-infect you later.
Home Remedies that Don't Work
You’ll definitely want to avoid :
- Baking soda. It makes you more alkaline, which helps yeast thrive.
- Skin creams. They either encourage yeast growth or burn like fire.
- Cayenne or echinacea. If inserted into the vagina, they burn like fire.
Over-the-Counter Options
If home remedies don’t work, try over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Before you buy one, be sure you have a vaginal yeast infection (by having your doctor run a test). If you use a medicine designed to treat yeast infections and you don’t really have one, you could be creating a strain of drug-resistant yeast in your body. If that happens, when you really need the medicine, it won’t work.
If you’re sure you have a yeast infection, you have several options for OTC relief. You can buy various anti-fungal vaginal creams, tablets, or suppositories without a prescription. All the OTC products for vaginal yeast infections contain one of four active ingredients: butoconazole nitrate, clotrimazole, miconazole, and tioconazole. These drugs are all from the same anti-fungal family and work in similar ways.
Seeing all of those products on the shelf can be overwhelming. If you can’t decide what OTC medicine to use, you can ask your healthcare team what they recommend for you. Be sure to read the warnings on the label, and carefully follow the directions. You should feel better within a few days. But keep using the medicine for the entire number of days directed, even if you feel better.
OTC products for vaginal yeast infections should not be used by men or for yeast infections in other areas of the body, such as the mouth or under the fingernails.
Still Itching?
If you don’t improve in three days, and have abdominal pain, fever, or a foul-smelling discharge, or you get another infection within two months, it’s time to call your doctor again who can prescribe stronger medicines and re-evaluate your situation. |
