Thrush
This section of the website focuses on one of the most common and most embarrassing problems female customers may experience: vaginal thrush (vulvo-vaginal candidiasis).
After reading this section you will be able to:
- Understand the thrush sufferer
- Recognise the signs and symptoms of thrush
- Improve your knowledge of the different treatment options available
- Select appropriate treatments that match customers' needs
- Offer advice on preventing future bouts of thrush.
Fortunately, thrush is easy to treat and manage, but customers do need to understand how to use treatments so that they get the maximum benefit out of them. Your role in offering advice and guidance is vital in helping customers to find a treatment that best meets their needs, and to help them gain an understanding of how to identify and prevent thrush in the future.
Thrush is caused by a fungus called Candida albicans, which lives naturally in our bodies, including in the vagina. It is prevented from growing too much and causing symptoms of thrush by the action of ‘friendly bacteria' which help keep the internal environment of the vagina acidic.
When the pH balance is disrupted and the vagina becomes less acidic, the growth of Candida albicans is stimulated. The fungi overgrowth can result in thrush.
There are a number of factors that can disturb the pH balance and trigger episodes of thrush. These include:
- Medicines such as antibiotics and steroids. This is because antibiotics kill the friendly bacteria in the vagina that keep Candida albicans under control
- Physical trauma caused by sexual intercourse and inserting tampons
- Stress
- Menstruation
- Using perfumed soaps and shower gels
- Wearing tight clothing
- Hormonal fluctuations due to menopause and pregnancy.
The symptoms of thrush can include:
- Vulval and vaginal itching and irritation
- Thick white vaginal discharge
- Redness, soreness and swelling of the vaginal walls
- Pain during sexual intercourse.
