What is thrush?
It’s very common, but you rarely hear it in conversations between women. So, let’s talk about thrush. Thrush is a common yeast infection caused by a simple imbalance of natural vaginal fungus, predominantly Candida Albicans.
Normally, the things that keep candida in check are a good immune system, good bacteria (called lactobacilli) and a healthy pH level. However, when the conditions in your vagina become less acidic, bacteria start to overgrow. This in turn could lead to a yeast infection.
Causes and risk factors of thrush
Roughly three out of four women get thrush at least once in their lifetime. Many women also suffer from recurring thrush.
However, there are some circumstances that can make you more prone to getting this yeast infection. While there are multiple causes and triggers for thrush, you are more at risk of getting thrush if:
You are pregnant
You have recently finished a course of antibiotics
You have diabetes
Having sex, whilst you are on your period
You have HIV
Don’t worry! Thrush is not a sexually transmitted infection.
Thrush symptoms
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Thrush treatment
In most cases, it's easy to treat and soothe vaginal thrush. For complete relief, you should use both internal products to treat the infection and external cream to help relieve your symptoms.
Canesten offers a range of products like oral capsules, soft gel pessary, vaginal pessary and internal vaginal and external creams, so you can decide which treatment option is more comfortable for you to use.
Thrush should clear up within a week after one dose of medicine and/ or using the cream daily. Avoid being tempted to use external cream only. It will help soothe symptoms of vaginal yeast infection, but it won’t get rid of the cause of thrush.
You don’t need a prescription to buy Canesten thrush treatments and you can use Combi products to treat both the internal infection and calm external symptoms.
Thrush prevention
Some people suffer from recurring thrush which may be caused by their lifestyle choices. If thrush symptoms are a problem, you can change some habits to help stop yeast infections from coming back.
First of all, you should remember that your intimate area has a different pH than the rest of the body so using regular, perfumed soaps and shower gels can disturb the pH balance in your vagina.
Wearing very tight and synthetic underwear and clothes such as tight leggings can encourage the growth of candida because of the trapped moisture. It is also recommended that you change out of wet clothes like swimming costumes or workout outfits straight away.
Other tips for avoiding thrush include:
Thrush can happen to anyone. It is easy to spot symptoms such as thrush discharge and treatment can be very straightforward. However, if you suffer from recurring thrush, taking probiotics can help you maintain the natural levels of good bacteria in your vagina.
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Vagina. Vulva. Discharge.
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