Vagina Monologues: How to deal with thrush

Oh, the joys of being a woman: natural intuition, wisdom, motherhood … and let’s not forget period pain, labour and, of course, thrush. Otherwise known as candidiasis, thrush is a fungal infection and its favourite hangout is a vagina. If the current hot spot in town is your vagina, then read on to learn how to manage and treat thrush so you don’t have to put up with itchiness, discharge or painful sex.

Join the club

If you think you may be suffering a bout of thrush, there is no reason to be embarrassed as it’s very common. About 75% of women will experience thrush in their lifetime, and about half will experience thrush more than once.

Oestrogen is thought to contribute to the prolific growth of Candida that causes thrush. Therefore it mostly affects women of reproductive age, who produce more oestrogen than pre-pubertal or post-menopausal women.

There are potentially other factors that contribute to thrush, but doctors are still working out the details. What you need to know is how to spot it and what to do if you have it.

The funky fungus

Thrush is caused by an infection with a family of fungi called Candida, particularly Candida albicans, but also C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. krusei and C. parapsilosis. While these fungi normally live in your vagina in low concentrations, when there is a change in the vaginal environment, Candida can proliferate and cause thrush.

These changes include oestrogen increases or can occur for different reasons like using antibiotics or contraceptives. Chronic health conditions can also lead to thrush, including diabetes, HIV and obesity.

Watching your overall health can definitely help your chances at shooing out your unwanted party guest.

In your pants

You may find white or off-white, curd-like discharge, similar in appearance to cottage cheese, or experience very uncomfortable itching downstairs.

You may also notice inflammation and redness. If you scratch yourself, you can even develop little lesions, so it’s important to get onto it pronto.

Thrush is uncomfortable during sex as well.

Thrush police

It’s a good idea to get checked out by a GP – otherwise you may misdiagnose yourself (two-thirds of women do!) because thrush can appear similar to other forms of vaginitis (e.g. bacterial vaginitis). This happens often and it is important because antifungal medicines used to treat thrush are not effective in treating other forms of vaginitis. A correct diagnosis is vital for effective treatment, so don’t hesitate to get your GP on the case.

If you have had thrush more than twice in the past year or if you are pregnant, then you should go to your GP as well.

Thrush gets creamed

Treating thrush is easy and painless, so there is no need to worry about getting diagnosed. Thrush treatments include a variety of antifungal creams, pessaries that are inserted into the vagina, and oral antifungal medication.

Don’t stress if it doesn’t vacate immediately. Like most unwanted guests, rudeness is characteristic. So you may need a longer course of meds to give thrush the boot.

Either way, your doctor can discuss the most suitable treatment for you.

Invite only

To prevent thrush, make sure you knickers are an ‘invite only’ party. For example, stick to cotton underwear so your vagina can breathe some fresh air. This will reduce unwanted moisture that can encourage thrush.

Practise good vaginal hygiene by always washing your hands before and after any vaginal contact. This goes for sex too, because thrush can be passed on. If you are using condoms, always change them between anal and vaginal sex.

If you do have diabetes, make sure you control blood sugar properly, and if starting a course of antibiotics, try using an anti-fungal preparation.

I am Woman

With womanhood comes many surprises and unfortunately thrush is a common one. So you can be confident that your doctor has seen it all before and can get you treated. Thrush can often be prevented and, if not, it can be kicked out of the party before it drives you crazy.