After showering or swimming, make sure your vaginal area is thoroughly clean and dry.
Thrush
It’s more common than you think. Thrush is a vaginal yeast infection caused by excessive growth of natural yeast-like fungus, called candida albicans.
If you’ve noticed vaginal irritation and inflammation, you may have a yeast infection. This occurs when the good bacteria in your vagina cannot keep the fungus under control, or when your immune system is weakened. Just so you know, thrush is not a sexually transmitted infection.
Reference: Sobel JD. Vulvovaginal candidosis. Lancet 2007: 369, 1961-71
Thrush Symptoms
You might have thrush if you experience:
- Itchy vagina / vulva
- Soreness, burning and redness around the entrance to your vagina (vulva)
- Slight swelling of your vaginal lips (labia)
- Cottage cheese-like white discharge
These symptoms aren’t uncommon:
- Pain during sex
- Thick discharge
- Red and swollen labia
- Burning around your vulva
- Pain when you urinate
- Sores in your vaginal area
Cracked skin around your vulva
Reference: https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/common-symptoms-of-a-yeast-infection#2 (Accessed 19 February 2021)
- You are experiencing thrush for the first time
- You get thrush frequently, or if it returns in less than 2 months
- There is no improvement in your symptoms within three days, or if they've not disappeared within seven days
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You are under 12 years old
- You have fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting
- You feel abdominal pain
- You have previously experienced an allergic reaction to other thrush medications
Reference: https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/common-symptoms-of-a-yeast-infection#2 (Accessed 19 February 2021)
Understanding thrush
We all know it’s uncomfortable but rest assured – thrush is usually easily treated. If you need further help, a pharmacist or doctor can help you decide the best medication option for you.
Thrush treatment
Vaginal yeast infection is treated with medication available over the counter from a pharmacy or on prescription from your doctor.
Treatment can be quite straightforward. To treat the infection, you can use an internal treatment that contains the active ingredient clotrimazole. Choose from the vaginal tablet or vaginal cream. These products all treat your infection, but different people prefer different treatment options. External thrush creams will help to soothe your symptoms such as itching.
Our hot tip: just treating the itchiness with an external cream won’t get rid of your infection so don’t forget to treat your thrush at the source.
You can buy our products separately or you can purchase a duopak containing both the internal and external treatments.
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Preventing thrush
You should avoid fragrances during infection as well as other irritating chemicals, like perfumed soap, bubble baths or regular perfumed shower gels.
Wipe from front to back after going to the toilet. This will prevent yeast from entering your vagina.
Facts about thrush
It can happen to anyone - 75% of women will have thrush at least once in their lifetime.
Thrush is usually caused by candida albicans, a yeast naturally occurring in your vaginal microflora.
You can help prevent yeast infections by avoiding high-sugar foods, stress and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, doing so will keep your immune system strong.
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