What you need to know about vaginal thrush

A common issue for women is vaginal thrush. It’s a condition that can cause unpleasant symptoms, discomfort or even pain. Treatment is possible with medicines available from the pharmacy in some cases, but in first time events, or when symptoms are persistent or severe, a GP consultation and prescription is required.

What exactly is vaginal thrush?

Also known as vaginal candidiasis, this condition is caused by candida, which is a type of yeast that naturally occurs in the vaginal area. About three-quarters of women at some point in their lives will experience this yeast, either growing too much and/or causing a reaction in and around the vagina. Women in their twenties and thirties experience it more commonly.

You’ll recognise this infection mainly by a thick white discharge, which may be accompanied by itch and soreness in that area. 

Skin in very severe infection can become cracked and red, and as you can imagine, pain can then occur when you pass urine or have sexual intercourse. You might find your symptoms worsen just before your period and then improve again afterwards.

What causes vaginal thrush?

One of the most common reasons for experiencing vaginal thrush are antibiotic use (this can eliminate the ‘good’ bacteria in the vaginal area, leaving space for the yeast to grow in their place).

Pregnancy puts you at greater risk of this occurring, as does using harsh products in that area such as soaps or shower gels. Hormonal contraception or HRT can also disturb the balance in that area, leading to more frequent infections.

If your immune system is weakened for any reason, this also allows for the yeast to grow without adequate control.

Vaginal thrush can be transferred to a partner’s penis during sex, which leads to uncomfortable symptoms for them too.

What can I do about vaginal thrush?

If you’ve experienced thrush before and it’s not too severe, your pharmacy can provide you with a cream to apply to the area, and a pessary to insert into the vagina to treat any infection that is present internally. This may be sufficient to clear the symptoms, and you’ll not need to go any further.

First experiences of thrush should go to the GP for an examination however, to rule out any other causes of infection.

More severe symptoms may not be treatable with products that you apply to the area, and might need oral treatment. A tablet is available on prescription that will treat the infection from the inside out, and hit it harder because of this. In a small number of cases, this tablet may not be suitable for you, depending on your medical history and other medications that you’re taking.

Vaginal thrush can sometimes be mistaken for bacterial vaginosis as symptoms occur in the same area. 

The type of discharge and the cause of the symptoms, however, are different. There is a test available from your pharmacy that will tell you which infection it is.

Describing the symptoms (without any embarrassment!) to your healthcare professional will also help to determine which course of action is best.

Vaginal thrush is inconvenient and uncomfortable, and something that all women want to avoid, most women experience at some point, and some women experience chronically (four or more episodes per year).

Knowing the symptoms will allow for early detection and treatment, and hopefully symptom relief as a result. Recurrent symptoms need further investigation to rule out other skin conditions, infections or causes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

 Dr Michelle O’Driscoll is a pharmacist, re searcher and founder of InTuition, a health and wellness education company. Her research lies in the area of mental health education, and through InTuition she delivers health promotion workshops to corporate and academic organisations nationally.