When to go to the doctor for a vaginal yeast infection?

 When to go to the doctor for a vaginal yeast infection?

• If you have a vaginal yeast infection for the first time, you can recognize it by redness, pain or burning, swollen vagina and white, friable discharge;
• If the yeast infection does not go away after 2 weeks (with or without medicines);
• If you've had a yeast infection before and the same treatment that helped last time doesn't help this time;
• If you have bought medicines for a vaginal yeast infection at the pharmacy or drugstore and they do not help;
• If the symptoms keep coming back;
• If you get other complaints such as fever or pain in the lower abdomen;
• If your vaginal discharge changes.

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Treating a Yeast Infection

 Treating a Yeast Infection

 You can speed up the recovery process from a yeast infection and prevent a possible subsequent infection by disturbing the natural balance of the vagina as little as possible:

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• Rinse the outside of the vagina with lukewarm water. There is no need to wash more often or thoroughly. On the inside, the vagina cleans itself;
• Avoid vaginal rinses, - soap or other (natural) remedies such as tea-tree oil, probiotics... This makes the mucous membrane more irritated;
• Avoid having sex when the vagina is still dry, as this can irritate the mucous membrane. Take your time to get aroused, use (neutral) lubricant or avoid sex while the vagina is dry or if it hurts;
• Some medications such as clotrimazole are available without a prescription. You use this for 1 to 3 days. Please note: if you have symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection for the first time, it is best to see your doctor. Even if the complaints return or change and the self-purchased medicines do not help.

How long does a vaginal yeast infection last?

 How long does a vaginal yeast infection last?

A vaginal yeast infection usually goes away on its own. In some cases, it takes several weeks for the itching and discharge to pass. You cannot treat such an infection, but you can ensure that the recovery is accelerated.

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How do you recognize vaginal yeast infection?

 How do you recognize vaginal yeast infection?

Candida or vaginal yeast infection can be recognized by:

• itching in the vagina;
• white (sometimes friable) discharge without odor;
• irritated mucosa (red, swollen and painful);
• pain or burning sensation (when urinating or having sex).

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What is a vaginal yeast infection?

 What is a vaginal yeast infection?

In a yeast infection, the balance of the natural bacteria and fungi in the vagina is disturbed. In addition, the fungus Candida is abundant. This is a yeast (a type of fungus) and that is why it is also called a Candida infection.

What exactly causes a Candida infection or why it regularly comes back is unclear. However, some conditions can disturb the balance in the vagina:

• with hormonal changes (e.g. menstruation or pregnancy) fungi have a greater chance of growing;
• washing the vagina frequently with soap (neutral and perfumed) can irritate the mucous membrane of the vagina, causing more fungi to develop;
• antibiotics can eliminate certain bacteria in the vagina making fungi more likely to expand;
• certain medications, such as corticosteroids, can increase the chance of developing fungi;
• women with diabetes have a higher risk of fungal infections.
• There is no evidence that tampons, tight clothing or panty liners increase the risk of yeast infection. Also, a vaginal yeast infection is not contagious or sexually transmitted. The fungi have always been present on the skin and mucous membranes. It is the excessive presence of a fungus that eventually leads to an infection.

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What drugs are used for vaginal yeast infection?

 What drugs are used for vaginal yeast infection?

Antifungal medications for use in the vagina
Antifungal medications damage the cell wall of the fungus, causing it to die. In case of a yeast infection in the vagina, local treatment with an antifungal vaginal cream, vaginal tablets or vaginal suppositories (ovules) is usually sufficient. In case of itching of the labia, the cream can also be applied to the labia.

With recurring fungal infections, a vaginal tablet or ovule is sometimes used for a longer period of time once a month, each time on the fifth day of the menstrual period, to prevent the yeast infection from returning. Examples include clotrimazole, miconazole and butoconazole.

Antifungal drugs to take
Antifungal drugs damage the cell wall of the fungus, causing it to die. In the case of a yeast infection, treatment with an antifungal medicine in the form of a vaginal cream, tablet or suppository is usually sufficient. But if the infection comes back often, the doctor may prescribe antifungal medications to take. Examples are fluconazole and itraconazole.

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For vaginal yeast infection : What can the pharmacist do for me?

 For vaginal yeast infection : What can the pharmacist do for me?
Your pharmacist will first ask you a number of questions in order to provide you with the best possible advice. If necessary, he will refer you to your GP. The pharmacist will also help you with advice on the proper use of medicines.

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Tablet or cream
There are medicines that you can buy in pharmacies without a prescription. For vaginal yeast infection, the pharmacy has clotrimazole . This antifungal medication is available in the form of a vaginal tablet or cream.

The vaginal tablet and the cream work equally well. The tablet has the advantage that you only have to use it once. However, the tablet does not help against itching of the labia. The cream does. You will insert this into the vagina with a tool for 6 days, once a day and you can apply it to the labia twice a day if you suffer from itching. The complaints reduce with a vaginal tablet or cream within a few days and should be over within a week.

Your partner
Treatment of your partner is only necessary if he is also affected by it. Keep in mind that vaginal tablets and creams can damage the rubber of a condom. This makes a condom less reliable during treatment and up to 2 days afterwards.