Home Remedies for Yeast Infections
Most women have ever experienced vaginitis which is characterized with intense itching and soreness accompanied by a thick white discharge. While yeast infections can often be treated successfully at home, it’s important to be sure that yeast is really the culprit. Infection with other types of organisms, which may require treatment with prescription medication, can often be accompanied with symptoms similar to those of a yeast infection. If you’re sure you have a yeast infection, you may want to try the following home remedies:
Dry your vaginal area thoroughly after bathing or showering, because the best medium for yeast organisms is a warm and moist one.
Wear “breathable” cotton and loose pants, and avoid wearing panties, pants, or hose that fit tightly in the vaginal area.
Avoid harsh soaps, “feminine hygiene” sprays, and perfumed products. the alcohol and other chemicals in these products cause irritation and alter the pH balance of the vagina, allowing yeast to flourish.
Wash up extra carefully before lovemaking and ask your sexual partner to do the same.
Avoid routine douching. Women who douche frequently may actually increase their risk for yeast infections by altering the vagina’s pH balance.
Rethink your contraception. Women who take birth control pills or use contraceptive sponges appear to be at increased risk for developing yeast infections.
Have both partners treated. Often, men who harbor yeast organisms show no symptoms. So when one partner is treated for a yeast infection, the other should be treated at the same time to avoid reinfection. Couples who make love before a yeast infection has been completely cured should also use condoms during intercourse (even if another form of contraception is being used) to prevent passing the infection.
Practice good hygiene. Yeast can be passed to other people apart from sexual partners through shared baths or sharing towels.
Avoid stressful situations. They can provoke infection.