Causes and treatment of chronic thrush. Is it possible to get rid of chronic thrush forever? Chronic thrush what to do

We can talk about a recurrent or chronic form of thrush if the disease worsens more than four times a year. Most often this is due to a weakened immune system, which is simply unable to fight the attack of a fungal infection.

Also, relapses are often observed in advanced forms of candidiasis, as a result of which deep lesions caused by yeast-like fungi are present on the walls of the vagina.

Treatment of chronic thrush in women is a long and complex process that requires a patient and attentive attitude to your health. The treatment process of the recurrent form has a number of distinctive features, including lifestyle changes.

It's safe to say that just one pill from a commercial won't help matters.

Causes of development and specificity of chronic candidiasis

Statistics show that in most cases, the chronic form of thrush develops in people with serious disorders and severely weakened defenses. Since the disease can occur against the background of other pathological processes, it is not surprising that if you have complaints characteristic of candidiasis, your doctor may refer you to tests for the presence of sexually transmitted infections and hormonal levels.

To achieve a lasting therapeutic effect, it is important to adhere to the doctor’s recommendations. Self-medication can aggravate the situation and lead to serious complications. Before starting treatment, it is important to understand what caused the development of the disease in a particular case.

The following reasons most often lead to the occurrence of persistent candidiasis:

• chronic infectious processes. Infectious diseases of the genitourinary system greatly weaken the functioning of the immune system, as a result it simply cannot resist attacks from fungal agents;
• hormonal changes, for example, during pregnancy, diabetes, obesity;
• poor nutrition. This is especially true for sweet lovers. An incorrect diet can lead to and, as a result, cause thrush;
• uncontrolled and prolonged use of antibacterial agents;
• initiation of the disease in the early stages.

If we talk about the clinical manifestations of persistent candidiasis, they are similar to the usual form of the disease:

• unpleasant cheesy discharge with a specific odor;
• itching, burning of the genitals;
• swelling and redness of the external genitalia;
• discomfort when urinating.

As for the differences, in the chronic form the symptoms are more pronounced. And in addition to all of the above, cracks appear in the genital area.

How to get rid of chronic thrush?

Treatment of recurrent thrush includes not only the use of antifungal agents. It will require deep, long and serious treatment of the source that led to immune disorders. If you want, it is important to influence the cause of its occurrence.

Treatment of the recurrent form includes detailed and comprehensive monitoring. First of all, of course, it is necessary to check the gynecological smear for flora.

The procedure for taking biological material is absolutely painless. The glass with the material is sent to the laboratory, painted, and the laboratory assistant looks at the smear under a microscope. This study helps to accurately identify or exclude the presence of fungal infection.

If the flora smear is positive, the patient is prescribed an additional test in the form of bacteriological culture of a gynecological smear. In addition, it is important to find an experienced and qualified specialist to help you carry out the procedure.

How to treat chronic thrush?

Treatment is carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor. Prescribing medications is an individual issue that depends on the severity, form of the pathological process, as well as the characteristics of the body.

Treatment of chronic candidiasis is a multi-stage work; if you follow each “step” of the treatment process, then you can rest assured that you will be able to get rid of the hated disease.

Treatment regimen for chronic thrush

Treatment of recurrent thrush includes five main stages, namely:

• combating predisposing factors;
• diet;
• rejection of bad habits;
• drug treatment;
• folk methods.

Combating predisposing factors

The first stage includes three points:

• rational antibiotic therapy;
• maintaining and protecting the immune system;
• personal hygiene.

Let's talk in more detail about maintaining intimate hygiene in women with thrush:

• You should wash your hands thoroughly before and after washing;
• antibacterial soap kills fungal infections well, but at the same time it also has a detrimental effect on beneficial microorganisms, so it is better to use special products for intimate areas;
• Do not overuse baths;
• use an individual towel;
• frequent douching can only aggravate the situation, leading to disruption of the normal microflora;
• You should wash yourself at least twice a day, as well as before and after sexual intercourse;
• You should wash from front to back, this will prevent infection from the intestines;
• give up tampons;
• change pads regularly, as they become a favorable environment for the development of fungal infections;
• to avoid microtraumas, use soft toilet paper;
• wear natural underwear.

Separately, I would like to say about strengthening the immune system during chronic candidiasis. Patients may be prescribed immunomodulatory and vitamin complexes. As a rule, with candidiasis, a deficiency of vitamins such as A, C, E is detected.

These vitamins are wonderful antioxidants, ensure the normal functioning of the mucous membranes of the vagina and take an active part in the body's immune reactions.

To boost immunity, it is important to consume the following foods:

• sea ​​fish;
• olive oil;
• fermented milk products;
• pine nuts;
• citruses;
• dried fruits;
• greenery;
• carrots, etc.

Separately, I would like to mention the harmful effects of nicotine and alcohol on microflora. Even passive smoking greatly weakens the immune system and can lead to candidiasis.

Diet

Proper nutrition plays an important role in the fight against chronic infection. Patients should enrich their diet with foods that have antifungal properties. For example, pumpkin inhibits the growth of fungi. The well-known garlic, according to scientists, has pronounced antibacterial properties and suppresses the growth of fungal cultures.

In addition, it is important to fill the body with “competitors” of the fungal infection – beneficial bacteria. To do this, you need to eat unsweetened yoghurts with live cultures of beneficial microorganisms.

Drug treatment

Drug treatment of chronic thrush includes the use of the following drugs:

• systemic antimycotics;
• local azole therapy.

Popular antimycotics that experts prescribe for recurrent forms of candidiasis are:

• . This drug is considered the gold standard in the treatment of fungal infections. Fluconazole is effective against fungal infections of various types. Doctors prescribe one capsule every three days. The course of treatment is three doses. To prevent exacerbations, one capsule is prescribed once a week for up to six months;
• . This is another effective antimycotic agent. Most often, itraconazole is used in case of ineffectiveness of fluconazole or hypersensitivity to this active substance. Take one capsule per day for a week. For prevention, itraconaol is taken one capsule on the first day of menstruation for three months.

Local therapy with azole drugs includes the following:

• . This drug has pronounced fungicidal and fungistatic properties, that is, it not only stops the growth of fungal infections, but also disrupts their vital functions. The tablet is inserted into the vagina overnight;
• bifonazole The product is an antimycotic drug with a wide spectrum of action. Bifonazole destroys the protective membrane of the fungal cell, which leads to its death. The cream is applied once a day for two to four months.

Prevention is the best cure

It is much easier to prevent a disease than to treat it, and this is especially true for thrush. include many aspects that are aimed at various areas of human life.

The first and fundamental points that will help prevent the disease are:

• stopping contact with infected people;
• maximum strengthening of protective forces;
• careful adherence to personal hygiene rules.

For those patients who have already undergone treatment, the following is recommended to prevent re-infection:

• use of barrier methods of contraception;
• early examination and treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system;
• timely treatment of disorders that can lead to weakened immunity;
• refusal of intimacy with an infected person.

The most important rule is to avoid self-diagnosis and self-medication. You should not rely on commercials and word of mouth. Only a qualified specialist with the necessary knowledge base will be able to prescribe the optimal treatment that will bring the desired result.

Is it possible to cure chronic thrush using traditional medicine?

Traditional medicine is not an alternative to traditional methods, but only a supplement. Despite the fact that they are generally reliable and safe, their illiterate use can lead to serious consequences. That is why alternative treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist.

It is also worth noting that traditional methods can only slightly reduce the manifestations of clinical symptoms, but they do not affect the cause of candidiasis itself.

Let's consider effective and popular techniques:

• gynecological collection. The finished product can be purchased at a pharmacy. It can be used internally. To do this, pour a tablespoon of the product into a glass of water and boil for ten minutes. After straining, the decoction is ready for use. Also, breast collection can be used as douching. To do this, four tablespoons of the prepared decoction must be diluted in a liter of warm water;
• local baths. To prepare the medicine you will need one teaspoon of copper sulfate, alum and boric acid. The ingredients should be poured with a liter of boiling water. Next, the product should be infused for two days in a dark, dry place;
• washing. To carry out the procedure, you will need medicinal plants. It is necessary to take the following plants in equal parts: chamomile, calendula, sage, yarrow, juniper, eucalyptus, birch and poplar buds. For one liter of boiling water there are two tablespoons of raw materials. The product should sit in a thermos overnight. The resulting infusion can be used for baths taken before bedtime;
• soda and iodine. One tablespoon of baking soda should be dissolved in a liter of water, then add a teaspoon of iodine. The solution must be poured into a basin and sit for twenty minutes. This procedure should be done daily for a month.

Treatment of chronic thrush is long and painstaking work. You should not allow the disease to become your constant companion in life - as soon as the first symptoms of thrush appear, seek professional help.

A fungal disease such as thrush can be completely eliminated in almost all cases, but only with proper and relevant therapy.

Treatment of vaginal candidiasis includes medicinal use of drugs and adherence to diet, hygiene and care of the genitals and skin. Even today, a hot topic is the removal of thrush using folk remedies.

The first signs of eliminating candidiasis can be deceptive, and therefore the disease often manifests itself after some time. If it is not cured completely, the disease enters the chronic stage. In this form, it is more dangerous than acute thrush, so it is very important to have an understanding of this form of the disease, as well as how to eliminate it. What is chronic thrush in women

Periodic candidiasis leads to the fact that women often experience a feeling of discomfort in the vagina. In addition to feelings of discomfort, discharge, itching and dysuria appear. Such severe symptoms, which have a periodic form of manifestation, lead to the fact that the woman is diagnosed with chronic thrush at her next visit to the gynecologist.

In frequent cases, treatment of candidiasis with self-therapy leads to the development of relapses later. For it to be effective, you will first need to determine the exact type of disease, then find out the causative agent and prescribe the appropriate medications.

Women who self-diagnose themselves have a high risk of not detecting manifestations of the etiology. This will lead to the fact that the acute form of thrush will smoothly turn into chronic.

When a woman comes to see a gynecologist with complaints about suspected periodic thrush, the doctor during the examination pays special attention to severe irritation of the skin. If it is present on the vaginal walls and a cheesy discharge forms on them, a preliminary diagnosis of chronic thrush can be made.

To be sure, the doctor orders a fungal culture test. Although it has some limitations, it is still widely used to identify pathogens. Only after receiving accurate results can we talk about prescribing appropriate medications.

A smear of vaginal secretion makes it possible to conduct research for the presence of mycelium. In addition, laboratory testing for trichomoniasis may be required. It will allow you to determine the presence of infections that rapidly contribute to the development of a vaginal or bacterial type of illness. Female candidiasis is dangerous because the lack of treatment will not only lead to the development of a chronic form, but will also provoke problems with the reproductive system.

Causes of chronic thrush

Before you understand the question of how to cure periodic thrush, you need to find out why this type of disease occurs. The fundamental reason for the development of the chronic form of candidiasis is a violation of the protective function of the body. It is the weakening of the immune system that leads to a deterioration in health and the development of many infectious diseases. The following factors influence the decrease in the body’s protective function:

1. Frequent worries, stressful situations and emotional overstrain. This leads to the body becoming weak and overpowered by viruses.
2. Endocrine diseases. Its fundamental signs are diabetes and obesity problems.
3. Hormonal disorders. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, menstruation and other periods lead to hormonal disruption in the body, which contributes to a decrease in immunity.
4. Bad habits. Smoking and alcohol abuse have a negative impact on the defense system, which gradually decreases, thereby opening access to pathogenic bacteria.
5. Insufficient content of vitamins and minerals in the body. If a person does not use them, then as a result this will lead to not the best results.
6. Disorders of the digestive and intestinal systems.
7. Drug therapy that leads to a weakening of the protective function.
8. A diet that includes eating large amounts of carbohydrates and fats. The result is excess weight.
9. The use of various types of gels for intimate areas, which create favorable conditions for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.
10. Infrequently changing pads during menstruation can also become a problem.

In addition to all of the above, special attention needs to be paid to clothing. Wearing tight and constricting panties, the main material of which is synthetic, will definitely have a negative impact in the form of the development of candidiasis. There are more than enough reasons for the formation of the disease, so sometimes it is not possible to completely eliminate them. If, nevertheless, cured candidiasis appears again, then it is necessary to resort to appropriate therapy. Treatment of chronic thrush in women differs significantly from the acute form of the disease. But first, let's find out the main signs of the disease.

Symptoms of chronic thrush

If in men the symptoms of thrush are mild, then in women it’s just the opposite. They are more susceptible to developing the disease, since the vaginal cavity is the best environment for the reproduction and spread of fungal spores.

Read also: What causes thrush in girls?

The main symptoms of this disease include:

• the formation of white, cheesy discharge from the vagina, which the woman does not find out about immediately, but after some time;
• change in color of the labia to bright red;
• the appearance of itching on the labia;
• pain is experienced during intercourse;
• formation of irritation in the perineal area.

This pattern of symptoms appears periodically. A woman simply may not pay enough attention to them, but one day, turning to a gynecologist with complaints, she learns about an unpleasant disease.

If the treatment of the acute form of thrush often requires from 5 to 10 days, then to eliminate the chronic form of the disease, an integrated approach is needed. It is nothing more than the use of systemic and local medications.

Chronic thrush can be determined using clinical tests, since the woman practically does not feel any particular discomfort and, moreover, sees no reason to remove the problems that arise. We will find out further what the treatment regimen for candidiasis in women looks like.

How to treat chronic thrush

Treatment of chronic thrush is a therapy in which it is important to adhere to all recommendations and prescriptions of the doctor. If the doctor has prescribed you to take pills for a certain period, then you need to follow this prescription. Chronic thrush, although a more dangerous form of the disease, can be eliminated. How to treat chronic thrush, we will find out further:

1. To begin with, you should resort to the use of local antimycotic drugs.
2. Systemic elimination of the disease helps destroy fungal bacteria from the inside.
3. Restoration of immunity, thereby increasing the protective function of the body.
4. Switch to proper and healthy nutrition.
5. Maintaining hygiene and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Clotrimazole

The main drug for the treatment of thrush is Clotrimazole. Many doctors know its effectiveness, so at the first sign they prescribe its use. It is available in different forms and a woman can choose the most suitable one for herself. Suppositories and tablets are inserted into the vaginal cavity, and creams and ointments are used to lubricate the labia and affected areas. Effectively fights all types of fungal spores, but to cure the chronic form, you will need to extend the course to several weeks. Clotrimazole is strictly prohibited for use by pregnant women in the first three months.

Fluconazole

Pimafucin and Livarol

Chronic thrush should be treated with Pimafucin or Livarol. They are no less popular than Clotrimazole. It has different forms of release: tablets, creams and suppositories. This drug, compared to Clotrimazole, is approved for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The duration of treatment is up to 10 days, but sometimes therapy can be extended to several months. Even if after 10 days of use all symptoms disappear, this does not mean that it is time to quit therapy. The longer the course lasts, the more effective it is, especially in relation to advanced forms.

Livarol is also popular because it is based on ketoconazole. The chronic stage of the disease can be treated for at least 10 days. Livarol suppositories for thrush should be placed in the vagina at night for 10 days, even in the absence of symptoms of the disease. Livarol, like Clotrimazole, is prohibited for use during pregnancy. The drug is caused by side symptoms, manifested in the form of itching and redness of the skin.

Analogs

In addition to the drugs described above for the treatment of chronic thrush, you can also use:

• Antifungol;
• Kandibene;
• Kanizon.

There is also a very large list of medications to combat thrush, but in order to really cure the chronic form, you must follow all the doctor’s instructions, the regimen and specifics of using the medications that are indicated in the instructions for them.

Thrush, or vaginal candidiasis, is more susceptible to women than men. This is explained by the structural features of the genital organs, as well as the period of menstruation, which significantly suppresses women’s immunity. If the disease is not treated for a long time, it becomes chronic. Symptoms under such circumstances will be blurred, and thrush itself will be characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission (subsidence).

The opinion that chronic thrush in women cannot be treated is very erroneous. In fact, the disease responds well to treatment, and if the patient follows all the recommendations of the attending physician, then candidiasis will not make itself known very soon. Or maybe more and no more will arise at all.

Treatment for chronic thrush should be comprehensive and necessarily include diet. Otherwise, you will have to wait a very long time for recovery.

Reasons for the development of chronic thrush in women

Many women know that thrush is caused by yeast fungi of the genus Candida. We will try to find out in more detail the reasons why the disease becomes chronic.

Treatment of acute thrush should begin immediately after the first symptoms appear. The longer a woman delays visiting the gynecologist’s office, the more the pathology worsens. As a result, it can be complicated by other diseases, and also “rage” so much that the patient’s well-being becomes literally terrible.

But gradually the situation may begin to improve, and the woman will be suspicious that the disease has self-liquidated. From this emerges the first reason for the transition of thrush to a chronic form: the lack of timely treatment.

The second reason is incorrectly selected therapy. Especially often, vaginal thrush becomes chronic in women who try to cure it on their own using ointments or folk remedies.

This disease requires an exclusively comprehensive therapeutic approach, and in most cases it is not possible to get rid of it without resorting to taking tablets or capsules.

Folk recipes, as well as topical medications can be used as aids. But they are not suitable as independent methods of combating candidiasis, which not all patients know. Using such drugs, they unconsciously trigger the pathology, actually allowing it to enter the chronic phase.

Finally, the third reason for the occurrence of chronic thrush is incomplete treatment. When using medications prescribed by a doctor, it is important to use them for the period of time indicated in the therapeutic regimen. If this is not done, then you can only get rid of the symptoms, but not kill the fungi. Thus, they will remain to live on the mucous membranes of the vagina, waiting for a favorable moment to begin active reproduction.

The danger of candidiasis is that it is very contagious. That is, a man can become infected with the disease from an infected woman during sexual intercourse, as well as simply during a night’s sleep.

That is why both partners should undergo treatment for thrush at the same time, with the same drugs. But a man will take them for prevention, and a woman will take them in order to get rid of an existing disease.

Why does chronic thrush worsen, and how to recognize it?

If vaginal thrush has become chronic, the patient must understand that the disease will periodically worsen. This does not happen spontaneously, but under the influence of certain predisposing factors. This is especially true for situations where immunity is reduced due to:

• prolonged or uncontrolled use of antibiotics;
• hypothermia;
• alcohol abuse;
• excessive passion for certain foods (spicy, salty, smoked foods);
• menstruation and premenstrual syndrome;
• severe stress, anxiety, psycho-emotional shocks;
• taking immunosuppressants;
• hormone therapy;
• treatment of cancer pathologies with chemotherapy, radiation techniques;
• surgical interventions;
• having promiscuous sex life.

Important! Chronic thrush tends to often worsen during pregnancy. During this period, the disease can have extremely negative consequences, primarily for the fetus. Therefore, a woman is obliged to seek help from a doctor when the first alarming symptoms of pathology appear. It is unacceptable to resort to self-medication under such circumstances!

Symptoms of chronic thrush

Symptoms of the chronic form of vaginal thrush are vague. That is, even during the next outbreak of pathology, they will not appear as brightly as with acute candidiasis. We also note that the clinical picture of such a pathological process in women and men will proceed somewhat differently.

So, the symptoms of chronic, recurrent thrush appear:

• excessive dryness of the vaginal mucosa;
• pain, discomfort during sexual intercourse;
• atrophic processes in the tissues of the vaginal mucosa;
• active keratinization of vulvar tissue.

Every woman who has ever encountered acute vaginal candidiasis is very familiar with such unpleasant symptoms as swelling of the vulva, severe itching, burning, pain in the cervical canal, and intense discharge of curdled leucorrhoea. So, with the chronic form of thrush, such abnormal manifestations are not observed. The vulva does not swell; itching and burning may be present, but they will be extremely mild.

As for one of, perhaps, the most important symptoms of thrush - curdled discharge - they are present, but occur in minimal quantities. In addition, they may have the consistency of ordinary leucorrhoea - mucous, yellowish, “milky”.

An increase in body temperature, especially basal (internal), as is often the case with acute thrush, may not occur during an exacerbation of the chronic form of the disease. Therefore, this symptom is not an indicator of the disease. But its presence can still be suspected from the clinical picture described above, and as soon as such symptoms appear, the woman should immediately make an appointment with her gynecologist.

Diagnosis of chronic thrush

During the appointment, the gynecologist must first of all collect a similar history of the disease. Studying complaints and conducting a visual examination of the vaginal cavity helps to clarify the situation, but accurate results can only be obtained after taking a smear for examination.

During this laboratory procedure, fungi of the genus Candida are detected in the selected secretions. But since even in healthy people they can also be present in some quantity, their detection does not always indicate the presence of candidiasis.

However, if these organisms were found in large quantities, then by comparing the test data with the information collected during the interview and examination, the doctor can confirm the diagnosis of chronic thrush, which is in the acute phase. After this, treatment begins immediately, since the longer it is absent, the more serious and unpleasant the consequences of an advanced disease can be.

Drug treatment of chronic thrush

The treatment regimen for the chronic form of vaginal candidiasis is developed strictly for each patient separately.

An individual approach to the issue of treatment is determined by the reasons for the development of the disease, its course, the presence or absence of complications, etc.

As already noted, a man and a woman should be treated at the same time, since even while taking medications, a girl can infect her sexual partner. Alas, it is not always possible to completely cure chronic thrush, even despite a wide range of antifungal drugs. This is explained, first of all, by the fact that candida fungi have already developed resistance to many active substances, so the healing process is delayed.

But this does not mean that the disease does not need to be treated. It can and should be cured - albeit not completely, but a properly developed treatment regimen will help to delay the exacerbation of chronic thrush for a long time.

What oral medications should I use?

How to treat chronic thrush, and what oral medications will help get rid of the pathology? The most popular medications available in the form of tablets or capsules for oral use are:

1. Fluconazole. This is both a drug and a separate active substance, which is part of other antimycotics. On its basis, both tablets and ointments and creams for topical use are made. Usually, to cure thrush, Fluconazole is taken in a dose of 1 tablet of 200 or 400 mg once. But since the chronic form of the disease is more difficult to treat, a longer therapeutic course may be necessary. Based on this, the medication regimen should be developed strictly individually. A popular analogue of Fluconazole is Fucis.
2. Nystatin. This drug has become a “classic” in the treatment of thrush. This is a fairly potent medication that helps cure various pathologies of fungal etiology in women and men. Of course, with the chronic form of the disease the situation is somewhat more difficult, but if you strictly follow the treatment regimen developed by the doctor, you can forget about the unpleasant symptoms for a long time. It is recommended to drink Nystatin 1 tablet 3 – 4 times a day. To cure chronic thrush, you need to continue the course of therapy for at least 10, but not more than 14 days.
3. Vfend. Oral tablets containing voriconazole as the main ingredient. The medication helps cure chronic thrush, and also, over a certain period of time, helps protect against recurrence of the fungal disease. Not only girls, but also men can take pills for different types of candidiasis. Treatment of chronic thrush in women with this medicine is carried out according to the following scheme: 400 mg every 12 hours for patients weighing over 40 kg, or 200 mg every 12 hours for girls weighing less than 40 kg. The duration of therapy is determined separately for each patient.

Treatment of chronic vaginal candidiasis with the use of systemic drugs should be carried out strictly as prescribed by the doctor. Self-medication can have serious consequences and this should not be forgotten.

Topical products

You can supplement the main treatment with medications for chronic thrush in women with ointments and creams. And sometimes such therapy is extremely necessary. Most often, in this case, gynecologists resort to prescribing:

• Nystatin;
• Pimafucin;
• Clotrimazole;
• Miconazole;
• Fluconazole;
• Nizoral;
• Candida;
• Ginofort, etc.

It is important to remember that such products are applied exclusively to clean, dry areas of the vulva and vagina. After this, you need to lie down for 15–20 minutes so that the medicine is absorbed. Only then can you put on underwear (if necessary, use panty liners).

It is worth remembering that ointments, creams, sprays and gels cannot independently cure acute vaginal candidiasis. With the acute form of the disease, the situation is somewhat different, especially if it has just begun to develop. Under such circumstances, local antimycotics are able to stop the inflammatory process and get rid of the pathology, but they need to be used for a long time.

What else do you need to know?

Chronic thrush in men and women can only be cured by following a diet. It is a mandatory addition to the main therapeutic regimen. So, the following are completely excluded from the menu:

• alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks;
• all products that can provoke an allergic reaction;
• sweets;
• pickles;
• smoked meats;
• fried, spicy, fatty, salty dishes and foods;
• citrus;
• too sour food.

To quickly cure an unpleasant disease, the main therapy can be combined with chamomile, eucalyptus, sage lotions, applications, compresses or douches. The main thing is that the decoctions used are not too rich, otherwise there is a high risk of vaginal burns, and they can significantly aggravate the course of candidiasis in a woman.

Almost all women know firsthand that thrush is not a cute saleswoman of products produced by cows, but a very unpleasant disease.

In modern pharmacies you can find quite effective remedies that cope well with this disease. However, when it comes to the treatment of chronic thrush in women, it will not be possible to get rid of it with one Diflucan capsule, as the well-known advertisement promises.

When does thrush become chronic?

Mycosis of the vagina is a fungal infection. Colonies of these microorganisms grow rapidly when a person’s immunity is greatly weakened. A decrease in immunity can be caused by various reasons. One of them is a sluggish ongoing infectious process. That is why doctors suggest that patients who complain of symptoms of a prolonged illness undergo a series of examinations to determine the root cause of the illness.

The symptoms of a persistent disease do not differ from the signs of the disease at the first stage, however, the treatment of chronic thrush has some features.

Chronic thrush in women: treatment features

Therapy for vaginal mycosis begins with a complete examination of the woman and identification of the cause of the development of the disease. If during this process any pathologies are discovered, the main efforts will be devoted to eliminating it. Only if hormonal levels, metabolic processes and the body’s immunity are normalized can therapy for candidiasis begin.

As the site found out, when fighting fungal infections of this form, special schemes are used that can only be selected by a doctor. Any of these schemes should consist of the following points:

• eliminating factors that provoke fungal growth;
• increasing immunity;
• giving up bad habits and switching to proper nutrition;
• antifungal therapy;
• auxiliary methods of traditional medicine.

Treatment of chronic thrush cannot be easy and quick: a disease that develops over a long time causes great changes in the affected organs. This disease cannot be treated without the help of a doctor. Despite the abundance of strong antifungal capsules and suppositories in pharmacies, it is dangerous to use them on your own: an incorrectly calculated dosage of the medicine can cause microorganisms to become resistant to its components. In the future, this will complicate the fight against the disease.

In addition, antifungal agents are far from safe for the body: they often have strong side effects. At the same time, there can be no guarantee of complete disposal of drugs, because not all types of fungi are sensitive to them.

If a woman has chronic thrush, an experienced gynecologist will conduct a series of studies and prescribe complex therapy.

Fighting resistant candidiasis: methods of modern medicine

In addition to oral medications, for vaginal mycosis that occurs over a long period of time, doctors prescribe vaginal suppositories. There are many varieties of such suppositories, each of which is capable of destroying different types of microspores, cryptococci or coccidia:

• Clotrimazole. These suppositories effectively destroy the disease caused by fungi of the genus Candida. They act locally, so the symptoms of candidiasis disappear within a few hours after administration of the suppository. The duration of the therapeutic course with this remedy is about 6 days.
• Livarol. Candles destroy not only yeast, but also dermatophyte fungi. Livarol also has an antimicrobial effect: it destroys staphylococci and streptococci. It is this medicine that is often prescribed when the question arises of how to cure chronic thrush in a week.
• Macroworld. Suppositories contain nystatin and nifuratel, which fight yeast and bacterial infections at the same time. They are effective against persistent pathology that develops against the background of sexually transmitted diseases. The course of treatment with the drug is 8 days.
• Pimafucin. Suppositories that are active against yeast fungi. If a chronic disease is caused by these microorganisms, after a course of treatment with suppositories (6 days) the disease will recede.
• Zalain. This substance has a powerful antifungal effect, due to which it quickly destroys colonies of Candida microspores. However, it does not work against other strains, so it cannot always cope with protracted pathology. The course of treatment with Zalain is usually 7 days.
• Terzhinan. The product effectively destroys fungi and bacteria, relieves the symptoms of thrush - burning in the vaginal area, swelling of the mucous membrane, cheesy discharge. It is prescribed in particularly difficult cases. Treatment with suppositories lasts about 10 days.

Modern medicine does not deny the advisability of using traditional methods, the most famous of which are douching with herbal decoctions. For example, traditional medicine has long treated candidiasis of various forms using decoctions of oak bark, celandine, an aqueous solution of alcoholic tincture of propolis, and garlic water. Such methods may well be part of the treatment regimen for the disease, since they help to quickly eliminate the symptoms of fungal infection. The duration of use of traditional methods can only be determined by a gynecologist.

Many doctors prefer medicinal baths to douching: with this method of using herbal decoctions and infusions, the risk of introducing an infection deeper inside the body is significantly reduced.

A new form of turning to traditional medicine in the treatment of vaginal candidiasis are medicinal tampons soaked in herbal decoctions: they are easy to use and quite safe.

The next step in the fight against chronic candidiasis is to prescribe the woman medications and procedures that will help her organs restore functionality.

Recovery after treatment of chronic thrush

After antifungal and antimicrobial therapy, the body's microflora is severely disturbed, which leads to a decrease in immunity and the threat of relapse of the disease. Therefore, rehabilitation procedures are extremely important to ensure that chronic thrush goes away and does not return.

To restore local immunity after treatment for yeast vaginitis, women are recommended to take a course of probiotics. Most often, gynecologists recommend their patients to use tampons with Bifidumbacterin. This drug quite effectively restores the vaginal microflora, and it is easy to use. Those who have experienced chronic thrush claim that this probiotic helped them forget about the symptoms of the disease once and for all.

Lactonorm vaginal capsules were developed specifically to restore vaginal immunity. In the treatment regimen for chronic thrush, this drug plays an important role. It is easy to use, effective, and safe.

Vagisan is also a probiotic created specifically to combat vaginal dysbiosis. This is an oral drug, but it is very effective in restoring the microflora of the female genital organs.

After a course of treatment with antifungal drugs, there is also a need to restore the intestinal microflora.

Well-known oral probiotics - Linex, Baktisubtil, Lacidofil, Enterozermin, etc. - can help with this.

In order to get rid of the symptoms of thrush forever, it is not enough to cure it with special medications and take a course of probiotics. You also need to change your habits and start eating right. The fact is that chronic diseases always flourish on fertile soil, which is an incorrect lifestyle. These include frequent changes of sexual partners, poor hygiene, addiction to alcoholic beverages, smoking, and other bad habits. To forget about candidiasis, you will have to give up these bad habits.

Prevention of relapse of chronic pathology is also a change in eating habits. Doctors claim that reducing sugar consumption will help cure the disease, since the fungus loves sweets very much. It is useful for women who want to cure this disease to start eating more dairy products: they contain compounds that are beneficial for the immune system, strengthen blood vessels, and help maintain the microflora of the whole body. In addition to dairy products, it is recommended to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits: the fiber they contain cleanses the intestines of harmful microorganisms, which has a beneficial effect on the immune system.

Many women wonder: does it make sense to treat thrush at all if it has become chronic, since its symptoms are usually mild, and constant use of pills negatively affects the condition of the gastrointestinal tract? Doctors answer this question unequivocally: the disease must be treated, otherwise it will cause a number of complications, including infertility. And it’s quite possible to get rid of it if you have patience and complete the entire course as recommended by the gynecologist.

The article was checked by a practicing family doctor, Elizaveta Anatolyevna Krizhanovskaya, 5 years of experience

Do not use the information posted on the site without first consulting your doctor!

The medical portal site reveals the secrets of the fight against candidiasis - a group of diseases that are caused by microscopic yeast-like fungi from the genus Candida. Thrush is popularly called one of the forms of the disease - damage to the visible mucous membranes (for example, oral thrush or the genital form of the disease). This name is based on its characteristic symptom - the formation of a white coating on the mucous membranes, similar to curdled milk.

The site contains materials on the clinical picture, diagnosis, therapy and prevention of candidal infection in adults and children. All articles were written by practicing doctors with extensive experience in treating various forms of this disease. It contains everything that doctors want, but do not have time to tell at the appointment, and also provides answers to many sensitive questions that patients are embarrassed to ask in person.

The materials are presented in simple, accessible language and are intended for readers without medical training.

To make it easier for you to find the information you are interested in, we have grouped the topics into categories:

General articles about thrush

Results of culture of bacterial materials containing Candida

Every person comes into contact with candidiasis pathogens every day. Let's say more - Candida fungi constantly live on the skin and mucous membranes of most of us. Only some people get sick for some reason, while others don’t. Of those people who get sick, some get rid of the infection relatively easily, while others cannot recover for years. Why this happens and what the course of the disease depends on - read in this section.

Here you will find answers to questions:

• What organs does Candida fungus affect, except the mucous membranes of the genitals?

Thrush in women

Thrush in women

Both women and men suffer from sexual candidiasis, but 90% of those suffering from this disease with clear clinical manifestations are representatives of the fairer sex. Why Candida fungi more often attack the female body, how the fair half of humanity can resist them and how to save themselves if the symptoms of thrush have already made themselves felt - you will learn from this section.

You will also learn from it:

Thrush during pregnancy

While expecting a baby, any infections are dangerous, but no matter how much the expectant mother takes care of herself, she is not always able to avoid genital candidiasis. Why is this happening? What are the peculiarities of the course and treatment of thrush in pregnant women? Can the disease be passed on to a child? Answers to questions are collected in this section.

In it you will find information:

• About the differences in the clinical picture and treatment tactics for candidiasis in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
• About how sexual candidiasis affects the course of childbirth and the postpartum period.
• Can chronic genital candidiasis cause infertility?
• Is genital thrush in a pregnant woman an indication for cesarean section?

Candidiasis in children

Any infectious disease in children occurs differently than in adults. And candidiasis is no exception. Many babies get sick with it in the first weeks after birth, but some mothers take it calmly, while others panic and insist on immediate hospitalization of the child. Which of them is right and what is the peculiarity of candidiasis infection in childhood, read in this section.

• Why candidiasis is dangerous for children under one year of age?
• How to treat oral thrush in infants.
• What organs can suffer from candidal infection in children, except the mucous membrane of the tongue and gums.
• What drugs are used to treat thrush in childhood.
• How to feed infants suffering from oral candidiasis.

Thrush in men

Men are not used to succumbing to diseases, but thrush can become a real test of character for them - its symptoms are so painful. Candidiasis does not often affect men, but for those whose body could not withstand the onslaught of infection, it can be said to “come off in full”... Read about the peculiarities of the clinical picture and course of candidiasis in the stronger half of humanity in this section.

Click on photo to enlarge

It also contains information:

• Can a man suffering from genital candidiasis have sex?
• Can thrush cause male infertility and cause problems with potency?
• How do men become infected with genital candidiasis?
• What are the differences in the use of anticandidal drugs in women and men?

Medicines for the treatment of thrush

The most important information about any disease is how to cure it. This section contains truthful information about medications against various forms of candidiasis. However, here you will not find ready-made recipes for self-medication, since for candidal infections it does more harm than good. By taking medicine without a specialist's prescription, you greatly increase the risk of the disease becoming chronic, which is very difficult to cure.

Preparations for the treatment of thrush. Click on photo to enlarge

Here you will find answers to questions:

Traditional medicine against thrush

Cases of curing candidiasis infection with folk remedies alone are unknown to official medicine, but this does not mean that you will have to give them up. The ancient herbalists that our great-grandmothers used to save themselves keep many useful recipes. Although folk remedies do not completely get rid of the disease, they help strengthen the immune system and eliminate the painful symptoms that cause so much trouble with thrush.

• About common mistakes in using home remedies that lead to serious consequences.
• About why douching with soda gives only a temporary effect and provokes relapses of thrush.
• About which category of patients folk remedies are strictly contraindicated.

Let infections bypass you and your loved ones!