Many students suffer from vaginal thrush

Greetings and hope my email meets you well. I am staying in a school hostel in a tertiary institution, and I discovered that many young ladies suffer from vaginal thrush. Please enlighten us about it.

Joy C. Thanks Joy for your question and I am happy to provide information that will be useful to you, your friends and other ladies. Vaginal thrush is a common condition caused by a yeast infection in the vagina and surrounding area. The infection is usually Candida albicans. It is also known as vulvovaginal candidiasis. Candida lives harmlessly on the skin, in the mouth, gut and vagina and is normally kept under control by harmless bacteria. But sometimes conditions change and the yeast increases rapidly, causing symptoms of discharge and irritation.

Most women get thrush at some point in their life, but it is most common in women in their 30s and 40s, and in those who are pregnant. It is not clear why some women are more prone to thrush than others. Diabetes and medical conditions that cause problems with the body’s immune system increase the likelihood of it occurring.

Other potential triggers include:

1. Wearing tight clothing – this prevents natural ventilation

2. Taking antibiotics – about 30 per cent of women will have thrush because of this

3. Using products that irritate the vagina, such as vaginal douches or bubble bath 4. Having chemotherapy. Although not usually thought of as a sexually transmitted disease, thrush can sometimes be passed from a lady to her partner after vaginal, oral or anal sex, during foreplay or by sharing sex toys. What are the symptoms of thrush? Some women with thrush will not have any signs or symptoms, and be completely unaware they have thrush. It may only be picked up by chance when you go for a cervical smear test.

In women, include:

1. Vulval irritation 2. Redness of the vagina and vulva 3. Vaginal discharge, often white (like cottage cheese) and this can be thick or thin but is usually odourless

4. Pain or discomfort during sex or when passing urine. How is thrush diagnosed? 1. This is a simple and painless procedure, it involves using a cotton swab to take a sample of cells from the vagina. The swab is then sent to the local laboratory for analysis.

2. Most doctors will treat thrush typical itching, symptoms soreness and without testing because the symptoms of thrush are usually obvious.

How is thrush treated?

If symptoms are mild, your doctor will usually recommend a short course of antifungal medicine, usually for one to three days.If the symptoms are more severe; the treatment course will be longer. A variety of treatment options are available including taking tablets orally, inserting them into the vagina (pessaries) or using a cream. Tablets and pessaries work equally well.

Products that are over-the-counter without seeking medical advice should not be bought. If symptoms do not improve within 14 days, one should see a doctor again and also if: 1. Symptoms come back. 2. One is a teenager or over 60. 3. One is pregnant. 4. One has previously suffered from a sexually transmitted infection.

Symptoms that should always be checked out without delay include abnormal menstrual bleeding, lower abdominal pain, a blood-stained discharge and vaginal ulcers or blisters.

How to prevent thrush?

Apart from using antifungal medicines, there are a number of things one can do to help ease thrush.

1. Wash vaginal area with nonperfumed soap and water, or water alone.

2. Avoid using highly-scented soaps, shower gels, vaginal deodorants or douches.

3. Avoid using latex condoms, spermicidal creams and lubricants if they cause irritation. Instead, try using non-allergic condoms.

4. Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes made of artificial fibres such as nylon.

5. Whenever possible, wear cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes rather than tight ones.

Feel free to share this information with all your peers in your school and beyond.