Whether this is the first time you have developed thrush and you want a quick way of getting rid of it or if you’ve suffered from thrush for months – or even years – and you’re in desperate need a long-term solution, you’ve come the right place for answers.
But first, what exactly is thrush?
No matter what you want to call, it effectively means the same thing – I will use the term Thrush throughout this website.
Although thrush can potentially affect any part of the body, it is most common around the genitalia (vaginal thrush or penile thrush) or in the mouth (oral thrush). This is because candida bacteria is fond of an environment that is both warm and moist.
Thrush can affect both males and females of any age, it is most prevalent in adult women. Other factors that can make someone more vulnerable to getting thrush are if they are pregnant, wear dentures, have diabetes, have a weak immune system or are on a course of antibiotics.
So, how can I tell if I have thrush?
Thrush is characterized by crusty white patches that develop in the mouth or on the penis. For vaginal thrush, these white patches will manifest as a creamy discharge from the vagina.
Other symptoms of thrush includes soreness, itchiness and pain in the mouth or around the genitalia.
If you’ve had thrush before, you shouldn’t have any trouble recognising the signs. If you’ve not suffered from thrush before, it can be difficult to make an accurate diagnosis and so I would recommend consulting with your doctor.
So, how do I get rid of thrush?
As I mentioned a moment ago, if you have not had thrush before, you should get it checked by your doctor and they will usually provide you with a prescription of anti-fungal medicine, which will destroy the candida fungii.
This medicine can come in the form of a tablet or lozenge that is taken orally or a pessary that is inserted into the vagina. You may also be offered an anti-fungal cream to rub on the infected area (for genital thrush) or a rinse that is swilled around in your mouth (for oral thrush).
If you have suffered from thrush before and are able to recognize the symptoms, you can bypass a visit to your doctor and pick up anti-fungal medicine from your local pharmacy (or you can even purchase them online) without a prescription. Two of the most popular brands are Canesten and Diflucan.
In most cases, anti-fungal medicines will clear up thrush within a few days.
How to get rid of constant or recurring thrush
For many reasons, some people are more vulnerable to developing thrush than others and they either suffer from the disease constantly or they get a fresh bout of it almost as soon as the previous bout has cleared.
If you feel that you are one of these rare cases, again a visit to your doctor is advisable. Constant or recurring thrush may be an indication of an underlying health problem (e.g. diabetes or depression), which your doctor will be able to diagnose and provide advice about.
If you’ve been to your doctor and have been given the all-clear for thrush-related illnesses, then you may want to consider a natural holistic approach to combating your thrush.
For many, this will be a last resort as it involves significantly altering your diet and even your lifestyle and the results are not always immediate. Saying that, there are many cases of people who have successfully got rid of their thrush using this approach as well as feeling more healthier in general and developing a stronger immune system against all diseases.
Getting rid of thrush naturally involves a combination of:
- Ingesting healthy probiotics (good bacteria)
- Taking regular exercise
- Getting the optimum amount of sleep
- Practising relaxation techniques
- Changing to a low-yeast or yeast-free diet
Probiotics
Probiotics is the name for a group of friendly bacteria that live in your gut and bolster your immune system, making you less vulnerable to a whole host of illnesses and diseases including thrush.
These bacteria don’t actively try to get rid of disease but instead compete with disease-causing bacteria for resources within your body such as space and resources. Basically, they form a mutually beneficial relationship with you by reducing the amount of resources available that ‘bad’ bacteria need to supply.
Probiotics occur naturally in everyone’s gut, so you won’t be introducing anything new to your body – you’ll simply be topping up their numbers. And it’s better to have bacteria in your body that cause no ill-effects than it is to have disease-causing bacteria (if that makes sense!)
Exercise, Sleep & Relaxation
Getting regular exercise, a sufficient amount of quality sleep and taking time to relax all help towards building a stronger immune system.
There is a large amount of evidence to suggest that people who exercise regularly, get a ill much less than people that don’t (although exercise-related injuries are more common within this group, obviously, so don’t strain yourself to much, especially when first starting out).
No matter who you are, a lack of sleep will make you feel crappy and make you more vulnerable to disease. The ‘adequate’ amount of sleep varies from person to person but if you’re feeling constantly tired, chances are you’re not getting enough.
Be sure you take time to relax and give your brain a break from the toils of everyday life. Practising meditation or yoga can help with this and even simple breathing techniques can help give you a much-needed boost to your immune system.
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