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Yeast Infection: Conventional and Alternative Treatments

So just when do you know when a yeast infection is “just superficial” and when you need to seek the professional guidance of your health care practitioner?

If you’re in good health, one indication is that if you try to solve the problem yourself with over-the-counter medications and fail. Then you should seek the aid of your health care practitioner.

If you have a weakened or compromised immune system – no matter the cause of your weakened state – you should contact

you health care practitioner at the first sign of any yeast infection. It doesn’t matter if it may seem trivial to you, contact her anyway. This gives her the opportunity to monitor the situation from the very start.

There are other reasons to call your health care practitioner as well. If you’re experiencing a vaginal yeast infection, with the discharge lasting for more than one week, you should consult a professional.

You should also contact your health care practitioner if you experience recurring yeast infections; this may be a sign of a more serious, underlying problem. If, along with your vaginal discharge, you also have a bloody discharge, or abdominal pain, a fever or increased urination, consult your health care practitioner.

Contact your health care practitioner if you develop oral thrush. This particular infection requires a prescription medication. If oral thrush develops in a child, watch him carefully. If he has drunk nothing for the last 12 hours then you need to contact your health care practitioner. She may want to place him on IV fluid replacement.

Just as there are many versions of the fungus and it affects many areas of the body, there exists a wide variety of treatment options for the fungus Candida. How your health care practitioner treats your particular symptoms depends on what type of fungus you have, where the infection is located and the severity of your symptoms – to name just a few variables.

Options for treating this type of infection include a myriad of creams, pills, lotions, troches (also more commonly called lozenges) as well as vaginal suppositories. Here are some of the classes of medication your health care practitioner may prescribe.

They are called azole medications. They belong to a family of antifungal drugs and you can recognize them because they all end in the suffix “-azole.” They work by blocking the creation of ergosterol, a vital substance in the cell wall of the yeast. Without this substance, the yeast cell wall weakens and leaks. Eventually the yeast die. Ergosterol is not found in human membranes, so the azole medications do no harm to human cells.

Another type of medication is called polyene antifungals. These include nystatin and amphotericin B. Nystatin is used primarily to treat thrush as well as some superficial candidal infections. Doctors pull out the amphotericin B only for the more serious fungal infections that are systemic, those affecting your whole system.

These antifungal drugs work by literally attaching themselves to the ergosterol of the cell walls. Then they create artificial holes in the walls that cause the yeast to leak and eventually die.

Yeast Infection: Alternative Treatments

In the vast majority of cases, a yeast infection does not necessarily mean a visit to your health care practitioner. There are home remedies for yeast infection. For many people, a yeast infection remains a simple matter, easily treatable and quickly dealt with.

And there are, indeed, many alternative and complementary ways of dealing with this temporary overgrowth of bacteria. Perhaps one of the most popular of ways these days is by actually preventing the overgrowth through the regular use of probiotics. Probiotics are sometimes called the “friendly bacteria”. They naturally suppress the growth of the potentially harmful organism, Candida, as well as several other types of bacteria.

The prebiotic Lactobacillus is currently being studied for a possible remedy for yeast infection. In some clinical trials low levels of Lactobacilli in the vagina have been linked to a higher incidence of yeast infections.

Preliminary laboratory studies have also discovered that the presence of Lactobacilli can actually block the growth of Candida albicans in the vagina.

There are many brands of probiotics on the market today. Before you begin taking one, though, be sure you consult with your natural health care practitioner.

Many people have relieved their yeast infections with the use of the tea tree oil. When diluted and applied topically to the vaginal area, it has potential as a natural method of clearing up a yeast infection.

You might not need to ward off any vampires, but garlic may be one of the best natural substances to use if you want to rid yourself of a yeast infection. At least this is the opinion of Tori Hudson, N.D., professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She’s also the author of the Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Garlic possesses both antifungal and immunity-boosting properties.

Other herbs which may help alleviate a yeast infection include grape root extras and lavender extract. If you’re interested in these remedies, you may want to consult a professional herbalist before embarking on your own program. She can help you decide on the proper serving of these herbs. Before you start any alternative or complementary program to treat a yeast infection – or any other health problem for that matter – also consult with your personal health care practitioner. He’ll let you know if any of the herbs you’re planning on taking conflict with any of the prescription drugs you’re using.

Another herb that has proven extremely beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of yeast infections is Echinacea. Most widely known for its immune-boosting abilities, Echinacea has been found through several German studies to actually help reduce the incidence of yeast infections.

While you’re searching for herbs to help your yeast infection, you may want to turn to goldenseal. This legendary herb contains antibiotic properties that are especially effective on Candida.

Keep in mind, though, that if any of these remedies fails to clear up your yeast infection, you need to visit your personal health care practitioner. A yeast infection, allowed to grow for very long, can indeed have very serious consequences.

Note: Some statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice.

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