Thrush Treatment

Thrush is another name for candidiasis, which is a fungal infection that occurs on the mucomembranous parts of the body. Thus, thrush mostly occurs as two types - oral thrush and vaginal thrush. In severe cases of immunocompromised individuals, the candidal infection may be systemic, leading to candidal meningitis and candidal septicemia among others. However, when it comes to oral thrush or vaginal thrush, the basic treatment protocol for thrush is the use of antifungal drugs. In most cases, topical antifungal creams are sufficient to treat the condition, but if the symptoms do not recede with the use of topical antifungal drugs, then, the person will have to resort to the use of systemic antifungal drugs, as is seen mostly in cases of immunocompromised patients, where there is no choice but to use high doses of strong systemic antifungal drugs. Let us deal with the treatments of oral thrush and vaginal thrush one by one.

Oral Thrush Treatment

Firstly, oral thrush maybe occurring due to constant irritation from either a denture or relining, which may even cause angular cheilitis and denture sore mouth. In such cases, the denture must be cleaned thoroughly. Sometimes, it may also occur due to withdrawal or change of antibiotics, in which case the prescription needs to be double checked by the doctor. However, in most cases, oral treatment for thrush will be done with the help of topical and systemic drugs.

Topical Oral Thrush
Oral candidiasis, when being treated topically, must consist of topical application for seven days. Although a course of seven days for mouth thrush treatment does help in getting rid of the symptoms, relapses are common, since most cases of oral thrush occur in people that are immunocompromised. Anti-ungal creams are very helpful in treating oral thrush. These include clotrimazole, nystatin, ketoconazole, etc. These are available as ointments and mouth rinses as well. Along with using these topical medicines, it is important to maintain good dental health, by regularly brushing and using mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine.

Systemic Oral Thrush
In some cases that are severe and which do not respond to topical creams and ointments, there is need to use systemic medicines to cure oral thrush. Various systemic antifungal drugs include nystatin, ketoconazole and fluconazole tablets which are to be taken regularly. When taking ketoconazole, it is important to monitor liver functioning, as one of the side effects of this drug is hepatotoxicity. Normally, cases that fail to respond to topical treatment respond very well to systemic treatment. In certain cases where the patient is so immunocompromised that the response is very slow to both topical and systemic treatment, then steroids are used as a last resort. However, it should be remembered that steroids will only suppress the disease and its symptoms and not cure it, so should be used with caution and strictly under the supervision of a practitioner.

Vaginal Thrush Treatment

The treatment of vaginal thrush is also divided into local treatment and systemic treatment. Vaginal thrush often occurs after sexual contact with a person who is already suffering from it. This condition can also be treated using topical or systemic routes.

Topical Vaginal Thrush
Local treatment of candida infection consists of the use of pessaries that are inserted into the vagina or antifungal creams that are to be applied on the vulva and the vagina. In most cases, the use of these local applications alone help to significantly bring about a decrease in the severity of the symptoms. However, this treatment can often be a bit messy and discomforting, so it is best to apply these creams or insert the pessaries at night, just before going to bed. Furthermore, the length of the treatment will vary depending on the severity of the symptoms and the response of the body to the drugs. Some women even suggest certain natural thrush treatment options, like the use of calendula from marigold flowers which is inherently antifungal in nature. Also garlic and tea tree oil are natural germicides that work wonders for vaginal thrush treatment. Even lactic acid wash and the use of vinegar (which is acidic, thus aiding in restoring the pH of the vagina) are also said to aid in topical vaginal thrush treatment.

Systemic Vaginal Thrush
For patients suffering from vaginal thrush, which has not responded to local topical application of the drug, often a single or double strong dose of the antifungal drug, that is available in capsule form, suffices. However, consult a doctor before taking oral antifungal drugs, as these drugs may cause allergic reactions, or there may be drug interactions with other prescription drugs that you may be taking, which may cause further untoward but avoidable complications. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, then it is strongly advised that you try and treat your thrush symptoms with the help of topical creams alone.

Thus, thrush is a relatively common problem that affects a lot of people worldwide and not being a very serious disease, thrush treatment is easily available. To prevent being afflicted by this disease, it is best to eat yogurt, as it contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, which are bacteria that help keep the levels of yeast in the body under control. Also, remember to stay well hydrated and follow a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. However, if your bouts of thrush is recurring in nature, or if you are continuously suffering from other opportunistic infections, then it is best to visit a doctor and run a few tests to diagnose and find out whether there is an underlying serious disease or not.