Vaginal Yeast Infection

Vaginal yeast infections, also known as candidiasis, are a common female condition. Yeast infections are caused by the fungus candida. This fungus is associated with intense itching, swelling, and irritation.
See also : Candidiasis

Symptoms

Vaginal yeast infections have a common set of symptoms. Usually the length of time your yeast infection is left untreated can have a direct impact on how severe your symptoms are.

Frequent symptoms include:

• itching
• burning
• large or small amounts of vaginal discharge, often whitish gray and thick (although there are times the discharge can be watery)
• pain during sex
• soreness
• rash

Natural Remedies

• Shirazi Thyme : Comparing the effects of vaginal Zataria multiflora cream and clotrimazole on treatment of acute vaginal candidiasis, Khosravi et al. found that Zataria multiflora was able to reduce the symptoms of vaginal discharge, itching, dysuria, and dyspareunia considerably, and the effect was similar to that of clotrimazole. These findings are also consistent with this study. Effect of Zataria multiflora on clinical improvement can be attributed to carvacrol. Carvacrol affects the biomembrane of microorganisms and its antibacterial and antifungal effects have been demonstrated.
• Garlic is a time honored cure for vaginal yeast infections. Peel a garlic bulb. For easy retrieval you can sew a string through it. At bedtime, insert the clove into the vagina. Remove in the morning. It's that simple. If you cut slits in the bulb, it will work even better. Or you can slice it in half. Slicing and dicing actually increase the "dosage" or strength. Don't be surprised when you find you can taste the garlic. This is a good reminder that every part of our body is connected through fluids and that yeast is a systemic problem.
• Colloidal silver kills yeast on contact. Besides coconut or neem oil, colloidal silver is the least effective within the list, though many do swear by it. Also, it does not cause a burning sensation like many other choices. For a douche, use 1 tablespoon colloidal silver to 8 ounces of water.
• Tea tree oil can be used in a douche (20 drops to 8 ounces of water) or applied directly to a tampon and inserted into the vagina. You can either soak a tampon in tea tree oil or coat it with coconut oil (to keep the tea tree oil from absorbing) and add drops of tea tree oil.
• Oil of Oregano : Gelcaps can be inserted directly into the vagina at night. Body heat will melt the gel. Use 20 drops of oil of oregano liquid to 8 ounces of water for a douche. It can also be used on a tampon (see tea tree oil above).
• Undecylenic acid kills Candida very quickly, however be forewarned--it burns. You can poke a hole in the gelcaps and squeeze the oil directly into the vagina or use 1-3 capsules in 8 ounces of water for a douche. You can also use it on a tampon (see above) or add to coconut oil.
• Coconut oil is an antifungal but it may work best when mixed with other more potent antifungal oils such as oil of oregano or tea tree oil. When an infection is severe and the outer tissues are affected, coconut oil can be a soothing relief. Neem oil is another oil with relatively weaker antimicrobial properties that can be used in a similar manner.
• Apple Cider vinegar : To douche with apple cider vinegar, add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to 8 ounces of filtered water.
• Yogurt : Some will swear by the practice of inserting plain yogurt into the vagina. An ingenious method for doing this is to freeze yogurt inside of tampon inserters. The only problem with this remedy is that most store bought yogurt has weak bacteria, and the pasteurized milk feeds the yeast. If not done right, this protocol can backfire and make the problem even worse.

Warnings

While undecylenic acid (and to a lesser extent, apple cider vinegar) burn sensitive skin, they are not causing damage. Garlic, tea tree oil, and oil of oregano can damage tissue. If the vagina's tissue are healthy enough, and most people's are, it should not be of concern, but please be cautious and use common sense. Try a little at a time, build up, and listen to your body. Neem oil and coconut oil can be used as a base for other more irritating ingredients like the tea tree oil (you can also crush garlic into neem or coconut oil). For most people, undecylenic acid is typically the most painful of the recommendations, but it also is faster and more effective than any other we know of. And, even though it burns, we don't know of any reports of damage to the skin.

Medical Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be substituted for medical advice. Always consult a medical professional regarding any medical problems and before undertaking any treatment or dietary changes.