Many lives are made miserable every day by thrush symptoms that can be embarrassing, uncomfortable, aggravating and painful. As you will find there is more to treatment of thrush, otherwise known as yeast infection or Candidiasis, than you might first be led to believe. But once you can recognize that you are suffering the symptoms of thrush you can at least begin to treat the problem and work towards some lasting relief.
It is fair to say that there are some fairly effective pharmaceutical remedies for thrush, probably best known amongst these being the brand Canesten. This trademark belongs to the large pharmaceutical products manufacturer, Bayer. But, basically, products containing the same yeast infection treatment ingredient are available under various other names. In its generic form the drug which can 'subdue' Candida yeast overgrowth when used as advised by your Doctor is clotrimazole.
Some of the better know preparations that are related to clotrimazole are: fluconazole (Diflucan), ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), and miconazole (Micatin, Monistat).
Other brand names you might recognize are Lotrimin and Mycelex. Medications are usually either applied topically on the skin as a cream or lotion, inserted vaginally as a pessary or allowed to dissolve in tablet form in the mouth as appropriate for for localized fungal infections.
Whilst widely used and, for many an occasional or one-off sufferer of yeast infection this drug seems quite effective, 'clotrimazole' is not without its potential problems. Like many synthetic chemical treatments clotrimazole-containing medications can cause a range of side effects, and they may not suit all sufferers. One issue is that the drugs can lead to side effects: some typical side effects of clotrimazole (not an exhaustive list) include:
localized reddening
stinging sensation
formation of blisters and associated effects of peeling
swelling and itching
hives (raised itchy lumps)
a burning sensation at the area where applied.
A combination of these factors, plus the desire to avoid the need to use a harsh chemical medicament can lead many sufferers to seek alternative natural, and ideally holistic treatment for thrush infection.
The particular advantage of using a natural approach to dealing with the symptoms of thrush is that it is much more likely to achieve a potentially permanent solution to your yeast infection problems. For, in answer to the question what is thrush? It is indeed simply another name for yeast infection generally caused by the yeast Candida albicans. In the UK it is quite common to hear the term 'Thrush symptoms' being referred to, whereas in the US it more likely to hear folks talk about yeast infections, Candida or Candidiasis.
You may also still see or hear Thrush referred to as Monilia, a reference to another member of the yeast family that it was originally thought to be the cause of thrush infections a few years ago, until Candida was properly identified as the true culprit (to be fair there are several yeasts that can cause problems when they get out of hand -- but Candida albicans is by far the commonest causative organism).
Candida, or Candidiasis as the aggravating condition caused by the yeast is more properly called, is sometimes confused with other infections of the vagina, or penile area. Some Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Infections (STD/STI's) might initially cause problems similar to the irritation caused by thrush, for example. However they will require different treatment regimes and this is why an accurate diagnosis of thrush symptoms must be obtained from an informed medical practitioner prior to electing any particular mode of treatment.
Quite typically thrush symptoms may initially be confused with Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), or even Trichomonas, but these bacterial infections are somewhat different and involve other bacterial agents, which means that certain key symptoms tend to make diagnosis easier (such as the smell associated with vaginosis, referred to as 'fishy', where as yeast infections -- unsurprisingly -- smell more 'yeasty' and therefore rather less obviously unpleasant!).
Typical Thrush Symptoms
Thrush symptoms, at least in respect of the main physical evidence of the infection are:
...The formation of a white discharge that can often be thick and 'yogurt-like', but can also sometimes be just rather watery. The discharge may, as mentioned, have a distinctively yeasty smell, which is a major clue to correct diagnosis, as the odor cannot be said to be really nasty (unlike the other infections previously referred to).
...Anther normal symptom of thrush includes aggravating itching and burning sensation around genital area, which can naturally prove socially embarrassing.
...The genitals may also appear swollen and reddened.
Whilst vaginal thrush is perhaps the most typical location for a yeast infection, it is also not uncommon for oral thrush to occur. A thrush infection can also potentially spread to other areas of the skin, although this is less common, but given the right conditions and warm, moist conditions it can easily occur.
Oral thrush in babies is a common occurrence, and this can lead through contact to thrush around the nipples of breastfeeding Mothers, which can prove very uncomfortable (along with the usual agony of getting used to feeding from the breast that can be experienced by new Mums!). Evidently it is not a good idea to us harsh chemical pharmaceutical solutions when feeding a baby. In this case a more natural and holistic remedy for thrush can be vital, and the only really sensible choice.
It should of course also be mentioned that male thrush, often in the form of penile yeast infection, is rather common -- with something like 40 to 60% of men suffering the condition at some times in their lives. Penile thrush infection can cause swelling, inflammation and painful cracking of the foreskin, and also lead to other typical male yeast infection symptoms such as 'jock itch'. Very uncomfortable! Thankfully natural approaches can be just as quickly effective in treatment of thrush in men as in women.
Other 'knock-on' Thrush Symptoms
Besides the discharge and general discomfort caused by thrush there can be far more wide-reaching symptoms of yeast infections that can affect sufferers both physically and emotionally. An overgrowth of Candida, which can become widespread when the body is 'out of balance' for a prolonged period, can lead to systemic yeast infection symptoms that are sometimes hard for doctors to pin-point the cause of, many symptoms being similar to other problems. This has led some doctors to be disinclined to make a diagnosis of Candidiasis, although this tendency may be changing as more evidence of the effects of yeasts on health is emerging.
Often the overuse of antibiotics and regular resort to pharmaceutical yeast infection treatments has led to a ceaseless cycle of infection. For some this has led to regular recurrences of thrush symptoms and the development of chronic yeast infection. In these kind of cases it is particularly useful to consider more natural interventions. In this respect it is worth referring to the comprehensive holistic approach such as that developed very successfully by nutritionist and health consultant, Linda Allen: Natural Holistic Approach to Thrush Symptoms and Yeast infections
We are happy to be affiliated to Linda Allen, and endorse her approach to curing yeast infection, as she provides a 100% guarantee that it will provide a natural solution to your thrush symptoms. The program of holistic treatment has been clinically researched and is backed by 25,000+ hours of nutritional expertise that has proven to eliminate yeast infection permanently. This is a rare and potently powerful yeast infection cure, which relatively few people even realize exists (that is to say, it HAS helped many thousands already -- but there are actually millions of sufferers worldwide). If you are a thrush symptoms sufferer who has not come across it before, we believe you should urgently take a look at this natural yeast infection treatment system if thrush symptoms are a problem for you, and you are keen to avoid pharmaceutical medications and their any associated possible side effects and other drawbacks (such as cycles of re-infection!).
