Genital candidiasis, candidiasis vulvovaginitis, thrush - Causes, symptoms and treatment. MF.

Genital Candidiasis or Candidiasis vulvovaginitis is an infectious disease affecting the vulvar and vaginal mucosa caused by Candida yeast-like fungi. In the common people, genital candidiasis is called " thrush ".

When they speak of "thrush", they are referring to the candidiasis of the mucous membranes of the external genital organs: the vagina and vulva in women and the glans penis in men.

Causes of thrush( Candida vulvovaginitis)

The only cause of yeast is a decrease in general and local immunity against a background of yeast-like fungus infection. But the appearance of symptoms of thrush and intensive development of genital candidiasis is preceded by the following predisposing factors.

The most common factors predisposing to the appearance of symptoms of thrush:

- mechanical ( first sexual contact, wearing synthetic underwear, traumatic damages of the vagina, prolonged wearing of the intrauterine device);
- physiological ( pregnancy, menstruation);

- endocrine disorders of ( diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease);
- iatrogenic ( reception of antibiotics, corticosteroids, immunosuppressors, radiotherapy, oral contraceptives, chemotherapy in oncology);
- immunodeficiency states of ( HIV infection);
- other possible causes( allergic diseases, hypovitaminosis, chronic infectious diseases of the genitals, chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract).

Symptoms of thrush( Candida vulvovaginitis)

Several types of candidiasis vulvovaginitis are distinguished and depending on the type of candidiasis the symptoms of thrush manifestation will be different:

Read more Symptoms of thrush

Diagnosis of thrush( Candida vulvovaginitis)

When examining a patient in the acute period of vulvovaginal candidiasis,swelling and redness of the vulvar and vaginal mucosa, cracks and abrasions caused by scratching. On the walls of the vagina are found grayish color attacks that are removed with difficulty, leaving behind a bright red, easily bleeding mucous. Often, the vaginal discharge is a dense, curdled white mass, sometimes with a greenish tinge.

The diagnosis of thrush itself does not cause special difficulties, but only after a gynecological examination, no gynecologist will diagnose "candidal vulvovaginitis."It is necessary to pass the tests:

Read more Diagnosis of yeast

Treatment of thrush( candidiasis vulvovaginitis)

Thrush is well treated. At present, there is a large arsenal of medicines that allow one to forget about thrush once and for all. Treatment of candidiasis vulvovaginitis should be comprehensive taking into account the concomitant diseases.

In acute and chronic vulvovaginitis treatment should be etiotropic, that is, aimed at eliminating the pathogen. Antifungal antibiotics are used for this purpose. Antibiotics are given orally( in the form of tablets) and topically( in the form of ointments and suppositories) for better effect.

The main groups of antifungal antibiotics used to treat thrush are as follows:

Read more Treating thrush

Lifestyle and nutrition during treatment of thrush

With the established diagnosis of "Candidiasis vulvovaginitis", lifestyle plays an important role. It is necessary to follow a certain regimen:

- sexual abstinence for the period of treatment to avoid re-infection;
- to keep hygiene intimate places - to wash twice a day with warm water( morning and evening), and during menstruation even more often - after each change of a tampon or a gasket. From the use of daily gaskets it is better to refuse - everyday gaskets create an ideal environment for even more bacteria multiplication. Underwear should be made of cotton.

With all of the above recommendations, genital candidiasis will disappear once and for all. Fortunately, thrush effectively responds to treatment and after a full course of therapy, the patient is quickly rehabilitated.

For the effective treatment of candidiasis it is necessary: ​​

• To exclude concomitant diseases of the body.
• Eliminate co-occurring sexually transmitted infections.
• Refine the diagnosis( sowing on fungi and determining the sensitivity to antifungal agents of your Candida species).
• Check for immunity.

Folk remedies for treatment of thrush( Candida vulvovaginitis)

For the treatment of thrush, it also uses traditional medicine. The essence of all folk remedies for treatment of thrush is to create an alkaline environment in the vagina, in which the pathogen( fungi) can not exist. To this end, you can use both herbal folk remedies - medicinal herbs, and ordinary drinking soda.

Read more Folk remedies for treatment of thrush

Thrush during pregnancy.

It is well known that pregnancy is a predisposing factor for the development of genital candidiasis. This is indicated by statistics - 40-46% of pregnant women suffer from thrush. This is due to a change in the hormonal background during pregnancy and a decrease in immunity( the cause of decreased immunity during pregnancy).

Most often, thrush is ill in the first and third trimester of pregnancy. Treatment of candidal vulvovaginitis during pregnancy is a big problem for gynecologists. The main principle of treatment is safety for the fetus and the mother. For treatment of thrush during pregnancy, only topical preparations are used in the form of suppositories and creams. The main pharmacological group - combined antibiotics, which consist of several drugs of antifungal effect, or antibiotics from the group of macrolides. The duration of treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis during pregnancy is on average 6-10 days. Antibiotics are well tolerated, have a minimum of side effects and, importantly, do not have a systemic effect. Treating thrush is usually prescribed from the end of the first trimester of pregnancy( in the first trimester of pregnancy it is advisable not to use medicines at all) for better effect and quick elimination of thrush symptoms.

Complications and prevention of genital candidiasis( thrush)

Prevention of thrush includes:

More info Prevention of yeast

Questions and answers that are most often asked by patients at a gynecologist about thrush:

1. Can thrush cause infertility?

Read more answers to questions about thrush