Every second woman of reproductive age has to deal with vaginal candidiasis. This disease is popularly known under the term "thrush". During the period of exacerbation, it is manifested by unpleasant symptoms in the form of itching and severe burning. In the treatment of the disease, both drugs and recipes of folk healers are used. Usually therapy requires a lot of time and patience on the part of the woman. How to understand that the thrush has passed?
Medical certificate
Thrush is commonly understood as a fungal disease in which an inflammatory process develops in the vagina. Its occurrence is provoked by pathogenic microorganisms of the genus Candida. They are present in small amounts in the natural microflora. However, under the influence of certain factors, which will be discussed later in the article, the growth of fungal colonies begins. At the same time, it happensmucosal damage, inflammation develops.
In a he althy body, the progression of infection is held back by the presence of beneficial bacteria that produce lactic acid and a strong immune system. Candidiasis develops as a result of an imbalance of beneficial and harmful microorganisms. The waste products of the latter cause the coagulation of lactic acid. As a result, characteristic symptoms of the disease appear - discharge in the form of white lumps, reminiscent of cottage cheese. They have a characteristic sour smell.
Depending on the development of the infection, several forms of the disease are distinguished:
- Spicy. It is characterized by the rapid development of the disease with a pronounced clinical picture. This form responds well to therapy.
- Chronic. It has a sluggish flow. Periods of remission and exacerbation can last for decades. Treatment takes a lot of time and effort.
- Carrier. There are no clinical manifestations. An ailment is detected after laboratory culture.
Regardless of the form of the disease, treatment should begin immediately after its discovery. It is impossible to understand that the thrush has passed from a woman as soon as her manifestations have disappeared. You need to revisit your doctor. Otherwise, the consequences may manifest as serious disorders in the body.
Causes of the disease
Currently, doctors know about 40 causes that can provoke the onset of the disease. If the infection has already overtaken, it is not so easy to treat thrush. How muchthe time required for this depends on the individual characteristics of the woman's body, compliance with the therapeutic recommendations of the doctor. You can drown out the manifestations of the disease for several months or years. However, they will definitely return if there are factors provocateurs. We are talking about diseases and conditions of the body that create a favorable environment for the growth of fungal colonies. Listed below are just a few.
- The use of hormonal drugs with a high content of estrogen. Most often, these are gels for building up the uterine endometrium or oral contraceptives. Under the influence of estrogen, the vaginal mucosa changes and becomes a favorable environment for the reproduction of microorganisms of the genus Candida. Phytoestrogens (such as sage or knotweed) can also trigger thrush if used frequently.
- Decreased immunity. Stress, lack of sleep, HIV, colds - these factors affect the body's ability to keep under control the vital activity of the microorganisms living in it. Therefore, against the background of a decrease in immunity, the risk of developing thrush increases several times.
- Wrong metabolism. Violation of the liver or pancreas leads to the appearance of sugar in the blood. The substance also accumulates in the mucous membranes of the genital organs, creating a nutrient medium for fungal colonies. Therefore, thrush often occurs in women with diabetes.
- Taking antibiotics. Having arisen against the background of treatment with antibacterial drugs, the disease once, it will return with each subsequent use of antibiotics. Datadrugs destroy beneficial and pathogenic microflora. At the same time, they weaken the immune system.
- Incorrect personal hygiene. Prolonged use of pads / tampons (more than 4 hours in a row), neglect of showering or bathing contribute to the rapid growth of the fungal flora.
Thrush can also appear when wearing wet clothes or underwear made of synthetic materials.
Routes of infection
Only in the absence of factors provocateurs is it easy to understand that a woman's thrush is going away. How can you get this disease?
Colonies of fungi can be found on bed or underwear, washcloths, and other personal belongings of the patient. If you neglect the rules of personal hygiene, it will not be difficult to catch an infection in a bath or sauna, pool. Fungi die at high temperatures. Therefore, their penetration into the body can be avoided by boiling and ironing linen and clothes.
Another way of infection is sexual. Even the use of a condom is not a complete guarantee of protection. The fungus is not only on the mucous membranes, but also on the skin of the patient. In men, the manifestations of the disease are usually mild. Therefore, both partners should undergo treatment at the same time. During this period, any intimate contact is prohibited. This measure helps prevent re-infection and avoid injury to the damaged mucosa.
Clinical picture
What does thrush look like in women, how to treat this ailment - these issues should be givenspecial attention.
The first and most obvious sign of the disease is abundant curdled discharge. They have the smell of sour milk and cause irritation of the mucous membranes. Therefore, in the vaginal area, a woman feels constant burning and itching. Unpleasant symptoms usually worsen in the evening.
If the disease occurs for the first time or recurs after a long break, the following clinical signs are noted:
- redness and swelling of the vaginal mucosa;
- the appearance of cracks and small hemorrhages on the inner surface of the genital organs;
- formation of a grayish coating on the walls of the vagina, the skin under which has a bright red color;
- discomfort with intimacy;
- fatigue and irritation appear against the background of malaise;
- pain when urinating, feeling of constant overflow of the bladder.
Complicated course of the disease or its frequent relapses have a less pronounced clinical picture. In this case, partial atrophy of the mucous membrane, keratinization of the walls of the vagina is observed. Allocations are getting scarce.
Features of the chronic course of thrush
In the case of a chronic form of thrush, it is customary to distinguish 2 options for the course of the disease:
- recurrent, which is characterized by periods of outbreaks and extinction;
- persistent, characterized by constant symptoms in a latent form.
Chronic thrush affects more than 3% of women who have previously had its acute form. A sharp increase in suchof cases over the past 5 years was due to television advertising. The screens told how to treat the symptoms of thrush quickly and without going to the doctor.
However, uncontrolled use of antifungal agents and unreasonable excess of their dosage gives the opposite effect. As a result of such therapy, exacerbation of symptoms occurs, the transition of the lesion from external to internal organs.
In the case of chronic thrush, outbreaks of the disease occur regularly, followed by periods of calm. Such complications depend on the state of immunity. Therefore, the first task of the doctor when contacting the patient is to identify the main cause of the disease. At the same time, the standard form of treatment and drugs purchased without a prescription will not give the desired effect. Fungi of the genus Candida can quickly adapt to changing environments. The usual treatment program ceases to operate on them. In such cases, longer and more serious therapy is required.
Diagnostic Methods
Every woman should know what a thrush looks like. How to treat this disease in women, the doctor decides. Therefore, when the first signs of a problem appear, you should consult a gynecologist.
Studying the anamnesis and complaints of the patient is not enough to immediately make a diagnosis. The assumption about the cause of curdled discharge requires confirmation by laboratory methods. During the examination on the gynecological chair, the doctor must take a swab from the surface of the vagina. Subsequently, in the laboratory, it is studied for the detection of fungi andother pathogenic flora. Bakposev allows you to estimate the size of the colonies, to accurately determine their type. Also, this study helps to determine the sensitivity of microorganisms to antifungal agents. Using the PCR method, the genotype of the infection present in the microflora is examined.
It is mandatory to conduct a differential diagnosis with diseases that have a similar clinical picture (bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis). Also, a woman needs to take blood and urine tests, make an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. If associated he alth problems are identified, consultation with narrow specialists may be required.
Principles of Therapy
How to treat thrush in women? Drugs prescribed for the treatment of the disease can be divided into two groups: topical and general effects. The first includes various gels and creams. They are used primarily for the treatment of acute thrush. The second group can be classified as tablets, the action of which is directed to the entire body. They are usually prescribed for the chronic course of the disease.
Additionally, complex therapy includes immunostimulating drugs. By agreement with the doctor, alternative medicine can be used at the stage when the thrush passes. How to understand that the disease is regressing will be described below.
Overview of topical preparations
If a woman has a disease for the first time, topical preparations are prescribed. They are available in the form of ointments and gels,suppositories, solutions. How many days should thrush be treated in this case? The standard course of therapy lasts from 10 days to two weeks. Its important condition is the timeliness and continuity of drug administration. Also, local treatment is used for recurrent or chronic forms of pathology.
The following tools are especially effective:
- Ointments "Pimafucin", "Candide", "Clotrimazole". They are inserted into the vagina on a tampon. The procedure can be repeated up to 4 times a day for two weeks.
- Candles "Fluconazole", "Nystatin", "Livarol". The duration of therapy in this case can be up to 10-15 days.
- Solutions "Miramistin", "Kanesten". Preparations in liquid form are used for douching and toileting of the external genitalia.
- Vaginal tablets "Flukostat", "Mikosist".
Intravaginal administration of drugs should be carried out only after careful hygienic treatment of the genitals. The procedure itself takes place in the supine position. After it, it is recommended to remain in a horizontal position for some time. This will allow the medicine to enter the vagina and cervix.
Overview of systemic drugs
In the case of a chronic or recurrent course of the disease, the pathogenic flora can also affect the internal organs. Fungal cells acquire resistance to most fungicidal and fungistatic drugs. How to treat thrush in women in such a situation, the doctor decides. Previously, a specialist must conduct a smear culture to determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to various drugs.
Thrush in advanced form requires a different approach. It is possible to quickly overcome the disease only under the condition of a complex effect, when local remedies are supplemented with oral drugs for systemic treatment. This approach allows not only to suppress the activity of fungal colonies, but also to destroy its spores throughout the body. With it, you can balance the amount of beneficial microflora, normalize the functioning of the immune system.
How to treat thrush in women? Oral tablets from the following groups are recognized as effective drugs for systemic exposure:
- Containing fluconazole ("Diflucan", "Mikosist"). One such tablet contains about 150 mg of active ingredient. The medicine is used once, and the therapeutic effect becomes noticeable within a few hours after taking.
- Based on itraconazole ("Rumikoz", "Irunin"). The dosage of the drug is selected individually. How much you need to treat thrush with medicines with itraconazole depends on the severity of the pathology. The standard course of therapy lasts from one week to 1.5 months.
- Including ketoconazole ("Dermazol", "Ketoconazole"). Medicines are taken 1-2 pills once a day. The duration of treatment is from 5 to 7 days.
Properly selected drugs and their dosage allows you to quickly stop the symptoms of thrush, prevent it from becoming chronic.
Use of immune drugs
Despite following the recommendations of the doctor, not all women can boast that they have cured thrush. How do you know when it's time to reconsider therapy? If within two weeks the symptoms of the pathology do not disappear, you need to re-contact the doctor.
To increase the effectiveness of therapy, it is necessary to eliminate the source of the disease. As for thrush, the trigger for its appearance is most often reduced immunity. As an addition to the main medicines, drugs that have a stimulating and modulating effect on the immune system can be prescribed. Commonly used:
- "Cycloferon". It has an immunomodulatory effect, has an antimycotic and antibacterial effect.
- "Viferon". This is a combined immunomodulator that is produced in the form of suppositories or ointments for intravaginal administration.
- Genferon. Vaginal suppositories enhance local immunity, have a disinfecting effect.
The use of these drugs allows you to mobilize your body's own forces to fight fungal colonies, which greatly speeds up the healing process. However, they have a number of contraindications. Therefore, an independent choice of medicines, their dosage is unacceptable.
Therapy of the chronic form of the disease
Mushrooms of the genus Candida can be present in the body of an absolutely he althy person. Therefore, it is not possible to completely get rid of them. If the disease was diagnosed once, after a while it is very likely to reappear. OThe chronic course of the disease is said if its symptoms persist for more than 3 weeks, and over the past 6 months there have been more than two cases of relapse.
As a rule, they prefer to treat thrush with inexpensive but effective drugs. How is therapy different in the case of a chronic form of the disease? It is aimed at strengthening the immune system, preventing the effects of provocative factors that can lead to the activation of fungi. In addition, a woman is prescribed a diet, taking vitamin complexes and immunomodulators. With an exacerbation of the disease, local antifungal agents are indicated. However, it takes much longer to use them than in the case of primary infection. Sometimes the treatment is complemented by prescriptions from alternative medicine.
Dietary recommendations
Many women can realize within a few days of starting therapy that thrush is going away. As soon as such a conviction appears, it is necessary to connect additional measures that increase the body's resistance. A big role in this matter is given to the daily diet, lifestyle and daily routine.
Doctors recommend spending more time outdoors. For example, part of the way to work or home can be walked. A leisurely walk in the park before going to bed also has a beneficial effect on the recovery process after an illness. Since overwork contributes to a decrease in immunity, due attention should be paid to the alternation of excessive mental stress and rest.
Diet is also a part of recovery therapy after thrush. For lifefungal colonies are considered the most favorable acidic environment. Therefore, it is better to exclude products that reduce the pH level in the body from the daily diet. It is recommended to add food that promotes alkalization of internal environments. It is necessary to abandon fried and fatty foods, canned food, spices, pastries and alcohol. The daily menu should include more fresh vegetables and fruits, a variety of cereals, seafood. Nuts, dried fruits will be useful. Do not forget about the drinking regimen. Drink at least two liters of pure water per day.
Help of traditional medicine
Drugs that treat thrush in women do not always have a positive effect. For example, a clear contraindication to drug therapy is the presence of an allergic reaction to the components included in them. In this case, and only in agreement with the doctor, they resort to the help of folk remedies. Alternative medicine prescriptions are also used as an additional measure to the main course of treatment.
Most of them are aimed at restoring the alkaline balance of the internal microflora. Therefore, as a rule, baths and douching are prescribed. For decoctions, infusions of chamomile, celandine, St. John's wort or birch buds are most often used. These medicinal plants have a pronounced antiseptic effect, help to stop the unpleasant symptoms of thrush. To prepare the infusion, you need to take 2 tablespoons of dry raw materials, pour a glass of hot water, cool to room temperature. With the resulting broth, baths are taken infor 10-15 minutes or douching.
Even our grandmothers knew how to effectively treat thrush. For example, many of them used ordinary laundry soap. It must be crushed on a fine grater, pour boiling water until a liquid mass is formed. The resulting mixture can be used for douching.
Before using any of the folk remedies for the treatment of thrush, you should definitely consult your doctor.
Possible Complications
Timely treatment of the disease in the acute phase with antifungal agents allows you to quickly destroy the pathogenic flora, completely stop the unpleasant symptoms. When a woman does not know how to understand that the thrush has passed, she often finishes therapy ahead of schedule. In this case, the likelihood of transforming the disease into a chronic form with periodic relapses increases. Exacerbations are usually observed against the background of a cold or stress.
Complications of chronic thrush are the following pathologies:
- Inflammation of the ovaries and uterine mucosa. Perhaps the formation of adhesions that violate the patency of the fallopian tubes. As a result, there are difficulties in conceiving a child.
- Inflammation of the bladder.
- The penetration of the infection into the blood, spreading it to other organs.
- Inflammation of the gut.
- A sharp weakening of the immune system, contributing to the development of infectious processes in the body.
If the symptoms of thrush appear duringpregnancy, there is a risk of intrauterine infection of the fetus, infection of the child in the process of passing it through the birth canal. As a result, he may develop pneumonia.
In the second trimester, thrush is dangerous for premature birth or abortion.
How to understand that the thrush has passed?
This disease never goes away on its own. Self-medication can only lead to complications and deterioration of the clinical picture. Drugs prescribed by a doctor can stop unpleasant symptoms, but do not eliminate colonies of fungi from the body.
How to understand if a woman has a thrush? It is easy to get an exact answer to this question by contacting a doctor and passing a set of tests. The results of the examination can confirm the absence of fungi of the genus Candida in an amount that can provoke an exacerbation of the disease.
Thus, it is impossible to independently understand whether the thrush has passed. As a rule, even the symptoms that have disappeared over time cannot indicate this.
Prevention Methods
Most patients in the fight against fungi of the genus Candida try to choose the most effective drugs. How to treat thrush in women, it is better to take care of the prevention of the disease in advance.
Doctors suggest following precautions:
- ditch synthetic underwear for natural fabrics;
- use probiotics after antibiotic therapy;
- observe basic rules of personal hygiene;
- on timechange pads and tampons;
- use barrier contraception
- eliminate bad habits
- avoid strict diets and food restrictions.
In order to avoid relapses, each patient must be sure after the course of therapy that the thrush has passed. How to understand this fact, the doctor at the reception should tell. In addition, when the first signs of the disease appear, you should not self-medicate, it is better to immediately consult a doctor.
