Everything You Need to Know About Thrush & Candida
If you’ve experienced vaginal itching, burning, irritation or unusual discharge, you may have immediately thought, ‘it’s thrush.’
Vaginal thrush is common, but these symptoms aren’t always caused by Candida. If symptoms keep returning despite treatment, it may be worth looking deeper.
Here are some of the most common questions I get asked about Candida and vaginal thrush.
What is Candida?
Candida is a type of yeast (fungus) that naturally lives in the body, including the gut, mouth and vagina.
Having Candida present doesn’t necessarily mean you have an infection. Vaginal thrush occurs when Candida overgrows and causes symptoms.
What causes thrush?
There isn’t always one single cause and it is very individualised. Factors that can contribute include:
- Antibiotic use
- Hormonal changes
- Pregnancy
- Blood glucose imbalances
- Immune suppression
- Changes to the vaginal microbiome
- Local irritation or inflammation
How do I know if I actually have thrush?
Itching, burning and discharge aren’t exclusive to thrush.
Other vaginal and vulval conditions can cause very similar symptoms. If symptoms are persistent or keep returning, testing can help determine whether Candida is actually present rather than repeatedly treating symptoms as thrush.
Why do I keep getting thrush?
If you’re stuck in the thrush → antifungal → temporary relief → thrush again cycle, there may be more going on.
Recurrent symptoms can be associated with repeated Candida overgrowth, underlying contributing factors, or a completely different condition.
Looking at factors such as your hormones, vaginal microbiome, gut health, nutrition, blood glucose, immune function and lifestyle may help provide a bigger picture, and explain why the anti fungal treatment doesn’t work.
Can a naturopath help with recurrent thrush?
Absolutely! Naturopathic care can help explore potential factors contributing to recurrent thrush and vaginal symptoms.
Depending on your symptoms and history, this may include looking at nutrition, gut and vaginal health, hormonal patterns, nutrient status, stress, sleep and other lifestyle factors. Individualised testing may also be considered where appropriate.
What if it’s not actually thrush?
If antifungal treatment isn’t working or your symptoms keep coming back, it’s important to consider whether something else could be causing your symptoms.
Getting the right diagnosis is the first step towards finding the right treatment.
Think you have recurrent thrush?
If you’re tired of treating the same symptoms over and over again, naturopathic care can help you look at the bigger picture of your vaginal, hormonal, digestive and nutritional health.
The goal isn’t simply to eliminate Candida, but to understand why your symptoms keep returning and what may be contributing to them.
