Natural Remedies for Yeast Infections

It can be a woman’s worst nightmare. They come but don’t want to leave. We are talking about yeast infections. They can occur anywhere, but most commonly in the genital region - and yes, men can get them too! If they plague you, here are some remedies that you might want to try.

Natural remedies are one of the best ways to cure a condition without all of the potential side effects. Modern medicine can be helpful but sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. Home-made remedies use everyday items that can get the job done just as well if not better, and they won’t cost you a lot of money.

Candidiasis (Photo credit: Pulmonary Pathology)

Now back to yeast infections. These are mostly found in the vaginal region. The infection in question is caused by “candida albicans.”

Bacteria and fungus like to have moist, dark places to hide and grow. When the pH of the vaginal area is off balance, this can favor an environment for bacteria to grow and reproduce. That translates into more problems. Until the balance of vaginal flora is returned to normal, the infection will probably get worse.

Recognizing a yeast infection

How do you know if you even have one? A yeast infection occurs in the vaginal area, and men can get them as well; although symptoms often do not occur for men, they can give them to their sexual partners and pass them back and forth, so if you are a man whose partner has a yeast infection, you should get treated too. Characteristics include:

* Itching in the vaginal region
* Sour odor
* Discharge (looks like cottage cheese)
* Painful intercourse
* Painful urination

Preventing yeast infections

As we said before, bacteria need moisture to grow and multiply. In our daily life, sometimes we do things that can contribute to and make us more at risk for yeast infections. Here are a few tips to lower your risk.

* Wear cotton undergarments – Nylon doesn’t breathe as well and can trap moisture. Cotton allows the genital area to breathe.

* Avoid sitting around with wet clothing – This especially goes for wearing bathing suits around all day after swimming. Eventually you will dry but probably not without irritating the vaginal area.

* Stop douching – The vagina contains natural bacteria that are not harmful because they maintain a neutral pH. Douching reduces the helpful bacteria and can dry out the area, leading to yeast infections.

Yogurt (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Natural remedies

* Eat yogurt – This is especially important if your doctor places you on antibiotics. The antibiotics can kill off the good bacteria, leaving the others to thrive. Yogurt contains live cultures to restore balance to the natural flora in the digestive tract as well as the vagina.

* Take acidophilus – This is a probiotic that works the same way as yogurt. It can be taken in pill form or even as an addition in yogurt. For quicker relief, use natural unflavored yogurt as a cream on the affected area to reduce itching.

* Tea tree oil – This is a substance found in nature that has antibiotic and antiseptic properties. It can be used to reduce infection and speed healing when placed on cuts and scrapes. As a suppository, it can help to restore the balance and kill the infection in the vaginal area.

Yeast infections are not pleasant. The itching and burning can be unbearable. Use the above tips and suggestions to keep infections at bay or to cure one that has already started.