First the Facts
- Candidiasis or ‘thrush’ is a yeast infection
- It can affect both women and men
- Usually easily treated with a short course of antifungal medication
- It is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
How Does Thrush Develop?
- Thrush is caused by a yeast called Candida
- Candida lives naturally in the vagina and is referred to in medical terms as a vaginal commensal organism
- Overgrowth of Candida can cause symptoms in some people
- Certain conditions can cause overgrowth of Candida, including:
- Pregnancy
- Diabetes
- Medications such as steroids and antibiotics
- Conditions affecting the immune systems such as HIV
- You can also get thrush from unprotected sex with an infected partner
How Will I Know If I Have Thrush?
Symptoms of vaginal thrush include:
- A thick white discharge (like cottage-cheese)
- Irritation or stinging when you pass urine
- An offensive smell
- Itchiness and/or pain in the vagina and vulva (area outside the vagina)
- Pain during sexual intercourse
How Can I Prevent Thrush?
- Thrush develops in warm, moist conditions
- After washing, keep the skin on the outside of your vagina (vulva) dry and wear loose-fitting underwear, preferably made from cotton
- Do not use soaps, shower gels or vaginal douches to clean your vagina/vulva
- Although it is not an STI, if your partner has thrush, the infection can be transmitted between partners and barrier contraception is recommended
Where Can I Get Tested?
- If you are experiencing symptoms for the first time, you should see a doctor or nurse
- This is because you may need to be tested for other infections that present in the same way
- You can see a doctor or specialist nurse at:
- A sexual health or genitourinary medicine clinic
- A young person’s / contraception clinic
- Your GP
What Is the Treatment?
- A short course of anti-fungal medication is usually sufficient to treat thrush. This may involve a:
- Capsule or tablet – taken orally
- Pessary – inserted into the vagina sometimes with an applicator
- Vaginal cream – inserted into the vagina with an applicator
- Treatment only takes a few days and is available from the pharmacy
- You do not need a prescription
- Do not have sex until you have completed your treatment, as there is a small risk of passing the infection back and forth
- Thrush is not classified as an STI, so your partner(s) do(es) not need to be treated unless symptoms are present
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not have oral treatment. However, it is perfectly safe to use the pessary or vaginal cream
- Some people use probiotic yoghurts to treat and prevent thrush; there is no evidence that this is effective
What Happens If I Get Thrush Again?
- Thrush can come back at any time
- You can treat this yourself with antifungal medication from the pharmacy
- You should see your doctor if:
- Your symptoms do not improve after treatment
- You have more than 4 episodes of thrush per year
- This is because you may need further tests to identify an underlying cause
- You may need an extended course of treatment
- There are rare strains of the fungus which causes thrush, and these do not respond to regular treatments
Written by: Dr David Rook and Dr Paula Briggs
Last updated: January 2021
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