Home Remedies for Vaginal Yeast Infection

The common symptoms of a yeast infection involve the following:

• Itching in the vagina and affected region.
• Redness in and around the vagina.
• Discomfort and mild pain.
• Excessive moistness in the region. 
• Cheesy or curd-like discharge usually white in colour from the vagina.
• Increased temperature of the genital region.
• A foul and unpleasant smell from the discharge.
• Pain while passing urine. (Read more: Painful urination causes)

When to see a gynaecologist

If your infection doesn’t go away after using the above-mentioned remedies, you should immediately visit your gynaecologist to know the cause of the infection. Recurrent or untreated infection can indicate or may lead to serious medical conditions such as sexually transmitted infections or diseases. If you are facing any symptoms as follows, you should see a doctor immediately.

• Infection in the vaginal area if you are pregnant.
• If the infection has been recurrent (more than twice).
• Presence of ulcers or warts in the genital area.
• Pain in the pelvic region.
• Unprotected sex with an unknown partner or multiple partners.
• Fever associated with vaginal infection.

Vagina is self-cleaning in nature, means our body secretes certain enzymes which help to keep the vagina clean by itself. But there are certain underlying medical conditions which may increase your risk of getting the infection, such as:

• Pregnancy
  Pregnancy hormones are responsible for various bodily changes. Hence, it may make you susceptible to vaginal yeast infection as well. If you get an infection, do not try the home remedies and go to your gynaecologist for your correct treatment because some of the above-mentioned remedies may have an adverse effect on your baby.
• Alcohol intake
  As we have mentioned above, excessive alcohol intake will increase your chances of getting a vaginal yeast infection.
• Contraceptives 
  Some contraceptive pills also change the environment of your vaginal area and make you susceptible to infections.
• Diabetes
  Diabetes increases the chances of catching infections because more sugar is available for the yeast to feed on.
• Weak immune system
  A weak immune system which can either be present by birth or caused by certain diseases such as HIV-AIDS decrease the body’s ability to fight against infections and make you an easy target for infectious agents.
• Antibiotics
  Long-term antibiotic treatment also kills healthy bacteria which are important for keeping a balance of yeast cells in the vagina. When the number of these bacteria decrease, the yeast gets an opportunity to overgrow and cause infection.
• STD (Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
  Sexually transmitted diseases also reduce the number of healthy bacteria and make the conditions favourable for yeasts to grow.

The above-mentioned remedies are to manage yeast infection at home. However, it’s always good to maintain vaginal and overall health and stay away from diseases. Following is a list of do’s and don'ts to prevent the development of any such infection in your body:

• Cotton clothes
  Wearing cotton clothes and underwears will prevent the development of warmth and moisture in the vaginal area and prevent overgrowth of yeast.
• Loose clothes
  Tight clothes do not allow your vagina to get any fresh air. This will provide a favorable environment for the yeast to grow and cause infection. Hence, it is advisable to wear loose airy clothes to keep your vagina healthy and infection-free.
• Reduce alcohol consumption
  Alcohol causes dehydration of the vaginal area and leads to the overgrowth of infectious bacteria and fungi. Hence, it is always advised that you consume alcohol within the recommended amounts.
• Maintain hygiene
  Do not wear dirty clothes. Immediately change your sweaty gym clothes or work clothes and wear fresh attire at home. Do not touch your genital area with dirty or contaminated hands.
• Wipe yourself the right way
  Wipe yourself in a front to back manner after taking a dump. This will prevent bacteria from your anus from infecting your vaginal area.
• Be gentle on your skin
  Vaginal skin is a sensitive one and it is very important to balance its pH. Do not use harsh soaps, perfumed or scented body wash or bath salts because these products increase the pH of the vagina and favour the growth of yeast and other infectious fungi and bacteria
• Drying the vaginal area
  Be gentle while you are wiping yourself after a shower. Wiping roughly may irritate your genital skin and increase the possibility of getting an infection. Use a soft towel and pat dry yourself.
• Do not douche your vagina
  You may think that cleaning the vagina again and again from the outside as well from the inside will keep you infection free. However, this is not so. Vagina is a self-cleaning canal, which can take care of itself. Let this natural cleaner be and don’t worry too much about the inner area because it’s naturally trained to do its part very nicely.
• Do not use panty liners
  Use sanitary pads and panty liners only when you are menstruating. Using them otherwise may make your vaginal skin dry and cause irritation. This will favour the development of infection in that area along with itchiness, cracks, ulcers, etc.
• Avoid sex when you have an infection
  Having sex while you are suffering from yeast infection will increase the irritation in your genital area and may worsen your condition. Hence, avoid having sex while your treatment is going on.

Read more: Vaginal health

Medicines for vaginal yeast infection are easily available at your nearby drug store and include antifungal creams, ointments, solutions, lotions, vaginal tablets, and pessaries or suppositories. Following are a few OTC (over-the-counter) antifungal medicines that you may use to cure your infection at home:

• Clotrimazole
• Miconazole nitrate
• Butoconazole
• Tioconazole
• Butenafine hydrochloride
• A combination of the above

These medicines are mostly available with an applicator stick which is used to apply the medicine inside the vagina. Before starting the application, you should either ask the pharmacist about the correct method of application or read the instructions given on the packaging of the medicine.

It is important that you tell the pharmacist about any other medications that you are on and which may interfere with the action of these antifungal medicines and vice versa.