· Vag Health · 2 min read
Why aren't these over-the-counter thrush treatments working?
Maybe you've had thrush a couple of times this year, maybe its the first time. Whatever the story, over the counter thrush treatments look like an easy way to manage the itching and irritation. Until they don't work. Let’s explore why and what you can do instead.
Thrush, or vaginal yeast infections, are common with 75% of women experiencing this over their lifetime. This makes over-the-counter (OTC) medications a go-to treatment option. However, these treatments don’t always work and there can be a few reasons for this.
First, lets make sure we are all on the same page about what thrush actually is. Thrush occurs when a Candida species, a naturally occuring yeast, becomes overgrown. When this happens in the vagina or vulva it can lead to symptoms like itching, pain or discomfort, and a thick white discharge. There can be different triggers for each person, but common ones include antibiotics, hormonal changes, diabetes, poor immune health and staying in wet/damp underwear.
Why OTC treatments might not work
There are some key reasons treatments can fail to work in the first place, or that the thrush symptoms keep coming back:
😖 Resistant strains - some types of Candida don’t respond to standard OTC medications.
😖 Incomplete treatment - stopping treatment before its finished can lead to rebounding symptoms.
😖 It’s not actually thrush - super common if there hasnt been any testing done. Lots of other conditions have similar symptoms so it’s important to know that it is actually thrush.
😖 The underlying cause hasn’t been addressed.
So where to from here?
It’s not all doom and gloom. Many women experience relief and permanent resolution of their thrush. Understanding exactly what is going on, putting in place symptomatic relief while finding and addressing the drivers of thrush are super important to make this happen. Getting personalised advice from a qualified professional is generally the key to this resolution. So maybe it’s time to book in for that appointment? You can book an obligation free, confidential chat with me so we can see what the next steps are for you, just go to https://bit.ly/RadianceWithAlison and book today.
