Yeast infections are a common problem, especially among women who can easily develop reoccurring vaginal infections, and babies who can develop diaper rashes or oral thrush. All of these types of infections are due to the fungus known as Candida albicans.
These fungi normally reside on the surfaces of the body, and if conditions become just right, they will begin to multiply rapidly, resulting in a apetamin. Although over-the-counter anti-fungal medications can provide some relief, infections often tend to reoccur. Because of this, many people prefer to use a home remedy for both treating the infection as well as preventing its recurrence. Understanding all about home yeast infection treatment can help to cure and prevent further outbreaks.
How Home Yeast Infection Treatments Work
To understand all about home yeast infection treatment and how it works, it is important to know that these infections can occur when the good and bad bacteria in the body become unbalanced. Good bacteria, known as lactobacillus, naturally live in the body helping to keep it healthy. It does this by destroying bad bacteria, which helps keep the two balanced. If for some reason there is a decrease in the number of good bacteria, the bad bacteria can take over, resulting in an infection. To treat this problem, the good bacteria must be repopulated in the body so it can get back to work, destroying the overpopulated bad bacteria that are responsible for the yeast infection.
Re-establishing Balance with Probiotics
One way to re-establish the population of good bacteria is to take probiotics that contain lactobacillus. Many women are taking probiotic pills or eating natural yogurts that contain probiotics because of their effectiveness. Although clinical trials have yet to show that probiotics definitively cure yeast infections, one study did show that eating yogurt while taking antibiotics is effective in preventing the drop of numbers of the good bacteria.
Antibiotics are a common cause of yeast infections as they destroy both good and bad bacteria. Although some women treat vaginal yeast infections by inserting the yogurt directly into the vagina, most doctors believe this way of administering the probiotics should be avoided.
Eating natural, unsweetened yogurt that contains probiotics will help restore the balance in your body. A health food shop is the best place to purchase this, or if you want you can make it yourself.
Prevention by changing habits
Yeast, by its very nature, thrives in dark moist areas. You can help reduce the risk of yeast infection by limiting your use of perfumes, harsh soaps or feminine hygiene products that could alter your vagina’s PH level, which when that happens, you are opening the door for infection to enter.
After bathing, showering, swimming or a day out at the health spa, it is important to make sure you totally dry yourself off “down there”.
Another fallacy is that douching helps keep you clean. This is not true. Douching could in fact also alter the PH of your vagina and lead to vaginal thrush appearing.
Natural Fungicides
Knowing all about home yeast infection treatment methods should also include natural fungicides such as garlic and tree tea oil, which have been reported to be effective cures. Garlic is a natural fungicide that destroys yeast. Some women insert it into the vagina or consume it. Tree tea oil contains terpinen-4-ol, which is believed to be what cures the infection. If deciding to use this remedy, the oil should always be diluted before applying to the body.
Medicinal or Natural
Overall, home treatment for this infection comes down to your belief in what is the best treatment. If you do not believe in any natural remedies, then you are best to keep your home treatment to either over the counter medicines or prescription ones from your physician.
If you believe in natural remedies, then holistic treatment could be the way to go. It does take longer for the body to react to natural treatments, but it is believed that there will be less chance of the yeast infection being able to return.