To help prevent and treat vaginal discharge: Keep your genital area clean and dry. Avoid soap and rinse with water only. Sitting in a warm, but not hot, bath may help your symptoms.
“Warmth, moisture, and friction can all lead to irritation and the potential changes in pH that increase favorability for yeast to overgrow and become a clinical infection.”
Relieve itching with a cold pack or a cool bath. Don't wash your vulva more than once a day. Use plain water or a mild, unscented soap.
Some people find soaking in an apple cider vinegar bath offers relief, as the vinegar can help restore normal acidity to the vagina. Add two cups of vinegar to a shallow warm—not hot—bath, and soak for 15 minutes. Make sure you dry yourself thoroughly before getting dressed.
Douching. Your vagina is self-cleaning. "When a woman douches, she is negatively altering the delicate balance of yeast and bacteria in the vagina. This is a set-up for either the development of a yeast infection or worsening of an existing infection," says Millheiser.
Avoid soap and rinse with water only. Sitting in a warm, but not hot, bath may help your symptoms. Avoid douching. Although many women feel cleaner if they douche after their period or intercourse, it may worsen vaginal discharge.
taking probiotics or eating probiotic-rich foods. reducing sugar consumption, as yeast feeds on sugar. taking antibiotics only when necessary, as these upset the body's balance of bacteria and yeast.
Salt water to treat vaginal infections
The expert explains that warm water with salt will generally increase blood supply to the vaginal area. It can reduce the vaginal infection as part of the natural healing process. But using salt directly is unlikely to heal the vaginal infection.
If you cannot get to a doctor or chemist immediately, try washing in a diluted salt solution (one teaspoon of table salt to one pint of water in a basin) or take a salt bath. This soothes the tissues and prevents growth of yeast.
Regardless of the type of yeast you use, if your water reaches temperatures of 120°F or more, the yeast will begin to die off. Once water temps reach 140°F or higher, that is the point where the yeast will be completely killed off.
Even though yeast infections can be really itchy, try not to scratch. It can make irritation worse or cause cuts in your skin, which can spread germs and lead to more infection. There are over-the-counter creams that you can use on your vulva to help calm the irritation.
Mild yeast infections may clear up in as few as three days. Sometimes, they don't even require treatment. However, moderate to severe infections may take one to two weeks to clear.
So if your yeast infection isn't going away on its own or with over-the-counter treatment, see a gynecologist or other healthcare provider. You might need further testing and a secondary course of prescription antifungal medication.
Taking an antifungal medication for three to seven days will usually clear a yeast infection. Antifungal medications — which are available as creams, ointments, tablets and suppositories — include miconazole (Monistat 3) and terconazole.
Below are some reasons that this may happen: The medication may need more time to work: It can take up to 7 days for an antifungal medication to eradicate a yeast infection. The infection could be treatment resistant : Some yeast may be more resilient to antifungal treatment.
Yeast infections are characterized by recurrent and continued itching. You will notice that the itching has subsided, eliminating much of the discomfort. Finally, all irritation, inflammation, or redness will go away. The appearance and feel of your genitals will return to normal.
Apple cider vinegar has long been used as a home remedy to treat candida overgrowth and protect against yeast infections and thrush. Studies show apple cider vinegar has powerful antimicrobial activities and can inhibit the growth of C. albicans and other pathogens.
Over-the-counter medications: A wide range of OTC antifungal vaginal suppositories and lotions use tioconazole to treat yeast infections over one-, three-, and seven-day regimens. Patients insert the suppositories at bedtime and use a cream throughout the day to alleviate irritation and itch.