Want more iVillage? Sign up for our
Newsletters
Vaginal Yeast Infections - Home Treatment
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
- Topic Overview
-
Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
Do not self-treat a vaginal yeast infection if you:
- Are pregnant.
- Are not sure your symptoms are caused by a vaginal yeast infection. If you have never been diagnosed with a vaginal yeast infection, see your doctor before treating it with a nonprescription antifungal cream. Sometimes women think they have a vaginal yeast infection when symptoms are caused by a different condition, such as bacterial vaginosis or a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
- Have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD), which would require a medical exam.
- Are having a recurrent infection.
For more information on self-treatment, see:
Using nonprescription medicine
When using a nonprescription vaginal medicine for a vaginal yeast infection, follow the directions on the package insert, as well as these guidelines:
- Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat dairy products. Eating right helps your body fight off infections. Although there is no clear connection between eating foods with lactobacillus organisms, such as yogurt or acidophilus milk, and reducing symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection, these foods can be part of a healthy diet. Be aware that taking lactobacillus supplements or inserting vaginal forms of lactobacillus have not been shown to prevent yeast infections from developing in women who have recently taken antibiotics.3
- Use pads instead of tampons while you are using nonprescription vaginal medicines. Tampons can absorb the medicine.
- Avoid using soap when cleaning the vaginal area—rinse with water only.
- If sexual intercourse is painful, avoid it. Otherwise, use a water-soluble lubricating jelly (such as K-Y Jelly) to reduce irritation. The oil in antifungal creams or suppositories can weaken latex. This means condoms and diaphragms may break, and you may not be protected from STDs or pregnancy.
- If the genital area is swollen or painful, sitting in warm water (in a bathtub or sitz bath, not a hot tub) may help. Or instead, you may try putting a cool, damp cloth on the area. Do not rub to try to relieve itching.
Report your symptoms to your doctor if:
- You are not sure that you have a yeast infection.
- Your self-treatment is not working after one complete course of therapy.
Considerations
The risk of self-treatment is that your symptoms may be caused by a type of vaginal infection other than a yeast infection, such as bacterial vaginosis or a sexually transmitted disease (STD). If you have pelvic pain or fever, get an evaluation by a doctor.
If you are pregnant, it is important to be evaluated for vaginal symptoms. Some vaginal infections, such as bacterial vaginosis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia, may increase your risk of complications during pregnancy.
Women who take the anticoagulant medicine warfarin and use a nonprescription vaginal yeast-fighting medicine may have increased bruising and abnormal bleeding. If you take warfarin, talk with your doctor before using a yeast-fighting medicine.
If you have risk factors for an STD, discuss your symptoms with your doctor before using a nonprescription medicine.
Talk to your doctor before you try unproven home treatment methods, such as applying tea tree oil in the vagina or taking garlic supplements. These treatments have not been well studied. They may even cause other problems, such as allergic reactions, in some women.4 Douching is not recommended because it can make some infections worse.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: June 8, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Anne Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:
- Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
- Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
- Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.
The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.
How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?
Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.
How do I save content to my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.
How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.
How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.
To manage your Care Circle, Please
Sign In.
