Everything you need to know about Thrush

1. What is Thrush?

The common vaginal yeast infection thrush is a type of vaginitis – an inflammation of your vagina. Both fungus and bacteria naturally live in your vagina, but when the fungus Candida albicans increases, it can cause thrush. This fungus may increase when your immune system is weak or when good bacteria (called lactobacilli) can’t keep the fungus under control.

lady sitting in the sun with pastel leaves in the background

There are times when you are more prone to thrush:

If you are pregnant
If you have finished a course of antibiotics
If you have diabetes
If you are on your period
If you take birth control pills
If you have an HIV infection

2. Who gets thrush?

Having thrush is normal – around 75% of women will experience it at least once in their lives , while many women may suffer from recurrent thrush.

If you've never had thrush before and you think you may have it, visit your doctor. Once you recognise your own symptoms and you know they’re not serious, we’ll help you to deal with thrush independently at home. Thrush doesn’t take long to clear up once you’ve started treatment.

3. Symptoms of Thrush

Thrush or vaginal candidiasis are the general and medical terms used to describe a common vaginal yeast infection. Thrush occurs when there is an overgrowth of Candida albicans (yeast-like fungus) in your vagina. This occurs when the good bacteria in your vagina can’t keep the fungus (Candida albicans) under control, creating a suitable environment for Candida albicans to increase.
Just so you know, thrush is not a sexually transmitted infection. It can be really uncomfortable, but in the majority of cases it’s simple to treat.
Everyone is different, so your symptoms may differ from a friend’s. They may also change each time you get thrush, so watch out for these common symptoms and whether your symptoms are mild, moderate or more complicated.

Most people experience symptoms such as:

An itchy vagina / vulva
Soreness around the entrance to your vagina (vulva)
Slight swelling of your vaginal lips (labia)
Cottage cheese-like white discharge

These symptoms aren’t uncommon:

Pain during sex
Thick discharge
Red and swollen labia
Burning around your vulva
Pain when you urinate
Sores in your vaginal area
Cracked skin around your vulva

You should see your doctor if:

You are experiencing thrush for the first time
You get thrush frequently, or if it returns in less than 2 months
There is no improvement in your symptoms within three days, or if they’ve not disappeared within seven days
You are pregnant or breastfeeding
You have multiple sexual partners
You are under 12 years old
You have fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting
You have a smelly or unusual discharge
You feel abdominal pain
You have previously had an allergic reaction to other thrush medications

4. Treating Thrush

Treatment can be quite straight forward.
To treat the infection you can use an internal product that contains the active ingredient clotrimazole or fluconazole. Choose from the oral pill, soft gel pessary, pessary or internal cream. These products all treat your infection, but different people prefer different treatment options. External thrush creams will help to soothe your symptoms such as itching. You can buy our products separately or you can purchase a combi pack containing both the internal and external treatments.