What is vaginal thrush?
This makes vaginal fungus one of the most common genital infections in women. In simplified terms, the fungal infection is often referred to as vaginal fungus or vaginal mycosis, but the medical term is thrush vaginitis, thrush colpitis or vaginal mycosis. The trigger is always an infection with fungi, usually yeast. These microorganisms are part of the intestinal flora in many people, and also part of the vaginal flora in women. The fungi only cause symptoms when there are too many of them. Vaginal fungus can usually be successfully treated with antifungal agents.
Vaginal fungus: causes and risk factors
The fungal infection in the genital area is usually not caused by infection, the cause is almost always the body’s own yeast fungi. The yeast fungus Candida albicans plays a particularly important role here. This fungus normally colonizes the warm, moist environment of the vagina and intestines. Up to a certain amount, you don’t notice anything, it’s their proliferation that causes problems.
Lactic acid bacteria, medically known as lactobacilli, live in the vaginal flora. They create an acidic environment and are intended to provide effective protection against pathogens. However, studies have shown that only certain lactobacilli appear to be effective in protecting against yeast infections. What is certain is that there are various risk factors that favor vaginal fungus. Important factors are:
A slightly elevated oestrogen level
Hormonal contraceptive products that contain oestrogen can therefore increase the risk of vaginal thrush. Hormone replacement therapy during the menopause can also have this side effect. And because oestrogen levels increase with each month of pregnancy, vaginal mycoses can also occur more frequently.
Menstruation
A few days before the onset of menstruation, oestrogen levels rise. However, menstruation is not the only risk associated with vaginal thrush. Lactic acid bacteria metabolize glycogen released with the bleeding into glucose, which in turn can serve yeast fungi as “concentrated feed”, so to speak.
Defense weakness
Normally, the immune system keeps the yeast fungi in check. Protracted infections, stress, but also the use of antibiotics or cortisone preparations can weaken the immune system to such an extent that the fungi multiply rapidly.
Other risk factors
- Allergies
- Diabetes
- Neurodermatitis
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Tight clothing that pinches and chafes the genital area, but also synthetic underwear because it can lead to heat build-up. Body sweat cannot evaporate, and fungi love a warm and humid environment.
- Exaggerated, but also inadequate intimate hygiene
- Unprotected sexual intercourse can transmit yeast fungi. There is a risk of fungi entering the vagina from the mouth and anus, especially during anal and oral sex
Symptoms: Not just burning and itching due to vaginal fungus
Burning and itching of the vagina and the external genital area such as the labia are the most important and first signs of vaginal mycosis. There are other typical symptoms such as
- Discharge, which is whitish and somewhat liquid at first, sometimes rather crumbly like dry curd cheese
- Vagina and labia are slightly swollen, somewhat reddened
- Pain during sexual intercourse and pain when urinating can also occur.
These symptoms often indicate a vaginal fungus. However, they can also have other causes. For example, discharge that smells bad can be caused by bacteria. The symptoms can be the result of a sexually transmitted disease or a skin disease, but also an allergy.
It is therefore important to see a gynecologist if you suspect you have vaginal thrush, so that the cause can be determined and the appropriate treatment initiated. This is especially true if you are likely to have vaginal thrush for the first time or are pregnant.
Many women try to banish the symptoms with over-the-counter antifungals. However, only a third of women who treat themselves actually have vaginal thrush. Clarification by a gynecologist is therefore advisable.
Vaginal fungus: Diagnosis by us
After an anamnesis with questions about the nature and duration of the symptoms, medication taken and the like, we will examine you gynecologically and take a smear from a suspicious area of the vagina.
The material is examined under a microscope. It is often possible to identify the thread-like structures that are so typical of yeasts. Sometimes the sample is also examined in a laboratory to determine which fungus is present.
This is particularly important if a fungal infection does not heal with the usual treatments or if it occurs more frequently. More than four times a year is chronic vaginal fungus. It is then important to diagnose the exact type of fungus and combat it in a targeted manner.
Vaginal fungus: prevention, early detection, prognosis
Any woman who has ever had to experience the unpleasant symptoms of vaginal thrush will be keen to avoid getting the infection more often. You have a good chance with the following prevention tips:
- Intimate hygiene, but properly – please wash the genital area under running water, preferably in the shower, using your hand and not a washcloth. Do not use perfumed washing products, but rather gentle, pH-neutral products. Avoid intimate sprays and lotions.
- Avoid pads or panty liners that are coated with plastic.
- The same applies to synthetic underwear and underwear with a tight or chafing crotch. It is better to choose loose-fitting clothing made of breathable material, such as cotton.
- Please take this into account during bowel movements: It is best to wipe from front to back so that the genitals are not contaminated with intestinal germs.
- Please do not have sex with alternating oral, anal and vaginal intercourse. This also applies if the condom is not replaced between practices.
There is no method of detecting vaginal fungus at a particularly early stage. Itching and burning are the first symptoms and should be noted by every woman.
Progression and prognosis of vaginal thrush
Vaginal mycoses can be treated successfully and usually no longer occur afterwards. The situation is different if the risk factors already mentioned are present. Some women then get vaginal thrush again every few years, others even several times a year – we then speak of chronic recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. After all, up to nine out of 100 women with vaginal thrush belong to this group.
It is therefore important to treat the underlying diseases and risks and eliminate them as far as possible. Diabetics, for example, should make sure that their metabolic disease is very well controlled.
Vaginal fungus: treatment with antimycotics
Most remedies for vaginal thrush are available over the counter. We therefore recommend certain products. The antimycotics for vaginal fungus are ointments and suppositories or vaginal tablets to be applied locally. The common active ingredients are:
- Clotrimazole
- Miconazole
- Fenticonazole
- Ciclopirox
- Nystatin
- Amphotericin B
