Where does thrush start? Presence of untreated or chronic diseases

which has become very active in recent times. The genital organs are most often affected (“vulvovaginal candidiasis” - in women, “urogenital” - in men), but can occur in the form of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth or intestines. This disease is easy to diagnose, the first time is quite simple to treat. But if it is done incorrectly, it can quickly recur.

The fungus Candida, which causes the disease, can indeed live in a small amount on the skin and mucous membranes, it multiplies more actively with an increase in blood sugar, it is affected hormonal background women and the cleanliness of the genitals (and mouth) of the sexual partner. But the disease itself does not appear. The most common causes of thrush in women are:

recent use of antibiotics, although it can also occur while taking these drugs;
rebalancing female hormones due to taking contraceptive pills;
decreased immunity due to pregnancy, serious illness, anticancer treatment, very severe stress, HIV infections;
oral-genital contacts with carriers of the fungus;
sex with a man with urogenital candidiasis;
diabetes.

Wearing tight underwear, insufficient compliance with the rules intimate hygiene, love of sweets, hypothermia can aggravate the course of thrush, but they are not its cause.

The main manifestations of thrush are white (less often greenish or creamy) in color, they are plentiful, thick (“curdled”), with an unpleasant odor, intensify before menstruation and after sex.

Also noted severe itching or burning sensation in the genital area. Sometimes because of this, it hurts to urinate (urine gets on the inflamed external genitalia), to have sex. What is a thrush? How to treat the disease? The gynecologist will answer these and other questions after examining and examining your smear. And all because:

the causes of thrush in women are not only Candida fungi, which are quite easy to kill (they have learned to produce protective enzymes for themselves), there are other fungi of this kind that are much more difficult to deal with;
thrush can go "paired" with a bacterial or other disease of the vagina;
you may have concomitant diseases or complications of thrush, which are taken into account by the doctor in the treatment.

Modern pharmaceuticals have come up with many drugs for both local application(in the form of suppositories, gels, tablets or ointments), and for general use (in the form of solutions for infusions and tablets).

Proper treatment should be prescribed depending on the cause of thrush in women (that is, determining which subspecies of the fungus caused it and what this microflora is sensitive to). To do this, you need not only to take a regular smear, but also to sow the discharge from the vagina on a nutrient medium with the determination of drugs that will destroy the isolated microbe (this is called " bacteriological culture with antibiotic susceptibility testing).

Usually, the treatment of thrush begins with the use of local remedies: Clotrimazole (Candid-gel), Miconazole, Terconazole, Nystatin. During pregnancy, Pimafucin is used.

The drugs for systemic use in thrush include: Fluconazole, Nystatin, Nizoral, Itraconazole.

Thrush is perhaps one of the most common diseases of the genital area in women. Specialists involved in the treatment and prevention of the disease can always answer the question of what causes thrush. Today, according to statistics, almost every second woman knows firsthand about thrush. Modern society subject to stress, and in connection with this, very often the body loses its protective functions, and the immune system weakens, and as a result, infectious diseases become more active. One of the reasons why thrush appears is the weakening of the immune system. The body ceases to resist infections and the active reproduction of fungi, and as a result, candidiasis begins. Women are most often infected with a fungus, due to the structure of their body. Especially often thrush and its manifestations can be found during pregnancy, when all the forces of the body are aimed at creating favorable conditions for fetal development. Hormonal changes take place and Great chance exacerbations chronic diseases which, in turn, can cause thrush. What causes thrush can be determined by knowing the main reasons for its appearance.

Causes of female candidiasis or thrush

Enough common cause the occurrence of candidiasis in girls and women is a weakened immune system.
One of the causes of thrush is a weak immune system.

This may be due to numerous colds and infectious diseases, non-compliance with hygiene rules, strong emotional stress and stress, which also lead to a weakening of all body functions.
A number of chronic diseases that can occur in girls as early as adolescence, creates a favorable environment for the emergence and development of the disease. Even at school, a violation of the diet, frequent snacks, metabolic disorders and hormonal disruptions can cause the development of fungal infections. Diseases digestive tract with suppressed beneficial microflora, they also create conditions for the reproduction of fungi and bacteria in the esophagus, which causes thrush. Candidiasis quite often affects the internal organs and spreads further down the esophagus, leading to concomitant diseases such as colitis, gastritis, dysbacteriosis, accompanied by diarrhea, weight loss, intestinal obstruction. It is in such an environment that fungi begin to become active and, as a result, can manifest themselves in the form of a serious illness and its consequences.
Most often in women and girls, thrush occurs in the genital area and can affect the entire genitourinary system. The reason may be taking hormonal contraceptives, frequent change sexual partners, poor hygiene of the genitals, allergic reactions, wearing tight synthetic underwear.
The use of hormonal contraceptives is another factor in the development of candidiasis.

Sometimes the use of sanitary tampons and pads can also affect the change in the microflora of the vagina and lead to inflammatory processes, which, in turn, provoke thrush in girls and women.
In case of violation metabolic processes, elevated content blood sugar consumption a large number sweet, diabetes can develop, which very often leads to the reproduction of the fungus in the body and directly to the disease of candidiasis. When the first symptoms of thrush appear, it is necessary to treat it with the use of antifungal agents prescribed by a specialist.
The transition of thrush to the chronic stage in women is not uncommon. The reason is that its treatment is often delayed or not completed. As a result, relapses occur, which over time can lead to serious disorders in the genital area.
When the menstrual cycle begins in girls, it is necessary to carefully monitor the hygiene of the genital organs, because during this period of body restructuring, the infection can enter the vagina and cause inflammation and, in particular, the reproduction of the fungus.
The appearance of discharge with a smell should alert you

Appearance strong secretions with a characteristic odor, especially after the end of menstruation, may be the cause of the onset of thrush and one of its signs. But to be sure that it can really be thrush, and not another disease, you need to seek advice and diagnosis. After laboratory tests, a diagnosis of thrush can be made and only then should it be treated.
For diseases endocrine system very often, as a result of its dysfunction, there is yeast infection provoked by the growth of the fungus against the background of the underlying disease. Diseases thyroid gland are also risk factors in girls and women.
The defeat of thrush occurs quite often in women suffering from allergic reactions, especially of the seasonal type. Candida fungus itself can cause allergies and long-term treatment thrush, especially in the chronic form, can also provoke the body's reaction to the action of antifungal drugs.
Are you allergic? You are at risk.

That is why, when starting to treat an infection, it is very important to choose correct therapy, especially in people with hypersensitivity. Not all remedies for candidiasis are safe, because they have a number of contraindications and side effects. Treat thrush in women suffering from allergic reactions should be drugs local action it is advisable to pass a preliminary allergy test.

Treat the disease in acute period can be done fairly quickly if you seek advice in time and make the correct diagnosis.

Sometimes the symptoms of the disease are very similar to other infectious forms of damage to the reproductive system. Discharge of an uncharacteristic color and, discomfort in the vagina, violation menstrual cycle, pain when urinating, all these symptoms and causes can accompany not only thrush, but also occur with trichomoniasis, genital herpes, gonorrhea. Therefore, before self-medicating, you should laboratory research for the presence of a fungal or other infection in the body of women.

With hygiene, healthy way life, good nutrition and lack bad habits the risk of the disease is significantly reduced and the cause of its occurrence does not arise.
It is especially important to start treating thrush in time, and in the future to carry out its prevention, especially in young girls, so as not to have unpleasant consequences with diseases genitourinary system. Preventive measures after treatment significantly reduce the risk of recurrence of candidiasis in women.

Thrush or vaginal candidiasis - unpleasant disease from which women often suffer. During thrush, Candida fungi actively multiply, causing vivid symptoms: burning in the vagina, copious curdled discharge, pain during intercourse, redness and swelling of the vulva.

Patients are always worried about the question: what causes thrush in women? Having eliminated the main factors, the disease ceases to bother the female representatives.

Causes of the disease

In the body of ladies there are many pathogens, but they live in small numbers, the immune system inhibits their growth. Sometimes there is a malfunction in the work of immunity, then microorganisms begin to actively multiply. In gynecology, there are two main factors that answer the question: why does thrush occur in women.

In the body of the fair sex there are more than 150 fungi that provoke the development of thrush. Pathogens begin to multiply actively in two cases: under adverse external circumstances and due to internal causes.

The first factors are not dangerous to health, candidiasis disappears after treatment and elimination of the cause. The second circumstances are associated with diseases, thrush can constantly return until the underlying disease is cured.

External causes

Third party factors include:

– antimicrobials kill both pathogenic and natural microflora of the body. Their use often causes thrush. To avoid an unpleasant disease, you can not take antibiotics haphazardly, without a doctor's prescription. Parallel to antimicrobial agents you need to consume probiotics that support normal microflora in the vagina and
Unbalanced diet - excessive consumption of sweets, flour products and spicy dishes creates a favorable environment for the development of the fungus. These foods change the acidity in the vagina.
Poor personal hygiene - all women are advised to wash themselves 1-2 times a day. Hygiene should be increased during menstruation. With a rare washout, bacteria accumulate in the vagina, from which candidiasis develops.
Washing out beneficial microflora - along with rare hygiene, thrush is also caused by the frequent use of personal hygiene products or constant douching.
Wearing wet underwear - women who constantly swim in pools or ponds are more likely to get thrush.

Also to external factors includes unprotected sex with a sick partner, wrong treatment diseases internal organs, wearing synthetic underwear or inappropriate daily pads, overheating or hypothermia of the body. Sometimes even the use of scented toilet paper causes thrush.

Internal factors of the disease

Sometimes the cause of thrush is a malfunction in the work of the female body. Thrush occurs even if a woman observes personal hygiene, eats right and follows the rules of prevention.

To internal factors relate:

violations at work hormonal system- this is pregnancy, menopause, a couple of months after an abortion or miscarriage;
pathological changes in the endocrine system - diabetes mellitus, pathologies in the work of the ovaries, obesity;
chronic diseases - any disease reduces immunity. With their exacerbation, Candida fungi begin to actively multiply. To the main chronic pathologies include: tonsillitis, genital herpes, respiratory diseases, HIV infection;
diseases of the pelvic organs - usually inflammatory reactions in the female genital organs are accompanied by thrush;
stress, constant anxiety.

If thrush is caused internal diseases, then home treatment is unacceptable. Should be diagnosed main disease and cure her.

Why does thrush occur during pregnancy

Women in interesting position often suffer from vaginal candidiasis. The situation is complicated by the fact that not all of them can be used. medications. It is especially difficult to treat the disease in the first trimester, when it is not recommended to use medications at all.

Thrush occurs due to hormonal changes. During pregnancy, gestagens predominate in the body. These hormones promote the reproduction of fungi. In addition, women in an interesting position have reduced immunity. The body treats the baby as foreign body. To avoid miscarriage, the immune system weakens.

Causes of frequent candidiasis

Some women. They cure the disease, and after a while, it returns again (up to 4 times a year). This suggests that candidiasis has passed into chronic form. Women are worried about why they often get thrush.

Main factors:

reduced immunity;
chronic diseases;
frequent use of antibiotics;
use of unsuitable personal hygiene products;
malnutrition, which is dominated by simple carbohydrates.

Treatment

When the first symptoms appear, you should consult a gynecologist. The doctor will examine the patient, take a smear for the presence of mycelium, indicating thrush. After positive results will tell you what and how to treat it. Therapy includes:

The use of antifungal drugs. These are local remedies - ointments, suppositories or gels ("", "Zalain", "Clotrimazole"). They have a quick effect, relieving inflammation and itching. Inserted deep into the vagina.

Along with local funds apply internal preparations in the form of tablets. They systemically affect the immune system and inhibit the development of Candida fungi. Common medicines: "Fluconazole", "", "Terzhinan".

Antihistamines - aimed at removing allergic reactions. They can be called antifungals. Among the antihistamines: "Zodak", "Zirtek", "Suprastin".
Sedatives - sedatives that improve the condition nervous system. Candidiasis is often accompanied by stress, nervous disorders or depression. Doctors prescribe Novopassit, Persen, valerian or motherwort tincture.

The duration and dosage of drugs is prescribed by the attending gynecologist. During treatment, women are advised to refrain from sexual intercourse and alcohol, to observe personal hygiene of the genitals. It is forbidden to use antibiotics and other medicines without consulting a doctor.

Thrush (candidiasis) is a disease of the vagina and vulva caused by an increased number of fungi of the genus Candida. Thrush is a common name given to the disease due to discharge and plaque similar to some dairy products.

About 75% of women suffer from this disease during puberty, and by the age of 25, the same number of girls had had thrush twice. In one group of women, thrush is an episodic problem, and in the second half, the disease becomes chronic, due to which an exacerbation occurs 2-4 times a year.

The first signs of thrush in women

The first signs of the disease, which should alert a woman, on the external genitalia:

Burning and intense itching, which are worse when the woman sits, takes a shower. You can not comb the inflamed areas, otherwise the area of \u200b\u200binflammation grows.
Redness and plaque.
Abundant curdled discharge white color. They are especially clearly manifested on dark underwear, they look like curdled lumps with mucus.
Pain during urination and intercourse. It is not recommended to live sexually until the moment of recovery.
Smell. The smell is sour, strongly pronounced, and only a sick woman feels it, which is a problem for her.

With thrush, a woman may not be bothered by all the symptoms, but only a few. Most often it is itching, redness and bad smell. The first symptoms of the disease appear 1–1.5 weeks before the onset of menstruation.

The main causes of thrush in women

There are more than 40 reasons that contribute to the violation of the delicate balance of the female body and contribute to the development of thrush:

Antibacterial drugs and antibiotics. Taking strong drugs that kill the microflora is the first reason for the development of thrush. Antibiotics help cure most diseases, but they do not kill pathogenic microbes pointwise, but affect the entire microflora - beneficial and harmful.
Fungus Candida. Antibiotics do not work on the Candida fungus, so it turns out like this: beneficial bacteria die, and Candida remains safe and sound, continuing to multiply on the walls of the vagina.
Metabolic disease. Almost always, the cause of this problem is diabetes mellitus, which disrupts not only the regulation of sugar metabolism, but also protein. It can also be caused by strict diet, jumps weight, diseases of the endocrine system and taking drugs for weight loss.

Decreased immunity. Immunity inhibits growth pathogenic flora, and with its decrease, the likelihood of developing chronic thrush increases by 2-3 times.
Change in hormonal background. AT female body It is hormones that “rule the ball”, and a change in their level provokes a response in the form of Thrush.
Pregnancy. Due to pregnancy and weight gain, metabolism and hormone levels change.
Unsuitable contraceptives. The drugs change the level of hormones in the blood, which makes it more likely that Candida will multiply.
Violation of hygiene standards. Irregular showering, use of unsuitable intimate hygiene products, synthetic underwear that does not allow air to pass through.

Ways to treat thrush in women

Treatment and prevention of thrush in a woman is:

avoiding strict diets
personal hygiene
the use of drugs prescribed by a gynecologist.
During the treatment period, and this is usually 2-4 weeks, it is worth refusing to take antibiotics after consultation with the doctor, glucocorticoids and estrogen-gestagenic drugs.
It is important to follow a diet the minimum amount light carbohydrates (sugar, sweets, flour products).

For the treatment of thrush, comorbidities must be taken into account. Treatment proceeds with the help of local or systemic therapy. The task of therapy is to restore the microflora with the help of fermented milk products, prebiotics, suppositories with beneficial bacteria are used.

Uncontrolled treatment of thrush leads to chronic stage diseases. Before treatment, it is necessary to consult a doctor and undergo preliminary procedures, collect an anamnesis about the state of health.

Chronic candidiasis

Chronic candidiasis- this is special shape thrush, in which the disease in acute form Reminds me every 3 months. The causes of chronic candidiasis are as follows:

Early sexual life.
Frequent change of partners.
Unprotected sex.
Regular lack of hygiene.
Self-medication with drugs that are not suitable for a particular woman

Treatment of this form of candidiasis takes about 6 months.

How to treat thrush for pregnant and lactating women?

Modern drugs can treat thrush for pregnant and lactating women:

Terzhinan are vaginal hormonal pills. They are used for treatment during lactation, introducing 1 tablet into the vagina at bedtime.
Pimafucin- This is an antifungal drug that is available in the form of tablets and ointments. During lactation or pregnancy, it is rational to use the ointment, applying it thin layer on the external genitalia and in the vagina.
Livarol- efficient and safe drug used to treat thrush during pregnancy. Produced in the form vaginal suppositories, which are recommended for use for 5 days for the treatment of solitary thrush, and for 15 days for the treatment of chronic disease.

If a woman does not want to use drugs, she can use folk remedies to treat thrush, which we will discuss later.

List of effective medicines for thrush in women

If the disease is in the initial, and not the chronic stage, and the woman promptly applied for medical care, then doctors recommend local medications for use. Local preparations are suppositories, tablets and gels applied directly to the vagina. The agent enters the epicenter of the disease and begins to act on Candida fungi. Usually, gynecologists recommend the following medications.

clotrimazole in the form of an ointment, vaginal tablets or solution. Ointment and solution are used 4 times a day, and tablets are injected into the vagina 1 time a day at bedtime.
Isoconazole ointment is applied externally 4 times a day, recommended for mixed diseases. Apply to affected areas for 4 weeks to treat chronic thrush.
Miconazole- this is vaginal tablets applied 4 times a day. Therapeutic effect should be expected within 2-4 weeks, but the drug relieves the symptoms of thrush in the first 3-4 days of use.

Hexicon. This drug is available in three forms: vaginal suppositories, solution and gel for external use. Gets rid of discomfort within 5 days, recommended during pregnancy.
Polygynax. Antifungal drug in the form of suppositories and emulsions. Application of this medicinal product not recommended during pregnancy and without prior consultation with a doctor.

If a woman lives with one regular partner, a joint course of treatment should be carried out. A man carries thrush almost painlessly and is able to transmit the disease to a woman who has already undergone treatment. Gynecologists recommend a joint appointment following tablets from thrush for men and women:

diklufan;
forkan;
diflazone;
mycosyst.

Treatment of thrush in women with folk remedies: recipes

Previously, there were no drugs that could save women from fungus Candida, and folk remedies were used to treat the disease. The following popular recipes are rightfully considered the most effective:

Vaginal douching and treatment of the external genitalia with an infusion of celandine, juniper or chamomile. The infusion is prepared at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. vegetable raw materials per 1 liter of water.
soda solution(1 tablespoon per 500 ml of water), with which douching is carried out.
Douching with a solution: dissolve 2 tbsp. tablespoons of soda in boiling water, and after cooling the liquid, add 12 drops of iodine and a spoonful of soda. Douche with this solution 2 times a day. After 5 days, the disease will recede.

It is important that the disease be treated with antifungal drugs that can be combined with folk remedies. Otherwise, the likelihood of developing concomitant diseases due to the death of microflora.

If a person has got a permanent thrush, you should not ignore her symptoms and prescribe treatment yourself, since such therapy does not always help get rid of the disease. In this case, persistent thrush appears, the main symptom of which is frequent relapses (four or more times a year), and in some cases it repeats every month (more often before critical days in girls). In order to prevent regular thrush from appearing, you should immediately consult a special doctor.

Forms of chronic thrush

relapsing form. The disease manifests itself after treatment after a while. It is dangerous that before relapses the disease proceeds without manifestations and is not immediately treated. The milkmaid is back again.
persistent form. The thrush is always present and the symptoms are only slightly blunted if it is treated, but the disease remains.

Why won't candidiasis go away?

Against the background of reduced immunity are activated pathogenic microorganisms microflora.

There are many reasons why thrush does not go away, but the most important one is associated with an increase in the number of candida fungi that are always in the microflora of a woman’s vagina, but only under adverse conditions do they begin to multiply, which is the cause of candidiasis. In order for the thrush not to return, you need to change your daily habits and get rid of all the causes of candidiasis, namely:

low immunity;
taking antibiotics;
unbalanced nutrition (the predominance of flour and sweet products in the diet);
treatment of only one partner;
hormonal imbalance (often during pregnancy).

These are the main causes of persistent thrush. Less common is thrush in men, and sometimes its appearance goes unnoticed, since the symptoms in the stronger sex are less pronounced. But this does not mean that the pathology does not need to be treated. If a man ignores therapy, both partners will have incessant thrush, and as long as this situation is not tired, it is better to be treated in a timely manner.

Other causes of persistent thrush

Poor gut microflora promotes fungal growth.

Doctors have found that bowel problems are one of the first reasons why thrush does not go away for a long time. The second on the list is the individual reaction of the body to candida, combined with low immunity. Often thrush occurs with constant use hormonal drugs, and if candidiasis torments about this, it is recommended to visit a gynecologist and competently change the drug.

Candidiasis can appear periodically in girls and boys in the first year after birth, when infection with the fungus was transmitted from the mother during childbirth. In this case, a course is required specific treatment under the supervision of a pediatrician At the age of 12 to 14 years, there is often a manifestation of signs of thrush in girls, which indicates hormonal changes body, but does not mean that you can do nothing and wait for the disease to become chronic.

What to do so that candidiasis does not return?

To prevent the danger of thrush and she has not returned, it is imperative:

regularly change bed and underwear, bath accessories;
refuse to wear synthetic underwear;
do not use perfumed detergents;
do not use hormonal contraceptives;
replace fat-soluble lubricants and lubricants with water-soluble ones.

Symptoms of candidiasis

The symptoms of the disease are pronounced, which allows the doctor, and the patient himself, to make a correct diagnosis. For candidiasis in a woman are characteristic:

cheesy white discharge from the genitals;
itching and burning in the genital area;
inflammation of the genital mucosa and redness;
pain during urination and sexual intercourse.

For men it looks like this:

white coating on the flesh of the penis;
the penis becomes bright red;
the head of the penis swells a little;
worried about itching and burning.