Thrush 101: Causes, Symptoms & When It Won’t Go Away

24 Mar

What is Thrush?

Vulvovaginal candidiasis, commonly called thrush or a yeast infection, is a fungal infection of the vagina caused by Candida yeast. Typically, the culprit is Candida albicans, though other species of candida, like Candida glabrata, can also cause thrush.

The interesting thing about Candida is that it isn’t always a problem – in fact, Candida yeast cells exist in the vaginal microbiomes of 20-30% of healthy women, without causing issues. However, if Candida overgrows, a thrush infection can result.

Why Does Thrush Happen?

Antibiotics: If you’ve ever experienced thrush after antibiotics, you’ve seen first hand what happens when the balance of the vaginal microbiome is disturbed. A healthy vagina is typically dominated by Lactobacilli – rod-shaped, gram-positive bacteria that produce lactic acid, thus maintaining an acidic environment in the vagina that helps to keep it healthy. Antibiotics reduce the number of Lactobacilli in the vagina, but don’t impact yeasts. The result? Candida gets a chance to overgrow and rule the roost, leaving you with a yeast infection.
Hormonal changes: Oestrogen fluctuations throughout your menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, or from hormonal contraceptives can increase your risk of developing thrush. Research has shown that oestrogen plays a key role in creating an environment where Candida albicans, the most common yeast responsible for thrush, can thrive. One study found that postmenopausal women using oestrogen therapy were significantly more likely to have a Candida albicans infection compared to those who weren’t on oestrogen. This is because oestrogen stimulates the vaginal lining to produce glycogen, a type of sugar that Candida can use as food – essentially providing the perfect conditions for overgrowth.
Immune function: A weakened immune system (e.g. from a medical condition like diabetes, or even from poor nutrient intake) increases the risk of thrush, because it makes it easier for Candida to overgrow.
Lifestyle factors: Wearing synthetic underwear, tight clothing, some sanitary items, sweating a lot, high stress levels and washing the genitals with soap can all increase your risk of getting a yeast infection.

What Are the Symptoms?

Vaginal itching
Thick, white discharge (not always the case with recurrent infections)
Vaginal swelling
Vaginal burning
Vaginal redness
Discomfort with sex

Will Thrush Go Away On Its Own?

Some mild thrush infections may go away on their own without treatment, though it may take longer. With treatment, like vaginal creams or oral antifungal drugs, simple infections generally clear up within a 3-6 days, However, for women with recurrent thrush, over-the-counter antifungal treatments are often not sufficient to resolve their symptoms long-term.

When Thrush Won’t Go Away

Recurrent thrush is diagnosed when a person experiences multiple yeast infections within twelve months. There are a myriad of reasons for this, above and beyond the reasons stated above:

Candida becomes more invasive: A key feature of recurrent vulvuvaginal candidiasis (RVVC) is the transition from yeast form to hyphal form – a morphological shift where Candida elongates into a more invasive structure that helps the fungus invade host tissues and evade both immune defences and antifungal treatment
Misdiagnosis and bacteria: Recurrent infections can happen if thrush was misdiagnosed or there is a concurrent bacterial infection
Sexual influences: Sexual practices and the influence of your partner/s genital microbiome
Genes: Genetic components are thought to play a role in the susceptibility to RVVC
Resistant strains: Some strains of Candida are better at resisting antifungal agents used to treat thrush
High blood sugar: High blood sugar levels can fuel Candida overgrowth

How to Treat Recurrent Thrush

When you look at the list of contributing factors above, it’s not surprising that antifungal treatment alone is rarely enough to stop the cycle of recurrent thrush. At Sunday Naturopathy. we take a holistic, comprehensive approach to recurrent thrush, and often refer for in-depth vaginal microbiome testing.

If you’re ready to get answers (and long-term relief), you can book your initial consultation by clicking here. Virtual appointments are available in New Zealand, Australia, and in select locations worldwide.

Appointments are held with our naturopath & nutritionist, Gemma (BNatMed), who has a special interest in hormones, reproductive and vaginal health.