What are the symptoms of the sexually transmitted infection Thrush and how is it treated?

Thrush is a yeast from the fungus family that occurs naturally in our stomachs.

It lies in a fine balance with the many other types of bacteria in the gut and usually presents no problem. However, if this balance is disturbed, the thrush fungus can become unstable and ultimately cause vaginal irritation and a whitish, yeast smelling vaginal discharge.

The imbalance of bacteria behind thrush is usually caused by a hormonal change in the body, oral contraceptives or from a recent course on antibiotics the individual may have taken.

Thrush can be effectively treated in two main ways:

- anti fungal creams such as Canesten which can bought over the counter to target the offending bacteria.
- oral tablets of various strengths available both on prescription and from your local chemists.

However, if you wanted to avoid creams and medication you could try eating plenty yogurt (friendly bacteria) to replace the healthy bacteria in your stomach and reestablish the natural balance of your gut

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