How did you gu? Acquire a vaginitis?

I believe that you'll be much better served using so-called "natural" methods of controlling and preventing yeast infections. But before you can make an informed decision about what's right for you, you need to know your options. As it happens, the opposite of "natural" solutions is NOT "un-natural" solutions. The term, rather, is "conventional" solutions.

If nothing else, becoming familiar with all the possibilities makes you more informed when you discuss with your doctor what choices you are making and why you're making them.


First, the good news:

The good thing about conventional medications is that they're generally clean, fast, and convenient. With little muss or fuss, you just follow the directions and wait for the intended result.

Now, the downside of conventional medications:

First of all, most conventional medications come with uncomfortable side-effects. So-called "common" side effects happen to more than 1% of the women using the medication -- possibly a lot more than 1%. Less common side effects can be seriously debilitating and may call for you to stop taking the medicine and seek immediate medical help.

Second, the medications may be treating the symptom of a problem instead of addressing the underlying cause. As we noted yesterday, your yeast infection may well be a symptom of something else that's wrong with your body or your life. It may be a symptom of stress, bad diet, diabetes, or cancer.

If you're otherwise healthy and have developed a yeast infection because, for instance, you spent too much time in a wet swimsuit, a conventional medication may be all you need to resolve the infection. But when the yeast infection keeps coming back, you're ill-advised to treat the symptom without considering the possibility of an underlying cause that should be addressed.

Prescription medicines:

Prescription medicines work for most people most of the time. At least, they work for single-episode infections much of the time for many people. But if you're dealing with recurring yeast infections, you need to discuss with your doctor the possibility of underlying problems. Don't let diabetes or cancer be misdiagnosed as "just a yeast infection that doesn't seem to go away."

Although there are a number of yeast infection medications available for your doctor to prescribe, the three most common are Mycostatin, Terazol, and Gynazole 1. Here's an overview of these three most common drugs used in treating yeast infections:

Mycostatin:

These are vaginal tablets, inserted at bedtime. Usually you'll use these for three days. Common side effects include itching, burning, and vaginal irritation.

Terazol:

This is a vaginal cream which you apply at bedtime over three or seven days. More common side effects include difficult or painful urination, headache, itching or burning, stomach upset, vaginal irritation, and vaginal pain.

Gynazole 1:

This is a single-dose (apply it once) vaginal cream that takes effect in one to three days. Among the side effects you might expect are itching and burning, soreness, and swelling of the vaginal area. Less common side effects include hives, pain or cramping, and swelling of your face and lips.

Over the Counter (OTC) medicines:

Within the last decade or so, OTC cures for yeast infections have become widely available. Downsides are that they're expensive and usually messy. But a lot of women buy them, so we're going to look at the four most common ones in order to continue your education.

Monistat:

This is a vaginal cream that comes in various strengths. You can get a one-day treatment, three-day treatment, or seven-day treatment -- though why you'd choose to solve your problem in one week instead of one day is beyond me!

Common side effects include headaches, increased itching (Just What You Need!), and stomach pain. Less common side effects include abdominal cramping, hives, severe vaginal pain, and swelling.

Femstat:

This is a vaginal cream that comes in one-day or three-day strengths. Common side effects include burning sensations, headaches, increased itching (Just What You Need!), and swelling. Less common side effects include abdominal pain, fever, and foul-smelling discharge.

Vagistat:

This is a vaginal cream that comes in one-day or three-day strengths. Common side effects burning, dizziness, headaches, increased itching (Just What You Need!), and swelling. Less common side effects include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and swelling of your lips and tongue.

Gyne-Lotrimin:

This may be obtained as a vaginal cream or vaginal tablets. Common side effects include blistering, burning sensations, fluid retention, hives, increased itching (Just What You Need!), peeling, stinging, and swelling.

In Summary:

The biggest drawback to these conventional medications is that they may be treating your symptoms instead of your problem. It is extremely important to consult with a medical professional if you are having recurrent yeast infection episodes. Secondary drawbacks are the cost of these medicines and the side effects.

Natural solutions can provide both a cure of what you're suffering now and preventative steps you can take to keep from suffering yeast infections again. You can learn about natural solutions to yeast infections by following the link in the resource box below.

Copyright (c) William Johnson 2008