Natural Remedy For Yeast Infection
Yeast infections are quite common among women since as many as 75 percent of them will be diagnosed with a vaginal yeast infection in their lifetime. Yeast is just the conventional term for the yeastlike fungus of the genus Candida, which naturally exists in small quantities in the vagina, mouth, and gastrointestinal tract.
When overgrowth of the fungus happens, yeast infections develop. They are easy enough to treat, and you can use a natural remedy for yeast infection.
A chronic yeast infection can be effectively treated with a home remedy like diluting a few drops of tea tree oil in a small amount of water, putting it on a washcloth, and wiping down the affected area. This natural remedy for yeast infection works, apparently because of the compound called terpinen-4-ol in the essential oil from the Melaleuca alternifolia plant. Tea tree oil has to be watered down because full-strength tea tree oil is not meant to be used directly on the vaginal area.
To ease vaginal itching and irritation caused by candidiasis, you can use an oatmeal bath as a natural remedy for yeast infection discomfort. You simply add colloidal oatmeal to a warm bath. Colloidal oatmeal (e.g., Aveeno bath treatment) is oatmeal ground into fine powder, which stays suspended in water. Avoid scented soaps, bath oils, and other bath products with scents or fragrances because they have chemicals that could irritate vulvar tissues. Washing with water and a mild soap such as Ivory or Dove will help you be less susceptible to yeast and other infections. You do not even need to douche since doctors say that the vagina is basically self-cleaning. Douching may also disrupt the balance of microorganisms in the vagina.
Itching and soreness can also be relieved by using a cool compress. When a cool, damp washcloth is applied to the outer part of the vagina, the cool temperature and the moisture temporarily ease discomfort. A related tip to this natural remedy for yeast infection is wearing cotton underwear or nylons with cotton crotches since they allow air to get in and moisture to get out (unlike underwear made from synthetic fabrics), thus reducing infection risk.
Probiotics are another highly regarded natural remedy for yeast infection, consisting of live microbial organisms that naturally exist in the vagina, like yeast do, as well as in the gastrointestinal tract. They are called friendly bacteria because they can crowd out the Candida fungi and curb yeast overgrowth, thus making them an eminently natural remedy for yeast infection.
You can get probiotics in dietary supplement form. Probiotic vaginal suppositories are also sold but may be more difficult to find.
