Anyone who has experienced thrush knows just how uncomfortable it can be. Itching, burning, irritation, redness and changes in vaginal discharge can be incredibly frustrating, especially when the symptoms keep returning month after month.
If you feel like you constantly have to reach for over-the-counter creams to ease your symptoms, only for them to come back a week later, it may be a sign that there is more to investigate.
What is vaginal thrush?
Vaginal thrush, or vulvovaginal candidiasis, occurs when Candida yeast overgrows and leads to inflammation and uncomfortable symptoms such as itching and irritation.
Your vagina has its own microbiome
The vaginal microbiome is the community of microorganisms living within the vagina. A healthy vaginal microbiome is typically dominated by Lactobacillus species, which help maintain an environment that can make it more difficult for certain microorganisms to overgrow.
But this environment can change.
Hormonal fluctuations, antibiotics, sexual activity, irritation, immune factors and other individual factors can all influence the vaginal microbiome.
This is one reason why some women notice symptoms repeatedly at a particular point in their cycle, after antibiotics, or following sex.
And when symptoms keep returning, simply treating them without understanding what is happening within the vaginal environment can leave you stuck in a cycle of treating, improving, and starting all over again.
Test, don't guess
Not every episode of itching, burning or unusual discharge is thrush.
Similar symptoms can occur with bacterial vaginosis (BV), sexually transmitted infections, inflammatory or dermatological conditions, or a combination of more than one issue.
You can also have Candida alongside another vaginal infection.
That’s why repeatedly assuming that symptoms are thrush, particularly when treatment isn’t working or symptoms keep returning, isn't always the best approach.
Getting the right diagnosis matters.
Vaginal Microbiome Testing
Standard GP testing can be really important, particularly when symptoms are new, severe or persistent. Your doctor can assess your symptoms and investigate for common vaginal infections and other causes.
For women experiencing recurrent or unexplained vaginal symptoms, comprehensive vaginal microbiome testing can provide another layer of information and a more detailed understanding of the microorganisms present in the vaginal environment, including different bacterial species and Candida species.
This can be particularly useful when:
symptoms keep returning despite treatment
you've been repeatedly diagnosed with thrush or BV
treatments only provide temporary relief
symptoms seem to follow your menstrual cycle
symptoms occur after antibiotics or sex
you aren't sure whether your symptoms are actually thrush
Testing can provide another piece of the puzzle when you're trying to understand why your symptoms keep happening.
What you can do in the meantime
There are a few things you can do now to support your vaginal environment:
Avoid washing inside the vagina, the vagina is self-cleaning, so there is no need for douching or internal washes.
Keep products simple and avoid fragranced washes, sprays and wipes around the vulva. Even soap free options can disrupt this delicate pH.
Change out of damp swimwear or sweaty activewear rather than staying in it for prolonged periods.
Choose breathable underwear if you find tight or synthetic fabrics contribute to irritation Jaymes Bamboo is amazing and they kindly shared a code for you (lovechloe)
Use vaginal microbiome friendly lubricant if needed to reduce friction and irritation during sex.
Most importantly, if your symptoms keep returning, don't keep guessing. Getting the cause properly assessed can help guide a more appropriate approach.
These simple steps can help support a healthy vaginal environment, but if you're experiencing recurrent symptoms, the bigger question is why they keep happening in the first place.
If your thrush keeps coming back
Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis is generally defined as three or more episodes within a year, and recurrent symptoms warrant further assessment rather than simply continuing to self-treat.
If you're repeatedly reaching for another antifungal, but the symptoms keep returning, it may be time to take a closer look and find out what is actually happening within your vaginal microbiome.
Ready to understand what’s actually going on?
My Vaginal Health Package is designed for women experiencing recurrent thrush, BV, unusual discharge, irritation or other ongoing vaginal symptoms.
We look beyond the symptoms to understand what may be contributing, including your vaginal microbiome, cycle, hormones, gut health, nutrition (don’t worry you won’t be put on the anti-candida diet), lifestyle and relevant medical history.
Vaginal microbiome testing can help us get a more detailed picture of what is happening and guide a more individualised treatment plan.
If you're tired of treating the same symptoms only for them to come back, this is where we can start putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
