6 HOME REMEDIES FOR YEAST AND VAGINAL INFECTIONS
Yeast infection is common among women. You might have had the experience of irritating soreness and itching that prolonged for days due to not knowing about the cause.
The infection itself is known as Candidiasis. Now, this fungal infection in the vaginal area takes place through a yeast known as Candida. While this lives naturally inside the body throughout the throat, gut, and vagina and causes no issues, Candida multiplying can lead to the infection.
This vaginal yeast infection can be mild or trigger redness and soreness in the vaginal walls. Moreover, you might feel extreme pain during urinating or during your menstrual cycles.
During such times, you must seek medical help and can even opt for natural at-home remedies to soothe the infection.
While store-bought medicine is popular as a suggestion, home-made remedies are more effective, especially if your skin is sensitive and prone to infections.
Let us look through few such remedies to find out:
1. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a well-known remedy as it contains probiotics. Probiotics cause opposition to the multiplication of bad yeasts, suggesting that they are good for our overall digestive system. Now our body contains both good and bad bacteria. And probiotics are the latter help to keep our bodies healthy.
Such live bacteria is known as Lactobacillus acidophilus, and are useful in creating a healthy environment in the genitalia. The live bacteria in Greek yogurt can bring about a balance in the growth of Candida.
When you purchase Greek yogurt, make sure to opt for the sugar-free as it is a healthier option. Sugar-rich yogurt can be problematic as it encourages the Candida growth in your vaginal area.
If you're not a fan of Greek yogurt consumption, there's always the option of ingesting probiotic medicines along with your meals.
2. Tea-Tree Oil
Tea-tree oil has always been a choice for those using tampons during their periods. If someone gets their period during fungal infection, they can opt to add diluted tea-tree oil in the tampons before inserting them inside.
Under various tests on fungal infections, tea tree oil has always been a clear winner in eradicating the soreness of vaginal infections.
Tea-tree oil allows for a sense of relief as it can kill a range of infections and yeasts, including Candida Albicans. When the diluted form treats the infection, it's quick and painless for the user.
As tea-tree is an essential oil, it's crucial to use a carrier oil before application. For this, coconut oil would be a suitable choice as the skin can absorb it quickly.
Of course, it's better to test the diluted oil on your palms and check a day for any reaction. As the genital area is a sensitive place, make sure to test out the product you use before application.
3. Oil of Oregano
You might know oregano oil and spice to be a part of our cooking process. The scientific term for that oregano would be Origanum marjoram.
The oil of oregano from wild oregano or Origanum vulgare is most suitable for fungal treatment due to its thymol and carvacrol contents.
Wild oregano oil is effective to stop Candida fungal growth and reduce the risk of vaginal infection. You can apply oregano oil to the affected genital area by inserting an oil of oregano capsule inside at night.
But as the oil of oregano is a blood thinner, it's advisable to not use it if you suffer from blood clotting or vitamin K deficiency.
As it's an essential oil, make sure to not consume it orally, but you can, of course, inhale or apply it through carriers. For example, diluted almond oil or coconut oil would do wonders as a carrier oil for diluted oil of oregano.
For best results, apply it at night before sleep and check for results in the morning.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can kill bacteria and fungal infections in no time. As a well-known anti-yeast infection, apple cider vinegar is quite popular for soaking to relieve yourself from the fungal issue.
Of course, the best way would be to use the diluted vinegar as soaking and cleaning the area, rather than staying inside it, as apple cider vinegar can kill off both good and bacteria production.
As it is acetic acid, the most suitable way of using it would be diluting it in warm water before cleaning your vaginal infection.
Of course, if your skin is sensitive to vinegar, you can try out other ways of letting your skin absorb the remedy.
For example, you can opt to consume apple cider vinegar by adding 2 tablespoons of it in warm water and drinking that right before your meal.
Of course, it's always better that you seek medical help before its ingestion.
5. Garlic
You might come across reports stating garlic insertion inside the genitalia is a suitable way of treating the infection.
But there is no concrete proof behind that theory. Additionally, there have been issues of burns and itchiness from inserting garlic cloves into such a sensitive area.
Of course, garlic is effective against yeast infection. Hence, you can add more garlic into your daily diet and check out the results.
Garlic has antibacterial and anti-viral properties, hence effective in halting the growth of Candida yeast.
Hence, adding garlic dishes to your daily diet can help bring down the candida yeast attack that leads to vaginal infection.
6. Boric Acid
Boric acid is a medical suggestion. Meaning, it's best you use it as prescription medicine.
According to the CDC or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you can take in a dosage of 600mg in capsule form, once a day for 2 weeks.
As it's effective for the candidiasis yeast infection in the genitalia, boric acid is a powerful antiseptic in such cases.
Of course, if you face vaginal infections during pregnancy, keep away boric acid treatment from your choices of healing.
Conclusion
Vaginal infections can be troublesome especially during periods. And in some cases, it can end up being a hassle when you're too late for the treatment.
Hence, try out these home-made solutions to vaginal infections with the help of your doctor.
Related blog: 5 Facts To Keep in Mind For Your Monthly Menstruation Cycle