More Home Remedies for Yeast Infections
With yeast infections -- affecting either the mouth or gential area -- sometimes prevention just isn't enough. If you do find yourself with a yeast infection, one of the following home remedies may help ease the discomfort and bring about a fast resolution.Home Remedies from the Kitchen
Brush with baking soda. For thrush, brush your teeth after every meal with a mild toothpaste of baking soda and water. Commercial toothpaste may be too harsh if sores develop. Pour a little baking soda in your hand and add just enough water to make a paste. Then, rinse with 1/2 cup warm water and 1 tablespoon of three percent hydrogen peroxide. Replace your toothbrush when the infection is cured.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Gurgling salt can help cure thrush. |
Mix up licorice powder. Boil 1 pint water and add 1 teaspoon licorice powder. Steep it, strain, but don't drink. Use the liquid as a vaginal douche.
Douche with vinegar. At the first sign of infection, try douching with a mild vinegar or yogurt douche. Make a mild vinegar douche and use at the first sign of problems. Mix 1 to 3 tablespoons white vinegar with 1 quart of water.
Home Remedies from the Refrigerator
Pour some cranberry juice. Drink this one. Unsweetened, it may acidify vaginal secretions and equip them to fight off the yeast.
You need yogurt. The live culture in plain yogurt is a great remedy for a yeast infection, helping to restore the acid-bacteria balance in more ways than one. Of course, you can eat yogurt. But you can also insert 1 to 2 tablespoons into your vagina, apply it externally to the affected area (anal or vaginal), or use it as a douche by diluting it with warm water.
Home Remedies from the Sink
Rinse with water. For a baby with thrush, give 1/2 ounce boiled, cooled water after a feeding to wash away milk remnants that contain milk sugars, which yeast love to feed on.
Wash out the secretions. The organisms that cause yeast infection produce secretions that are irritating to the genital tissues. The nerve endings that sense the presence of the yeast are located at the vaginal opening. Although you may have an infection inside the vagina, you can often get symptomatic relief simply by frequently washing away the secretions with water until your chosen treatment knocks out the infection.
Home Remedies from the Spice RackBoil some basil. For thrush, make a basil tea and use it as a gargle. Boil 3 1/2 cups water, remove from heat, and add 1 1/4 teaspoons ground basil. Cover and steep for 30 minutes. Cool and gargle. Or sweeten to taste with maple syrup and drink 1 cup twice a day.
Rub on rosemary. To relieve itching and burning, make a tea of rosemary, and use it as a douche or dab it onto the external area.
Gurgle salt. If mouth sores develop with thrush, gargle with a mixture of 1/2 cup lukewarm water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to promote healing.
Heat thyme tea. Make a thyme tea using 1 teaspoon dried thyme per 1 cup boiling water. Steep and drink 1 to 4 cups per day if you have a yeast infection.
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Bring on the boric. Several studies have shown boric acid to be a safe, inexpensive, and effective yeast remedy. If your doctor approves of the idea, try using boric-acid capsules as a suppository the next time you have a flare-up. To make your own suppositories, fill size "O" gelatin capsules with boric acid. Insert one capsule vaginally once a day for a week. (Check with your pharmacist for the gelatin capsules and boric acid.)
Skip this remedy if you are or may be pregnant, however, since boric acid hasn't been studied among pregnant women. Instead, talk with your physician about other treatment options.
Use an over-the-counter fungal cream. Both miconazole (Monistat) and clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin) are effective in treating yeast infections. These products, which used to be available only by prescription, are available over the counter in pharmacies and many variety stores.
Apply the medication as directed in the package insert. Complete the full course of treatment, as specified in the insert; do not stop using the medication early, even if your symptoms subside. If you find that you frequently get a yeast infection around the time of your menstrual period, try using one of these antifungal creams a few days before and/or after your menstrual period as a preventative.
Try yogurt tabs. Another alternative is to use lactobacillus tablets vaginally once or twice a day and douching with vinegar twice a day for two days. Check the natural-supplement aisle of your local pharmacy or a health-food store for the lactobacillus tablets.
As you can see, the home remedies suggested to beat yeast infections are quite easy to do. Just be sure to consult your doctor before trying any at home, especially if you have recurrent infections.
For more information about potential vaginal and female reproductive system problems, visit the following sections:
- To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page.
- Yeast infections are caused by a fungus and they can be quite painful and unpleasant. Learn how to cure this condition naturally in Herbal Remedies for Yeast Infections.
- Dealing with a UTI? Read about potential solutions in Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections.
- For natural ways to soothe painful PMS, read our Home Remedies for Premenstrual Syndrome section.
- To find out how to potentially sidestep UTIs, read How to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Timothy Gower is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in many publications, including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Men's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. The author of four books, Gower is also a contributing editor for Health magazine.
Alice Lesch Kelly is a health writer based in Boston. Her work has been published in magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, and Health. She is the co-author of three books on women's health.
Linnea Lundgren has more than 12 years experience researching, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four books, including Living Well With Allergies.
Michele Price Mann is a freelance writer who has written for such publications as Weight Watchers and Southern Living magazines. Formerly assistant health and fitness editor at Cooking Light magazine, her professional passion is learning and writing about health.
ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS:
Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer Guide, and has written for publications including the Boston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University.
David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.
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