candida(trush)
Candida, often called ‘cottage cheese infection’ or ‘fungal infection’, primarily occurs in the vagina. Most women carry candida in their vagina. Candida is a kind of yeast, and relatively harmless.
Symptoms of candida
Under certain circumstances (stress, tiredness, diabetes), candida becomes active and causes itching or pain in the vagina and produces a white thickish discharge. An unprotected penis can be affected by the Candida. The glans (head) then is irritated and red.
Treatment of candida
Candida is treated with tablets or ointment, which the family doctor can prescribe. Candida may come back at regular intervals. To maintain acidity of the contents of the vagina, giving candida less chance of developing, sometimes yoghurt or another liquid of sufficient acidity is applied. Lacticyd is one of the brand names. It can be bought from the chemist’s.
Candida also occurs in the rectum. To prevent the candida infection from spreading to the vagina, after stools do not wipe from back to front. In normal hygiene, washing the vagina with warm water is sufficient. Soap tends to lower the acidity in the vagina, giving candida more opportunity to develop.