The organism that causes yeast infection is called candida albicans. Candida grows on and in all of us and is a normal and natural part of our environment. Most of the time it is completely harmless, but if it overgrows, it can cause us symptoms.

For women, overgrowth in the vagina causes itching and irritation internally, sometimes some redness and irritation outside the vagina and often a white creamy thick discharge. Sex can feel sore and it can cause stinging and soreness when passing water as well.

For men, an overgrowth of yeast will cause redness, itching and irritation of the head of the penis and / or the foreskin. It can be uncomfortable to pull the foreskin back and sometimes there is a white discharge around the foreskin. However any discharge seen won’t be coming from the end of the penis.

Most often, there is no particular reason for yeast to overgrow, but it can do so if the body’s natural balance is altered, for example, by the use of soaps, deodorants or “douching”. Sex can be a trigger for some people and the use of antibiotics is a common cause of yeast infection for many people.

Yeast infection can be more common in diabetes, so it is important to get checked out by a doctor if you are suffering with regular yeast infections.

No. We all carry the organism and it does not transfer from one to another with sex. However, sex can sometimes act as a trigger for it starting.

For men, clotrimazole cream is usually effective for clearing the infection as well as providing soothing relief.

For women, clotrimazole is effective in the form of a pessary (a tablet that is inserted into the vagina) together with local cream. Women can also use a single dose of an oral tablet called fluconazole, that is very effective for clearing infection as well. The tablet cannot be used if pregnant or in patients with severe kidney disease. Fluconazole also interacts with a number of other medications and it is therefore important that before purchasing fluconazole, any medication that is currently being taken should be listed. The Ziphealth Consultation will have a section for this. Make sure you have the names of your medication to hand and complete the section fully when you get there. ..

For women using the oral tablet, fluconazole 150mg is taken as a single dose. Symptoms should start to resolve within a couple of days. If symptoms persist beyond a week, you should consult with your doctor.

You should always read the information that comes with any medication prior to taking it.

Side effects with fluconazole tablets are very uncommon.

Fluconazole tablets can cause gastrointestinal upset, constipation, headache, nausea and vomiting.

You should always read the information that comes with any medication prior to taking it.

If you have had more than 4 episodes of yeast infection in the last year, you should contact your doctor and discuss this with them.

Wearing cotton underwear and avoiding tights and tight underwear can help to reduce the number of episodes of yeast infection. Avoiding using shower gels, “douching” and deodorants on the penis or vagina can also be helpful.