Witch Hazel and Yeast Infection: A Comprehensive Guide on Identifying and Treating Vaginal Conditions
Do I have a yeast infection or something else? Learn the differences between yeast infections, STDs, bacterial vaginosis, allergies, and more. Get expert advice on using witch hazel to manage postpartum issues and yeast infections.
Understanding Yeast Infections and Other Vaginal Conditions
Yeast infections can be uncomfortable, but they’re usually not serious. You may experience itching or irritation in or around your vagina, as well as a thick, white discharge. In many cases, an antifungal treatment will clear up your symptoms. However, if you’re not sure whether you have a yeast infection or something else, it’s important to see a doctor for the right diagnosis and treatment. This is crucial, as using antifungals when you don’t have a yeast infection can actually prolong the real problem.
Distinguishing Yeast Infections from Other Conditions
There are several reasons you might have symptoms that are similar to a yeast infection. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like herpes, genital warts, and trichomoniasis can also cause irritation, itchiness, and discharge with a slight odor. With other STDs, such as gonorrhea, you may not have any symptoms, but you might experience pain and burning when you urinate. It’s important to note that STDs often require a different kind of treatment than a yeast infection.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is another condition that can cause symptoms resembling a yeast infection. BV is an infection caused by an overgrowth of bacteria, and it’s often accompanied by redness, itchiness, and discharge that is gray or white with a fishy odor. To treat BV, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics or vaginally applied antibiotic creams or gels.
Allergic reactions to cleaning products, soaps, and feminine hygiene products can also trigger symptoms that mimic a yeast infection. Certain skin conditions and even small cuts can cause itching and irritation as well. Hemorrhoids, which can affect the area in and around the vagina, may also be itchy.
As you get older, a decrease in estrogen levels can lead to changes in your body, such as thinner skin, which can result in uncomfortable symptoms like itching and discharge. In this case, using a vaginal lubricant to reduce friction or talking to your doctor about a small dose of estrogen may help.
The Benefits of Witch Hazel for Vaginal Health
Witch hazel is a versatile plant that can be helpful for various vaginal and postpartum issues. As an astringent, witch hazel can tighten and dry out tissue, which can be especially beneficial for reducing postpartum bleeding, pain, and the risk of vaginal infections. It can also be used to soothe the symptoms of hemorrhoids.
What makes witch hazel so effective for vaginal health? According to experts, it’s the plant’s primary constituents, tannins, that are responsible for its ability to tighten superficial cells, control bleeding, and reduce inflammation and swelling. Importantly, witch hazel is also very safe, with no known side effects or drug interactions.
Treating Yeast Infections with Witch Hazel
Can witch hazel be used to treat yeast infections? While it’s not a direct treatment for the fungal infection itself, witch hazel can be helpful in managing the symptoms of a yeast infection. Its astringent properties can help reduce the irritation, swelling, and discharge associated with yeast infections. However, it’s important to note that witch hazel alone will not cure a yeast infection. For that, you’ll need an antifungal treatment prescribed by your doctor.
Preventing and Managing Yeast Infections
To help prevent and manage yeast infections, it’s important to keep the vaginal area clean and dry, avoid irritating products, and wear breathable underwear. If you do develop a yeast infection, over-the-counter antifungal treatments can often clear up the infection. However, if the symptoms persist or you experience frequent yeast infections, it’s best to see a doctor to rule out any underlying conditions and get the appropriate treatment.
When to See a Doctor
If you’re experiencing symptoms that could be related to a yeast infection, it’s important to see a doctor, even if you’ve had one before. This is because the symptoms of a yeast infection can be similar to those of other conditions, and using antifungal treatments when you don’t have a yeast infection can actually make the real problem worse. Your doctor can perform the necessary tests to determine the cause of your symptoms and provide the appropriate treatment.
Do I Have a Yeast Infection or Something Else?
Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
- Some STDs
- Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)
- Allergies or Other Skin Conditions
- Hemorrhoids
- Not Enough Estrogen
Yeast infections can be uncomfortable, but they’re usually not serious. You may have itching or irritation in or around your vagina, as well as a thick, white discharge. In many cases, an antifungal treatment will clear up your symptoms.
If you’re not sure whether you have a yeast infection or something else, it’s important to see a doctor for the right diagnosis and treatment. This is important. If you don’t really have a yeast infection, antifungals won’t help you get better. They can actually prolong the real problem, because while you’ll think you’re treating the issue, the real cause will continue to develop.
There are several reasons you might have symptoms that are like a yeast infection.
Herpes, genital warts and trichomoniasis (trich) can also cause irritation, itchiness, and discharge that has a slight odor.
With other sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhea, you don’t always have symptoms, but you might experience pain and burning when you pee.
STDs often need a different kind of treatment than a yeast infection. For example, trich isn’t caused by a fungus. It’s caused by bacteria. To treat it, you’ll usually need to take strong antibiotics for a short period of time.
This is an infection that’s caused by an overgrowth of bacteria. There’s no specific cause for it, but along with redness and itchiness, you might notice discharge that’s gray or white and has a fishy odor.
If you have BV, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics like metronidazole or tinidazole, or vaginally applied antibiotic creams or gels with metronidazole or clindamycin.
Cleaning products can trigger symptoms if you’re allergic to one or more of their ingredients. Soaps and feminine hygiene products can sometimes do this, as can laundry detergents.
Certain skin conditions can also cause itching and other symptoms.
They sometimes require treatment with steroid ointments like hydrocortisone.
Small cuts can even feel itchy and irritated while they’re healing.
Hemorrhoids may be itchy. They can affect the area in and around the vagina. too. Typical home treatments are a sitz bath (warm water you sit in to help relieve pain in your bottom or around your private parts) or witch hazel wipes to soothe the symptoms.
As you get older, your level of estrogen goes down. This can cause changes in your body, like thinner skin. That can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like itching and discharge.
Sometimes, using a vaginal lubricant to reduce friction can help. You may also want to talk to your doctor about taking a small dose of estrogen.
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How Does Witch Hazel Help Your Vagina? An Expert Explains
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TBH, it’s pretty amazing.
by Kelly Mullen-McWilliams
Updated:
Originally Published:
If you’re looking for a super useful, not-crazy-expensive cure-all to stock your bathroom cabinet with, buy soap. But if you’ve got some extra room in there, witch hazel should be your next purchase, especially if you suffer from hemorrhoids, postpartum tears, or yeast infections. Most women know witch hazel makes a great facial toner, but you might not know about its many other benefits, including how witch hazel helps your vagina.
What Is Witch Hazel?
“Hammamelis virginiana, commonly known as witch hazel, is a plant native to North America,” Dr. Kate Klein, a licensed naturopathic doctor in Ajax, Ontario, Canada, tells Romper. “Its primary constituents are tannins, which are known to tighten superficial cells — meaning it can help to control superficial bleeding, as well as reduce inflammation and edema (swelling), both internally and externally.
” Klein goes on to explain that it can be used internally to stop uterine hemorrhaging postpartum or after surgery. You can also apply witch hazel to hemorrhoids. “The best part about witch hazel is that it’s very safe,” notes Klein. “It has no known side effects or drug interactions.”
Exactly what makes witch hazel so, well, witchy? Dr. Jamil Abdur-Rahman, a board-certified OB-GYN, explains that witch hazel is an astringent, which means it dries, shrinks, and tightens tissue by pulling water out of it. Additionally, witch hazel is acidic — and so are healthy vaginas.
Using Witch Hazel Postpartum
An acidic astringent like witch hazel can really help you out postpartum, according to Abdur-Rahman. “Witch hazel is a fantastic thing that new moms can safely apply to the vagina to not only lessen postpartum bleeding and postpartum pain, but also to lessen the risk of developing postpartum vaginal infections.”
Most postpartum vaginal discomfort is the result of swelling, Abdur-Rahman explains, and witch hazel can reduce inflammation and pain by leeching excess fluids from the vulva and vagina.
It also compresses blood vessels, resulting in reduced blood flow — which is good when you’ve just given birth and everything is bleeding all the time.
Used internally, witch hazel can also help treat and prevent vaginal infections after you give birth, thanks to its acidic nature. Abdur-Rahman says that a healthy, normal vagina is pretty acidic (with a pH between 3.8 and 4.5, for those into biochemistry). “However, after childbirth, the normal vaginal acid gets ‘washed out'” by amniotic fluid and blood. Witch hazel applied internally and externally to the vagina — with your doctor’s OK, of course — may just restore your vagina to happiness and joy.
Atipati Netiniyom / EyeEm/EyeEm/Getty Images
Witch Hazel & Yeast Infections
One thing witch hazel absolutely does not do, according to Abdur-Rahman, is fight or prevent a yeast infection. In fact, witch hazel can make a yeast infection worse — and no one wants that. As Abdur-Rahman explains:
“Candida, the fungus that causes the majority of vaginal yeast infections, prefers to grow in either a neutral or a slightly acidic vaginal environment.
So witch hazel acidifying the vagina can actually make vaginal yeast infections worse. There is a caveat to that though. Most suspected yeast infections are not actually yeast infections. They are bacterial vaginosis, and witch hazel can effectively treat bacterial vaginosis.”
So witch hazel acidifying the vagina can actually make vaginal yeast infections worse. There is a caveat to that though. Most suspected yeast infections are not actually yeast infections. They are bacterial vaginosis, and witch hazel can effectively treat bacterial vaginosis.”The Cleveland Clinic Health Library confirms that most yeast infections aren’t yeast infections, and my mind is blown. In fact, up to 75% of all vaginal infections have more to do with bacteria than yeast. So if you’re dealing with uncomfortable symptoms, your best bet is to head to the doctor before trying to treat yourself.
Witch Hazel & Vaginal Dryness
Finally, Abdur-Rahman notes that witch hazel can in fact tighten your vagina. Unfortunately, the effect doesn’t last, and witch hazel might also cause vaginal dryness. Dryness, in turn, may lead to itching and dyspareunia (i.e., vaginal pain during intercourse). Which, again, no one wants. “If women use witch hazel to promote vaginal tightening, they should also simultaneously use a vaginal lubricant to maintain proper moisture,” suggests Abdur-Rahman.
So let’s count the ways witch hazel can help your vagina: one, its astringent qualities can reduce pain and swelling postpartum. Two, witch hazel’s acidic temperament can help restore the vaginal environment after you give birth. Three, it’s useful for hemorrhoids, which are, of course, the bane of all existence. Four, it may help treat the bacterial vaginosis you thought was a yeast infection, and five, it can tighten your vagina. Just remember to use a lubricant.
Experts:
Dr. Kate Klein, a licensed naturopathic doctor in Ajax, Ontario, Canada.
Dr. Jamil Abdur-Rahman, board-certified OB-GYN and one half of Twin Doctors TV.
This article was originally published on
Vulvovaginal candidiasis | Dikul Center
Vulvovaginal candidiasis is a fungal infection that causes irritation, discharge, and severe itching in the vagina and vulva, the tissues at the entrance to the vagina.
Vaginal yeast infection develops in up to 70% of women during their lifetime, and many of these episodes may occur several times.
Vaginal candidiasis is not a sexually transmitted infection. But the first regular sex life significantly increases the risk of developing candidiasis. Also, candidiasis can be associated with oral-genital sex.
Vaginal yeast infections respond well to treatment. In the presence of recurrent yeast infection – four or more times during the year – the patient may need long-term maintenance therapy.
Symptoms
Symptoms of candidiasis can range from mild to moderate and include:
- Feelings of itching and irritation in the vagina and vulva
- Burning sensation when urinating or during intercourse.
- Redness and swelling of the vulva
- Vaginal pain and tenderness
- Vaginal rash
- Odourless thick white cheesy vaginal discharge.
- Watery vaginal discharge
Complicated candidiasis
A woman may have a yeast infection if:
- There are severe symptoms such as extensive redness, swelling, and itching that are complicated by tears, cracks, or sores.
- If yeast infection develops more than four times a year
- Infection due to an atypical fungus
- Pregnancy
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Weakening of the immune system due to the use of certain medications or the presence of serious diseases such as HIV infection.
When to see a doctor?
You need to make an appointment with a doctor if:
- Symptoms of a yeast infection appear for the first time
- It is doubtful that this is a fungal infection
- Symptoms do not improve after taking over-the-counter antifungal vaginal creams or suppositories.
- Other symptoms appear
Causes
Candida albicans is the main cause of most vaginal yeast infections.
The vagina is known to naturally contain a balanced mixture of yeast, including Candida, and bacteria. Some bacteria (lactobacilli) prevent yeast from growing.
But this balance can be upset.
Overgrowth of fungi or their penetration into the deeper layers of the mucous tissue of the vagina can lead to the development of symptoms of a yeast infection.
Yeast overgrowth can be caused by:
- The use of antibiotics, which can upset the balance of the natural vaginal flora
- Pregnancy
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Immune system disorders
- Taking contraceptives or hormone therapy, which can increase the level of estrogen in the blood.
Candida albicans is the most common type of fungus that causes yeast infections. Yeast infections caused by other types of Candida are much more difficult to treat and usually require more aggressive treatments.
Risk factors
Factors that increase the risk of fungal infection include:
- Taking antibiotics. A yeast infection is not uncommon in women who take antibiotics. Broad-spectrum antibiotics kill not only a number of bacteria, but also the normal microflora in the vagina, which can cause yeast overgrowth.
- Increased estrogen levels contribute to the development of yeast infections. This can be both pregnant women and women who use high-dose estrogen birth control pills or if estrogen hormone therapy is being performed.
- Uncontrolled diabetes. Women with poor control and high blood sugar levels are more at risk of developing fungal infections than women who control their blood sugar levels.
- Immune system disorders. Women who are immunosuppressed, such as after corticosteroid therapy or HIV infection, are more at risk of yeast infections.
Prevention
To reduce the risk of vaginal yeast infections, it is recommended to wear underwear that is not too tight with a cotton gusset.
Also recommended:
- Do not use tight fitting tights
- Douche as this flushes out some of the normal bacteria in the vagina that protect against infection.
- Use scented products for women frequently, such as bubble baths, pads, and tampons.
- Very hot and whirlpool baths are not recommended
- Do not take antibiotics unnecessarily, such as for colds or other viral infections.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to wet clothing such as swimwear and sportswear.
Diagnosis
To diagnose thrush, the doctor can:
- Ask questions about symptoms and medical history. It is important for the physician to collect information about past vaginal or sexually transmitted infections.
- Perform a gynecological examination. The doctor will examine the external genitalia to look for signs of a fungal infection. Then the doctor will examine the vagina and cervix using a special speculum.
- Collect vaginal secretions. The doctor may send a sample of vaginal fluid for analysis to determine the type of fungus that caused the yeast infection. Identifying the fungus can help your doctor decide on the appropriate treatment, especially if you have recurrent yeast infections.
Treatment
Treatment for yeast infections depends on the severity and frequency of infections.
For mild to moderate symptoms and infrequent episodes, your doctor may recommend:
- Short-term vaginal therapy. Taking antifungal medications for three to seven days usually clears up the yeast infection. Antifungal drugs, in the form of creams, ointments, tablets and suppositories, include miconazole (monistat 3) and terconazole. Some of these medicines can be purchased without a prescription, while others are available by prescription only.
- Single oral dose. Your doctor may prescribe a single oral dose of fluconazole (Diflucan). But taking such drugs is contraindicated during pregnancy. In the presence of severe symptoms, it is possible to take two single doses with an interval of three days.
Seek medical attention again if treatment does not relieve symptoms or if symptoms return within two months.
If you have severe symptoms or have frequent yeast infections, your doctor may recommend:
- Long-term vaginal therapy. Your doctor may prescribe antifungal medications taken daily for two weeks and then once a week for six months.
- Multi-dose oral preparation. Your doctor may prescribe two or three doses of an oral antifungal instead of vaginal therapy. However, this treatment is not recommended for pregnant women.
- Azol-resistant therapy. A doctor may recommend boric acid capsules to be inserted into the vagina. This medication should not be taken orally as it is toxic and is only used to treat Candida that is resistant to conventional antifungals.
- Correction of the underlying disease, such as diabetes or immunodeficiency, to avoid relapses.
Your doctor may prescribe antifungal medications taken daily for two weeks and then once a week for six months.Dr. Allan Sachs“Grapefruit Seed Extract” The purpose of this book is to provide information about a product commonly referred to as Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE). Grapefruit seed extract is somewhat of a misnomer, as GSE is now a commercially available product synthesized from both grapefruit seeds and pulp and membrane material. Contents From the Author From the authorThe purpose of this book is to provide information about the product, commonly referred to as grapefruit seed extract (GSE). Grapefruit seed extract is somewhat of a misnomer, as GSE is now a commercially available product synthesized from both grapefruit seeds and pulp and membrane material. The therapeutic and commercial use of ESG has been compiled from the experience of many qualified professionals. However, it must be emphasized that the information provided does not in any way constitute recommendations or prescriptions for the treatment or prevention of disease. Also, the information contained herein should not be interpreted as a diagnosis of any medical condition. Functions like this are the realm of qualified healthcare professionals. Currently, HSE has not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the prevention or treatment of any disease state. The specific purpose of this book is to generate interest and stimulate research into the potential applications of ESG in healthcare and industry. All descriptions of therapeutic or proposed uses are intended for those who may be involved in such research. IntroductionEver since man walked the earth, our planet has provided us with a marvelous range of natural remedies to help us heal from the things that trouble us. Earthly pharmaceuticals included thousands of plant, animal and mineral substances. Our problem, since we were beyond the protection of animal instincts, was to discover and spread the correct use of these remedies. As we entered the twentieth century, our pharmaceutical industry changed once and for all. Folk wisdom and knowledge collected over millennia has been swept away in many parts of the world by a new medicine – pharmaceutical drugs. At that time, pundits (women were almost completely excluded from this discipline) decided that the gifts of nature could be reproduced and even improved with the help of synthetic substances – products of oil and coal processing, created through new chemical technologies. Their findings were compelling – pharmaceutical drugs are potent, in many cases providing almost instantaneous relief from disturbing symptoms. In a mere thirty years, this approach to ailments became so dominant that it even expropriated the term “conventional medicine” despite the fact that it was in fact a more radical, experimental, and unproven alternative. Ironically, the term “alternative” is still used for many forms of traditional healing – for example, the Chinese and Hindu Ayurvedic systems, which have a history of several millennia. Most of the early pharmaceuticals were attempts to model organic substances, but eventually drugs were created that did not contain natural ingredients. As medicine has strayed further and further from its roots, there have been unmistakable indications that these miraculous remedies have some very serious shortcomings. The most dramatic were the side effects, which in fact could be much more serious than the diseases for which the drugs were designed to fight. In 1969, when I entered the path of public health as a research assistant at New York’s Downstate Medical Center, the world of medicine had everything but a proclaimed victory over infectious disease. Students were taught that as our understanding of microbes progressed and the availability of high-tech antibiotics continued to grow, pathogens would eventually follow the dinosaurs. Although some infectious diseases are now suppressed, today there are many conditions for the emergence of such pathogens that did not exist just twenty-five years ago, or have not yet been identified. When I began to practice with patients as a clinician in 1977, little attention was paid by practitioners and the public to chronic fatigue syndrome, cytomeglovirus, AIDS, Epstein Barr virus syndrome, Lyme disease, genital herpes, and warts. To this list we can add flesh-eating bacteria (a mutated form of Staphylococcus aureus), widespread cases of bacterial food poisoning, and the resurgence of certain diseases, such as tuberculosis, previously thought to be under control. Under each of these new conditions, a host of new pharmaceutical antibiotics are emerging ready to wage war on them. My search for safe botanical products that could be used in appropriate cases in place of most toxic pharmaceutical antibiotics eventually led me to 1991 to Grapefruit Seed Extract (ESG), a substance extracted from grapefruit seeds, membranes and pulp. It was supposed to be extremely effective as a cleaner, preservative, and antiseptic, and would have extraordinary potential for killing fungi, viruses, and bacteria. Since then, my experiments and research have confirmed these provisions. I have used ESG extensively in my practice and it has changed my personal and professional approach to healthcare in many ways. And of course, I am not alone in my appreciation of its properties – a rapidly growing number of physicians around the world now recommend ESG in their practice and report excellent clinical results. Despite the profound impact that GSE has had on the holistic approach to pathogenic microbes, much of our formal knowledge of it comes from scattered scientific writings. This book presents my personal and professional experience with ESG and brings together many important research findings of interest to holistic healing practitioners and consumers. I hope that this book will inspire further research into this versatile substance, as well as take part in the paradigm shift that many of us are passionate about. In this regard, grapefruit seed extract has the potential to show us how nature and science can work together harmoniously to heal the world. | |||||
| Guide to “grapefruit seed extract” The purpose of this book is to provide information about a product commonly referred to as grapefruit seed extract (Citrosept ) | Composition: cedar resin, beeswax , extract: birch and aspen . .. | ||||
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| Address LLC “Agrozernomash” For transportation of a heap of seeds, food and feed grains as part of technological lines, post-harvest enterprises … | 0165 Pour “Mikromak A” (10 liters per 10 tons of seeds) into the disinfectant tank with ½ of water while filling and stirring. |
Commercial, agricultural and industrial uses of grapefruit seed extract 
(Today, one of the most common causes of hospitalization is an adverse reaction to pharmaceuticals, a problem that attracts much attention from scientists of all sorts.)
And although Dr. Orion Truss carefully and accurately described the disastrous effect of the fungus Candida albicans on many of his patients, few took him seriously. The last twenty years have seen an exponential increase in the number of people suffering from parasitic diseases, the result of increased foreign travel and a growing immigrant population in America. At 1977 giardia lamblia, entameba histolytica, blastocystis hominis, and cryptosporidium were of little interest to the Americans; now suspicion of containing unacceptable levels of pathogenic bacteria and protozoa falls on half of the country’s water resources.
As a physician practicing holistic health care, I have observed with a good deal of suspicion the medical world’s total reliance on these pharmaceuticals. Eventually, the indiscriminate use of pharmaceutical antibiotics has been shown to play a significant role in the development of some of the aforementioned diseases.