Thrush is a very common disease that is known as candidiasis in the medical field. Most often, women are exposed to it, however, male representatives can also catch this ailment. If the treatment of the disease was not timely and correct, there is a high risk that from an acute form the disease will develop into a chronic thrush.
Causative agent of candidiasis
Candida fungus is an integral part of the human microflora. It is found on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, colon and vagina of perfectly healthy people. But, as soon as immunity is reduced, the most favorable conditions for reproduction are created for the fungal infection. It is the increase in the number of candida that leads to the development of the disease.
Causes of the development of the chronic form of the disease
Before moving on to the question of how to treat chronic thrush, you should understand the causes of its occurrence. We single out only the main factors:
- antibiotic treatment over a long period;
- improper treatment or its complete absence in the early stages of the disease;
- diseases of a viral and infectious nature;
- the use of hormonal contraceptives for a long time;
- sexually transmitted diseases;
- chronic pathologies of internal organs;
- endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus) and other hormonal disorders (obesity);
- malnutrition.
Chronic thrush differs from the acute form in regular relapses. As a rule, they occur at the slightest weakening of the body's immune defense.
Symptoms of the disease
Both with ordinary and chronic thrush, the symptoms are almost identical. The patient experiences severe itching and burning in the area affected by the fungus. Also a characteristic feature of the disease are cheesy discharge. The only difference between these forms of the disease is that chronic candidiasis has a pronounced symptomatology. During periods of exacerbation, the mucous tissues become hyperemic and swollen. Dryness and cracks may appear on the genitals.
Characteristic features of the course of the disease in chronic form
The acute form of candidiasis is difficult to treat; it is even more difficult to cure chronic thrush. How to restore the microflora of the body to a normal state - try to figure it out.
Candida mushrooms do not cause problems as long as their number is within the permissible limits. With violations occurring in the body, they begin to multiply actively. This leads to the development of pathogenic microflora. The main objective of the treatment is to restore the natural balance, preventing the multiplication of fungal infection.
The disease occurs in both women and men. Chronic thrush can be acute or latent. After the extinction of the symptoms of candidiasis, a period of remission sets in, which lasts until the next exacerbation. Anything can provoke a new round of the disease: weakening of the immune defense, colds and even menstruation.
Symptoms are pronounced. A person experiences significant discomfort due to burning and itching. It is possible to alleviate the condition only by applying antimycotic ointments to the affected areas of the mucosa. However, such drugs cannot completely cure chronic thrush. What to do in this case?
Antifungal ointments can only remove external signs and eliminate symptoms that appear in the form of burning, itching and secretions. At the same time, the amount of fungal infection that remains inside the body does not return to normal. That is why the disease comes back again and again. Treatment should be comprehensive. It is very important to identify the root cause of the ailment and take measures to eliminate it, otherwise the therapy will not be effective.
What to do with thrush? Reviews
Judging by the reviews, chronic thrush is a very unpleasant disease, which from time to time makes itself felt. Those who have encountered such a problem and complications of the disease recommend not to self-medicate, but to consult a doctor with the first symptoms. After all, to overcome the chronic form of the disease is extremely difficult. The sooner the disease is identified and treatment is started, the greater the chance of recovery.
If you are concerned about the symptoms of thrush, go to the doctor, since similar manifestations can occur with other diseases of an infectious nature. The specialist will take a swab to establish the causative agent of the disease and, after receiving the results, will be able to accurately diagnose and prescribe effective treatment.
Doctors Recommendations
You also need to adhere to the recommendations:
- When a woman or a man is diagnosed with chronic thrush, the sexual partner should also undergo treatment.
- You should refrain from sexual intercourse throughout the course of treatment or use a condom during sex.
- It is important to observe personal hygiene: underwear should be made from natural fabrics, you need to change it on time and wash it twice a day using disinfectants (for example, decoctions of herbs or a solution of baking soda).
- Undergoing antibiotic treatment, it is recommended to take antimycotics in parallel with this, which prevent the development of fungal infection. When the main therapeutic course is completed, you need to continue treatment with probiotics and immunostimulating drugs.
- You should follow a diet. You need to give up sweets, smoked, spicy, salty foods, pastries and bread. Vegetables, cereals, dairy and sour-milk products should prevail in the diet.
- If the disease recurs quite often, you should undergo a full examination. Perhaps the cause of the disease is the development of some other disease.
- It is important to abandon bad habits - smoking and drinking alcohol.
- It is necessary to work on strengthening the body's immune defenses.
Complications of thrush in women
If you do not treat candidiasis in a timely manner, you can significantly harm the body. According to statistics, 70% of patients with a chronic form of the disease and not completing the course of treatment have complications that often have irreversible consequences:
- a woman may lose the ability to have children;
- the occurrence of frequent infectious diseases of the pelvic organs;
- infection of the fetus in the womb;
- the formation of adhesions in the organs of the female reproductive system, which leads to obstruction of the pipes;
- weakening of the body's immune defense and the emergence of a predisposition to diseases of an infectious nature.
Treatment
In the chronic form of the disease, the course of treatment will be long. Hoping for a quick result is not worth it. In no case should you interrupt therapy until the course is complete, even if the symptoms of the disease have disappeared. Otherwise, the disease will return again with even greater force.
The drugs are prescribed, the same as in the acute form, only their dosage will be slightly higher, and the course of administration will be longer.
Today, the pharmaceutical market offers a wide selection of antifungal drugs. They come in various forms of release: tablets, creams, ointments, suppositories. Effectively use douching with disinfectant solutions from medicinal plants or soda.
However, all these funds have certain contraindications, therefore, they should be prescribed by the attending physician. The most popular drugs include Pimafucin, Flucostat, Diflucan, Fucis, and Fluconazole. In chronic thrush, you need to use antifungal agents, both for internal use and for external use.
It is important to remember that self-medication can play a trick on you. For example, many people buy Fluconazole in a pharmacy, but they don’t even suspect that improper treatment with this drug can affect the emergence of multi-resistant strains of fungal infections that are resistant to almost all types of antimycotic drugs.
Thrush in men: causes
Chronic thrush in women is a fairly common phenomenon, but men are also affected. In representatives of the stronger sex, the disease can develop for several reasons:
- There are diseases of the endocrine system. In a man, thrush can occur due to hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and also if glucose tolerance is significantly reduced.
- A common factor is disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system. If the patient experiences depressive or stressful conditions. The disease can be triggered by a strong emotional shock, intense and prolonged physical activity.
- In the treatment of any serious disease (oncology, blood diseases, etc.), the protective functions of the body decreased.
- When an acute deficiency of minerals, vitamins and other beneficial substances occurs, thrush can occur. Their shortage can be caused by malnutrition and the presence of serious pathologies.
- A long course of treatment with antibacterial drugs and corticosteroids.
- Violation of metabolic processes in the body and obesity.
- Bad habits: drinking alcohol or drugs, smoking.
- Chronic pathology of the digestive system.
- Sexually transmitted diseases.
- Work activities associated with the use of chemicals or takes place in high humidity.
- The lack of treatment for an acute form of the disease or self-medication that did not give a positive result.
- End of therapy ahead of schedule.
Symptoms in men
In about 10-15% of men, the disease is asymptomatic. However, the latent form carries the greatest danger, since it does not manifest itself in the form of symptoms, so a person does not undergo treatment. Lack of therapy often leads to complications. A fungal infection can affect the internal organs, epidermal tissues and mucous membranes in different parts of the body.
Typically, in case of chronic thrush, the male representatives exhibit characteristic symptoms:
- there is swelling of the glans penis;
- the foreskin, and the whole organ becomes inflamed, hyperemic;
- during urination, painful sensations appear;
- pain can occur during and after sexual contact;
- in the genital area, the patient feels severe itching and burning, which can be either periodic or permanent;
- a plaque of gray-white color, which has an acidic smell, may appear on the head of the penis;
- when plaque is removed, erosion, hyperemic and bleeding areas are formed on the mucous membranes.
The chronic form alternates with periods of relapse and remission. For some time, the disease may not cause problems at all, and then prove itself with renewed vigor. Pyelocystitis, candidal urethritis can be attributed to severe complications of chronic thrush . With these diseases, the fungus affects the bladder, urethra and kidneys.
How to treat chronic thrush in men?
Treatment should be comprehensive. It should include:
- Ointments, creams and gels of antifungal action. These remedies for chronic thrush help eliminate the symptoms of the disease and inhibit the reproduction of the fungus. The drugs are applied to the affected areas of the body 2-3 times a day. The most effective are considered: "Clotrimazole", "Pimafucin" and "Nystatin". They have a number of contraindications, so the doctor should choose the drug exclusively. Even if the symptoms completely disappeared, you must continue to use the medicine throughout the course of treatment, the duration of which was determined by the attending doctor.
- Local disinfectants. Traditional medicine is often used to treat chronic thrush. Plants such as chamomile, sage, calendula and oak bark have disinfectant properties. Decoctions and infusions of them are used for washing. Such procedures are also effective using a solution of baking soda.
- Treatment of concomitant diseases. If thrush is secondary in nature and is caused, for example, by diabetes mellitus, dysbiosis, or some other disease, first of all you need to deal with the treatment of the root cause.
Many men are embarrassed to consult a doctor with such a problem, so they try to resolve this issue on their own. Often this results in complications in which the disease affects the internal organs - the bladder and kidneys.
It is important to remember that the chronic form is more difficult to treat, so you need to start fighting the disease in a timely manner.