Health Thrush and cystitis How to manage
thrush and cystitis
Having a bout of thrush or cystitis
may be something you want to keep quiet about. However both are easily treated with medicines from your local pharmacy
Thrush and cystitis are very common, especially among women. And while they’re caused by different types of infections, they’re often confused with each other because they share some similar symptoms. Here’s what you should know about thrush and cystitis,
including the symptoms to look out for and how your pharmacist can help.
Thrush This is a yeast infection that affects men as well as women. Usually harmless, thrush can be uncomfortable. And in some people it keeps coming back. In women, the most common symptoms of vaginal thrush include:
• Itching • Soreness • Pain or stinging during urination or sex • A thick, creamy or watery white discharge
Thrush in men, on the other hand, can cause the following:
• Irritation and redness around the head of the penis and under the foreskin
• Unpleasant smell • A thick, white discharge
However other areas of skin can be affected by thrush, causing a red, itchy or painful rash in and around areas such as the armpits, groin and between the fingers. Thrush can affect the mouth too (oral thrush), causing pain and burning in the mouth, an unpleasant taste and cracks in the corners of the mouth.
What causes it? Thrush is caused by a fungus called candida. Normally the fungus is harmless, but if your body’s bacterial balance changes the fungus can multiply. Several things can affect your bacterial balance, including skin damage or irritation, taking antibiotics, a weakened immune system, menopause, pregnancy and having poorly controlled diabetes.
How can your pharmacist help? In most cases thrush can be treated easily and quickly with over-the-counter remedies including creams, pessaries (tablets you insert into your vagina) and oral capsules. These treatments tend to work fast, and you should see an improvement in your symptoms within a week. Your local Careway pharmacist can advise you about
thrush treatments and how to take them. However, if any of the following apply, see your GP or go to a sexual health clinic for advice:
• You’re having thrush for the first time • You’re 16 or younger or 60 or older • Over-the-counter treatments haven’t worked • You keep getting thrush (more than twice in six months) • You’re pregnant or breastfeeding • You have a weakened immune system
Cystitis Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder. It’s usually caused by a bladder infection and is classed as a urinary tract infection. Particularly common in women, cystitis isn’t usually serious – but it can make you feel quite miserable. The main symptoms of cystitis include:
• Bladder pain • Pain or a stinging sensation during urination • An urge to urinate more frequently • Dark, cloudy and strong-smelling urine • Feeling generally unwell, sometimes with a high temperature
22 All About health
Thrush is caused by a fungus called candida. Normally the fungus is harmless, but if your body’s bacterial balance changes the fungus can multiply
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