What is Thrush?

Thrush is a yeast infection that affects men and women. It is not classed a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It’s often harmless, but at times can be uncomfortable and may keep coming back.

What are the symptoms of thrush?

Thrush symptoms in men

• Irritation burning and redness around the head of the penis and under the foreskin
• A white discharge
• Difficulty pulling the foreskin back
• An unpleasant smell

Thrush symptoms in women

• Itching and irritation around the vagina
• White vaginal discharge (like cottage cheese), does not usually smell
• Stinging and soreness during sex or whilst you urinate
• Thrush can cause painful, red and itchy rashes that scales over with yellow or white discharge. The rash usually isn’t as obvious on darker skin.
• Thrush can also occur on other areas of the skin, including your groin, between your fingers and even the armpits.

Available treatments for thrush

• To get rid of thrush, you will often need antifungal medicine. This can be a tablet you take orally, a tablet you insert into your vagina (pessary) or a cream to sooth symptoms.
• After one dose of medicine or after using the cream daily, your thrush should clear up within a week.

Recurring thrush

You might need to take treatment for longer if you keep getting thrush (if you get it more than twice in 6 months.) Your GP can help identify if something is causing your thrush such as sexual activity or your period. They’ll let you know how often you should use treatment.

If you know you definitely have thrush, recognize the symptoms and have had it diagnoses in the past, you can buy antifungal medicine from pharmacies.

Can thrush be prevented?

Things you can do yourself to ease discomfort and prevent thrush from returning

DO

• Wear cotton underwear
• Use emollient and water (instead of soap), like E45 cream to wash your vagina or penis
• Dry the affected area properly after washing
• Avoid sex until you know the thrush has cleared up

Don’t

• Do not use douches or deodorants on your penis or vagina
• Don’t wear tight underwear or tights
• Avoid using douches or deodorants on your penis or vagina

What are the causes of thrush?

Although it isn’t classified as a sexually transmitted infection (STI), thrush can be triggered by sex and can occur after sexual contact. Sexual activity can worsen thrush symptoms. It tends to grow in moist, warm areas and can develop if there is a disruption in the balance of bacteria.

You’re more like to get thrush if:

• You are pregnant
• You are taking oral contraceptives
• You are on medication such as antibiotics, (these kill of healthy bacteria as well as disease-causing ones)
• You have diabetes that isn’t diagnosed or it is poorly managed.
• You have damaged or irritated skin.
• You have a weakened immune system (for example, because of chemotherapy or HIV)
• You have experienced the menopause

We recommend seeing a doctor if you have thrush and a weakened immune system – for example, because of HIV, diabetes, chemotherapy.