Treating Yeast Infections - Introduction

If you have a weakened immune system for any reason, you should never attempt to treat a yeast infection yourself.

You need to get medical attention as soon as possible. For the rest of us, there are a number of treatment options.

The option that you and your health provider decide to use will depend on (a) whether or not you have a weakened immune system, (b) the intensity of the infection, (c) whether or not you have chronic infections, and (d) whether or not you’re infected with a drug-resistant strain of Candida.

Your treatment will also depend on whether you go to a medical doctor (MD), a naturopath (ND) or a practitioner of oriental medicine.

Medical doctors will usually concentrate on killing the yeast in the vagina that is causing the infection, and they may check to make sure you have no underlying condition such as diabetes or AIDS that is causing your infections to keep coming back.
Naturopaths and practitioners of oriental medicine will attempt to reduce or kill the yeast in the vagina while also improving your body’s own immune system and increasing your population of good bacteria, to improve your overall health.

Another option, of course, is to treat your yeast infection yourself. You can do this with over-the-counter antifungal medications, “natural” antifungal herbs or tinctures, by taking “probiotics,” (dietary supplements and sugar-free yogurt that contain beneficial bacteria), and with changes to your diet.

All of these treatment philosophies can be effective, and are not mutually exclusive. For instance, you may want to:

1. Visit a medical doctor to get a prescription that kills the infection quickly, and then –

2. Visit a naturopath or practitioner of oriental medicine to build up your body’s immune system so the infection doesn’t come back, and at the same time –

3. Change your diet and switch to cotton underwear.

While self-treatment is a valid option, self-diagnosis is not. If you aren’t sure why you need to visit a doctor or other health practitioner, go back and re-read the section called When It Looks Like a Vaginal Yeast Infection, but it’s Really Something Else.

To learn more about how to treat yeast infections, please see the following articles:

Important: The information presented on this page and other pages on this site is based upon the opinions of the author, and on the author's interpretation of published reports and articles. It is not intended to replace your relationship with a qualified health care professional, and is not intended as medical advice.

The author encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon knowledge of the issues of nutrition and health, and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

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