Health Care - Women’s Urinary & Intimate
Thrush, intimate itching, vaginal irritation and cystitis are common female health issues. Thankfully, they are also relatively easy to treat at home.
Thrush is a yeast infection that affects men and women. It’s usually harmless but can cause discomfort – especially if it keeps returning over time. In most cases, you will need antifungal medicine to get rid of it. This can be a tablet you take, a pessary you insert into your vagina or a cream to relieve the irritation.
The Canesten Thrush Combi Pessary and External Cream contains a full course of treatment, which consists of a single pessary with applicator – designed to treat the cause of vaginal thrush – and one tube of cream to treat and soothe external thrush symptoms.
The active ingredient is clotrimazole, an antifungal agent which is used to treat a number of different types of fungal infections. It usually takes up to a week (around seven days) for fungal infections to improve. If the symptoms persist, seek the advice of a GP.
Intimate itching is an uncomfortable and sometimes painful symptom that often occurs due to irritating substances and infections. In some cases, it can also be caused by perspiration, clothing, detergents or menstruation.
It is, however, a very common issue and usually treatable. Products that have been designed to tackle the condition include Vagisil Medicated Creme, which quickly cools, soothes and relieves intimate itching, burning and irritation. Vagisil is non-staining and non-greasy and its active ingredient is lidocaine, a local anaesthetic used to numb tissue in a specific area.
Another regular complaint is cystitis, which is an inflammation of the bladder usually caused by a bladder infection. It’s a type of urinary tract infection and is particularly common in women. While uncomfortable – especially when it causes an unpleasant burning sensation when passing water – it is usually more of an irritant than a cause for serious concern.
Symptoms often get better by themselves within a few days. For quick relief, Galpharm Cystocalm Granules and CanesOasis Cystitis Relief provide release from cystitis. Both utilise an active ingredient called sodium citrate, which makes urine less acidic.
In some rare cases cystitis can lead to a more serious kidney infection – so it’s important to seek medical advice if your symptoms do not improve.