Thrush (Candidiasis)

Thrush is caused by a yeast, Candida albicans. Thrush is not necessarily transmitted through sexual contact and lots of people get it quite regularly.

Normally, the yeast that causes thrush lives harmlessly inside the vagina but sometimes the amount of yeast increases and this causes thrush. Thrush is not necessarily passed on through sex, but can sometimes develop after you've had sex.

It's very common for women to get thrush - three out of four women will get it at some point in their lives and some women will get it regularly. Men sometimes get thrush too.

Thrush can be triggered by antibiotics, some forms of contraceptives, and occasionally, the use of strongly scented bath products or intimate body sprays.

How to recognise it

Women

• a thick, white vaginal discharge
• itching
• Soreness
• swelling of the vulva
• pain when passing urine.

Men

• the penis may become sore, itchy and inflamed.

How to treat it

Although you can buy treatments for Thrush, such as vaginal pessaries and anti-fungal creams, at the chemist, it’s always best to get it diagnosed by a doctor or nurse first; this is because lots of other infections can have similar symptoms.