What if yeast infection medicine doesnt work

Medically reviewed by Cameron White, M. OTC treatment Prescription treatment Other causes See a doctor Takeaway A yeast infection is a common fungal infection that can develop when you have too much yeast in your vagina. Symptoms usually include: vaginal and vulvar itching, soreness, and irritation burning during urination or sex white, thick discharge that resembles cottage cheese Yeast infections occasionally go away without treatment, and home remedies can sometimes help.

What to expect from OTC treatment. What to expect from prescription treatment. Other things it could be. When to see a doctor. The bottom line. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Medically reviewed by Janet Brito, Ph. Medically reviewed by Fernando Mariz, MD. Perimenopause and Depression.

Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Yeast infections can affect anyone, but they are more common among women. Yeast infections typically go away following treatment with antifungal medications. However, some infections may persist or recur despite treatment.

Doctors refer to such infections as chronic. This article outlines the potential causes of chronic yeast infections and provides information on when to see a doctor. It also lists some home remedies and medical treatments for yeast infections. A type of fungus called Candida is responsible for most yeast infections. These fungi usually live harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes. However, certain factors can cause them to multiply out of control, causing an infection.

Sometimes, the symptoms of a yeast infection may persist or recur despite a person receiving medical treatment. Below are some reasons that this may happen:. A person who meets any of the following criteria should see their doctor about a yeast infection:. In most cases, the primary treatment for a yeast infection is an over-the-counter OTC antifungal medication. These are available in oral form or as topical creams, ointments, or suppositories. An OTC antifungal treatment should begin working within a few days.

The symptoms should slowly improve over the course of a week. Some people may experience recurrent yeast infections, which experts define as more than two yeast infections within a 6-month period. Yeast infections can happen to any girl. Many girls find that they tend to show up right before they get their periods because of the hormonal changes that come with the menstrual cycle.

Clothing especially underwear that's tight or made of materials like nylon that trap heat and moisture might make yeast infections more likely.

Using scented sanitary products and douching can upset the healthy balance of bacteria in the vagina and make yeast infections more likely. Treating a yeast infection is simple, but it's important to visit your doctor for the right diagnosis. Other infections can cause similar symptoms but need different treatments.

At the visit, your doctor might take a urine sample to rule out a urinary tract infection and swab some discharge from your vagina to check under a microscope. If you do have a yeast infection, your health care provider probably will prescribe a pill to swallow or a cream, tablet, or suppository to put in the vagina. When you get home, follow all the directions on the package carefully. Creams, tablets, and suppositories often come with an applicator to help you place the medicine inside your vagina, where it can begin to work.

If you're using a vaginal treatment and are sexually active, you should not have sex until the infection has been completely treated because these medicines can weaken condoms and diaphragms. All these types of medicine can clear up your symptoms in a couple of days and cure the infection within a week.

If you stop taking it too soon, the infection could come back. If you're not feeling better within a few days of finishing treatment, call your doctor. Often, yeast infections can be caused by irritants in your environment that are disrupting vaginal pH balance, and if you continue to use them, you'll risk making infections worse.

There are many common irritants that you may not realize can cause a yeast infection, Dr. Ross says, including fragrant soaps, bubble bath liquids, bath salts, body washes, talcum powder, detergents, fabric softeners, sanitary wipes and pads, scented lubricants, diaphragms, condoms, spermicides, tampons, deodorant pads or creams applied to the vulva. If your yeast infection isn't clearing up, it's worth going through what you use daily and switching it for something else — or discontinuing it for a while — to see if that might help.

We've all heard this advice, but when a yeast infection is on the mend it can be easy to forget it. It can be tempting to stop taking your yeast medication once you're pretty sure it's all cleared up, but according to Dr. Ross, this may mean the infection sticks around. Diet can have ongoing effects on your yeast infection, and you may need to stay away from sugar while you're recovering from one.