Recurring thrush - why do I keep getting it?

There are many factors which can help to explain why you keep getting thrush, these include:

Many women experience thrush during their period. Before and during your period the delicate pH levels in your vagina change. This change can lead to thrush during your period, before or even after.

Sanitary products can irritate the vagina and introduce infection. Your vagina is self-cleaning, if during your menstrual cycle you are cleaning your vagina more frequently this can wash away the good bacteria.

If you get thrush with most periods, it might not be a new infection every time. The previous infection may not have been properly resolved or treated – this is known as recurrent thrush. To properly clear the infection, you will need to finish the course of treatment, even if the signs of infection have begun to clear.

Many over the counter treatment aren’t suitable for recurring thrush, especially if you’ve had an episode of thrush within the past six months. If you are experiencing recurring thrush, you should see your GP. Your GP or a healthcare professional at a sexual health clinic may be able to help find the cause of the thrush you are experiencing.

If you have been diagnosed with thrush before and recognise the symptoms, you’ll need to use antifungal medicine each time you have thrush. These can be bought over the counter in your local pharmacy or some supermarkets.

Treatments for thrush include:

Many of these treatments should help to relieve symptoms within one week. You might find that you need to take your thrush treatment for longer than normal to stop it recurring in the future.

When we’re put under a lot of stress it can affect our bodies and how they work. Stress can make us feel run down and weaken our immune system, making us vulnerable to illnesses such as colds as well as infections such as thrush.

There are lifestyle and hygiene changes that you can make to lower your risk of developing thrush, as well as keeping you in good health. Making sure that you eat a varied and balance diet will help to support your immune system.

If you have diabetes, it’s important that you properly manage your condition. Make sure that your blood sugar levels are steady as this will help to stop you from getting thrush.

Other precautions you can take against thrush include:

Yes, if you have had thrush in the past, you can get it again. Even if you have had treatment to clear the infection. This doesn’t make you immune to thrush.

The yeast infection thrush has recognisable symptoms, such as red and irritated skin, as well as itching and vaginal discharge. Find out more in our thrush symptoms guide.

Both men and women can experience the yeast infection known as thrush. Commonly the infection affects women more than it does men. It causes similar symptoms in both sexes.

Yes, thrush treatment is available from your local pharmacy and on prescription from your GP. Some forms of thrush treatment may only be available on prescription, this includes higher strength varieties, but your GP will be able to tell you which is right for you.