Suspect vaginal yeast infection? These 5 home remedies will help you a great deal

Lack of sleep, stress, weak immune system, diabetes, hormonal imbalances and greater indulgence in unhealthy eating habits are some of the prime reasons that lead to adverse effects on the health of the vagina. This then results in the higher chances of you developing an yeast infection.

Vaginal yeast infection is usually very itchy accompanied with a white discharge, redness, pain, soreness, burning sensations and inflammation.

While it is best to consult a doctor and get yourself treated, we spoke to Dr Rita Bakshi, the senior gynaecologist and IVF expert at International Fertility Centre for some things you can do to relieve the pain.

Use baking soda as hygiene wash
Baking soda helps in naturally balancing out the pH levels of your vagina. Its acidic nature helps in killing candida cells that lead to genital yeast infection. This natural vaginal wash helps in speeding up the recovery process with its natural properties.

Add two tablespoons of baking soda to your bathwater. Swish it around to make sure it dissolves. Spend 10-15 minutes in the bathtub or take a mugful of that water to rinse your vaginal area.

Also read: Scared of using a vaginal wash? Try these home hacks for a healthy vulva

Use cold water compress
To deal with the soreness, itching and burning sensations during an yeast infection, place a cold compress or an ice pack wrapped in a towel on your vagina.

Do not douche
Douching – the act of washing the vagina with water or a mixture of fluids to eliminate odours and clean the vagina – eliminates some of the healthy bacteria and microorganisms from the vagina. These are necessary as they guard the vagina against yeast infection.

Douching is one of the reasons for the multiplication of harmful bacteria in the body. So avoid douching, both when you have a yeast infection, and otherwise.

Avoid using artificially scented soaps and intimate products
Feminine hygiene and bath products that are artificially scented are a complete no-no when you have an infection. These chemically based products do not have the correct pH-balance and end up doing more harm than good.

Trust us, using water to keep your vagina clean is more than enough; you don’t need to smell like vanilla down there!

Also read: 4 reasons why you’ve got to stop using scented sanitary pads. P.S. Your vagina will thank you for it

Always go for breathable fabrics
When it comes to picking your panties, ditch the synthetic ones and always opt for breathable fabrics like cotton. Yeast increases in a moist and warm environment, which can be prevented by wearing a cotton panty.

Follow these five home remedies for vaginal yeast infection and relieve the pain, before your appointment with the gynae.