Homeopathy Treatment for Candidiasis

Candidiasis or Candidosis OR Thrush is a yeast infection caused by any Candida species. Candida albicans is the most common agent causing infections in humans. The infection is commonly called 'thrush' or 'moniliasis'.

Candida occurs freely everywhere and their infections can affect the body in many ways. From small localized areas of infection in some or fast-spreading multi-system infections in others, Candidal infections can be superficial or life-threatening.

Who gets Candidal infections?

Candida is normally present in most people. The organism is a commensal i.e. it naturally colonizes the human body without benefiting or damaging it.

A healthy immune system and the presence of other microorganisms, check its uncontrolled multiplication and thereby, infections.

It is an opportunistic organism causing an infection only when your immune defenses are lowered enough for it to multiply. Carriers generally don't develop any symptoms so long as they are healthy. Yet, the incidence of Candidiasis is common among

• Infants
• Elderly people
• High sugar diets
• Women on oral contraceptive pills or Hormone Replacement Therapy
• Use of natural progesterone cream
• Pregnancy
• Dental mercury amalgam poisoning
• Smoking
• Other heavy metal poisonings e.g. lead, cadmium
• Chemical poisoning from the home, garden, workplace etc.
• Hormonal changes e.g. puberty, pregnancy, menopause

Most often these infections are localized. Many clinical/medical conditions also increase the risk of acquiring Candidiasis. In such cases where the immune system is lowered, the infection spreads through the blood stream and spreads to other organs as well.

Symptoms

Candidiasis  infections are extremely common. It occurs in otherwise healthy people mostly as a well-localized infection and responds favorably to treatment.

Affected locations show a lot of itching, burning, and soreness. Generally, symptoms depend upon the organ involved.

• In the oral cavity, its presentation is called oral thrush. Most infections are seen in people having AIDS and in infants. Infants may suffer from
• Pain
• Poor feeding
• Crankiness 
• Lethargy.
• It presents as discrete lesions on the penis and foreskin. Often the soft tissue of the glans penis has red, inflamed, painful sores and rarely a white discharge from the penis. A condition called 'balanitis'.
• In infants and older children using diapers, it presents within the folds of the skin as 'diaper (nappy) rash'.
• Nipples and surrounding tissues, in breastfeeding women.
• The ears. External ear often gets infected.
• Endophthalmitis, a condition wherein the inner eyeball is inflamed is typical of Candidal infection. The most common symptoms are:
• Pain
• Blurred vision
• Decreased vision
• Redness, especially after eye surgery
      Children with low birth weight or hospitalization for long periods are contributing factors.
• Nails. It causes chronic paronychia which is painful inflammation of the tissues around the nail. It also causes onychomycosis where the nail grows very poorly and appears disfigured.
• The skin surrounding the nose and margins of the nostrils can be affected.
• In women, a fairly common site is the vulva or vagina. The condition is referred to as vaginal Candidiasis or vaginal thrush.
• Intense itch and profuse creamy-white, curd-like or a whitish-yellow discharge from the vagina is the commonest symptom.
• Soreness and burning.
• Pain during sexual intercourse.
      The third trimester of pregnancy, broad-spectrum antibiotics, sexual activity (anal sex followed by vaginal sex, without proper cleaning), use of oral contraceptives and HIV infection are some of the most common factors causing vulvovaginal thrush.
• The skin folds are prone to a lot of moisture. Obesity, Diabetes, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) are common causes of Candidiasis in the skin folds.

Treatment options for Candidiasis

Conventional treatment:

When the symptoms are vague, physicians end-up treating Candidiasis with antibiotics. This further increases the severity of the infection as it eliminates the natural competitors of Candida helping it grow unchecked.

All conditions like diabetes, obesity, HIV-infection, neutropenia, steroid therapy, contraceptive pills & HRT, etc. that increase the vulnerability to the infection have to be separately reversed or controlled.

Anti-fungals effective against Candidal infections are:

• Fluconazole
• Amphotericin B
• Voriconazole for infections spreading via the bloodstream.
• Topical applications of clotrimazole, nystatin, fluconazole, and ketoconazole are commonly used.
• Vaginal suppositories or medicated douches 'for women having genital Candidiasis.

Homeopathic treatment:

Candidiasis shows excellent response to homeopathic treatment. Homeopathy treats candidiasis from the roots and prevents tendency for recurrence. Homeopathy is strongly recommended.