Causes of Thrush

Thrush is often quite difficult to avoid in women and babies, with most women experiencing thrush at least once in their life, and many babies under the age of two years old suffering from a bout of the infection. There are many different contributing factors to the development of thrush, and are different in the strain of the infection on women and men, and in the development of oral thrush.

The causes of thrush in women

Vaginal thrush is a yeast infection. It is caused by the fungus Candida albicans, which is a naturally occurring fungi that every human harbours. Most of the time the Candida exists peacefully within the body, but it can be aggravated. This can then lead to an overgrowth which results in thrush.

The aggravation of Candida is thought to spring from an alteration in the natural PH balance of the vagina. This change in balance can be a result of a number of things, including pregnancy and taking a course of antibiotics. The conditions that the thrush virus thrives in are warm and moist areas. Thus the vagina is the perfect environment for the virus to expand. This natural environment is inescapable, however, wearing tights or tights clothes can emphasise this and also result in the development of the infection.

Thrush is not a sexually transmitted disease. However, it is possible for the infection to be passed from one person to another through sexual contact, but this is fairly rare and does not happen to every person.

If you suffer from a weakened immune system through a condition such as HIV, or suffer from diabetes, then you will also be more prone to bouts of thrush.

The causes of thrush in men

Thrush in men, just like other cases of thrush, is caused by the naturally occurring fungus Candida albican. The majority of people have Candida in their body already, usually harbouring the fungus peacefully and without any problems. However, a change in your bodies’ immune system can change the peaceful balance, as your weakened immune system can no longer keep the Candida under control. This change can be a result of a very simple thing such as being on a course of antibiotics, or being ill in other ways. This can then result in thrush.

As in women, the thrush infection will thrive in warm and moist conditions. Therefore it is important to make sure that you dry your penis carefully after showering, and try to avoid heavily perfumed shower products. Although not the sole cause of thrush, the combination of failing to comply with these two things increases your chances of developing thrush considerably.

The causes of oral Thrush

Oral thrush is caused by the natural fungi Candida albicans. As with the rest of the body, the candida fungus usually lives peacefully within the mouth, but there are certain things that can trigger the development of thrush. As with other types of thrush, these things can include a change in the strength of your immune system (so if you are ill or are currently undergoing a course of antibiotics), certain medications that are known to reduce the amount of saliva in your mouth, a mouth injury or taking corticosteroid medication. Smoking can also contribute to the dry conditions of the mouth that oral thrush thrives in, and smokers have been proven to be more prone to bouts of the infection.

Sometimes the development of thrush is unavoidable. The best thing to do is to be aware of an increased risk of developing the infection when you are undergoing a course of antibiotics or involved in any of the above stated contributing factors. If you do develop oral thrush, make sure that you visit your doctor as soon as you can. Unlike oral thrush in babies which naturally treats itself after a few days, oral thrush in adults will only deteriorate and become increasingly uncomfortable and inconvenient. The quicker you get treated, the soon you can get back to normal.

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