Thrush Left Untreated

It goes without saying that thrush can only be treated if you know you have the infection. This may seem obvious, but many people do not suffer severe or highly noticeable symptoms – and this is applicable to all strains of the infection. Dependent on each individual case, the consequences of leaving thrush untreated can vary from none at all, to much more serious.

Thrush and the potential to go away naturally

In some cases, thrush does happen to go away naturally. If your body does manage to fight off the infection by itself, then you will not need to be treated. This means that you may have developed thrush and never have known about it. If you did develop the infection and your body naturally fought it off, then there are no enduring symptoms or consequences, and so you have nothing to worry about.

Oral thrush in babies is known to clear up fairly quickly and naturally, and it is only if the infection does not go away after a prolonged period of time that medical advice and treatment should be sought. Oral thrush is adults can be a bit more complicated, but also has the potential to go away naturally. It all depends on you individually, and some people’s natural defences are a lot stronger than others. If thrush does not go away however, it is usually nothing to worry about, and can be treated fairly simply and effectively.

Potential development of further, more severe conditions

If your body does not naturally fight off the infection, and you do not get treatment then there are a few further and more severe infections and conditions that can potentially be triggered.

Although vaginal thrush is not a sexually transmitted disease, it can be passed on to a male partner during sexual intercourse. In males, there are often very little to no symptoms. However, if the infection is never diagnosed and treated, then this can cause an inflammation of the urethra in women and men, an infection most commonly referred to as Urethritis. This is usually identified by abnormal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. Drinking lots of fluids can help with this infection, as well as a course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.

In women, untreated vaginal thrush can also lead to a mild condition called bacterial vaginosis. This is quite similar to thrush, and is normally nothing to cause alarm if treated properly. It is estimated that around 1 in 3 women will develop this infection in their lifetime, and is closely linked to the development of thrush. It is treated in various ways, one of the most effective being a course of antibiotics. This infection does however, tend to be particularly recurrent.

Oral thrush when left untreated can consistently stay the same without worsening, but in different cases untreated oral thrush can lead to a severe deterioration in several of the more uncomfortable symptoms. If you suffer any symptoms of oral thrush, you probably will seek medical attention as soon as you can due to the tendency to cause irritation and affect day to day activities such as talking, eating and drinking. If you do leave it longer than a few days however, typical symptoms such as the white patches on the tongue and the insides of the cheeks, cracked flesh, bleeding sores and irritation can all worsen. Although this normally does not lead to any permanent affects, these symptoms will all be highly uncomfortable, and so it is in your best interest to get treated as soon as possible.

Untreated thrush and the potential to affect pregnancy

 If you do develop bacterial vaginosis and you do not get it treated, then this can cause problems during pregnancy, and in extreme cases, can even lead to miscarriage. As infections such as thrush and bacterial vaginosis can often have little to no symptoms, it is recommended that if you are trying for a baby, you go for a full health check. This can help to avoid any unnecessary complications further on down the line.

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