Intro

Most cases of candidiasis do not have to be treated in the hospital. People with weakened

immune systems   may have more serious infections, however, and may need to be hospitalized.

Women should go to the hospital when fever , chills, nausea and vomiting, or> abdominal   pain accompanies vaginal discharg. These symptoms can indicate a more serious problem such as kidney  infections, appendicitis, or pelvic inflammatory disease. These potential conditions need to be promptly investigated.

If thrush interferes with drinking liquids or eating for long periods of time, people may need to be hospitalized to receive more aggressive medications and to reestablish body fluids.

Candidal skin infections rarely require hospital treatment.

People with weak immune systems run the risk of the candidal organisms growing in their blood or internal organs, which can cause life-threatening illness. IV medication may be necessary to combat this systemic illness. Your doctor should promptly investigate symptoms of illness or general feelings of unwellness.

Self-Care at Home

Most candidal infections can be treated at home with over-the-counter or prescription medication and can clear up within a week. If some other disease has weakened a person's immune system, the person should consult a doctor about any new symptoms before attempting self-treatment because of the risk of infection.

Vaginal yeast infections

• Most women can treat vaginal yeast infections at home with nonprescription vaginal creams or suppositories.
• A single dose of fluconazole (Diflucan) tablet also cures most  vaginal yeast infections  . Fluconazole requires a prescription from your physician.

Thrush

• For thrush, swish the antifungal agent nystatin around in your mouth then swallow the liquid. Take care to maintain excellent oral hygiene.
• All objects put into a child's mouth should be washed or sterilized after each use.
• Breastfeeding mothers should be evaluated for Candida infection of the breast.
• If you wear dentures, clean them thoroughly after each use and practice good oral hygiene.
• Adults and older children have several treatment options not available to babies, such as troches (antifungal lozenges) or pills such as fluconazole (Diflucan) to help clear the infection in addition to nystatin.

Skin and diaper rash

• Clotrimazole (Lotrimin) creams and lotions can be applied to superficial skin infections. Other medications require a prescription and a visit to your doctor.
• Other antifungal creams, such as ketoconazole (Nizoral), which is available by prescription, is helpful as well.
• For paronychia, avoiding moisture can be helpful. Oral itraconazole (Sporanox) or fluconazole (Diflucan) can also be helpful and can be prescribed by a doctor. Topical antifungal and topical corticosteroids are also used.
• Perlèche is treated with topical antiyeast or antifungal agents, and often with a mild corticosteroid cream. Limit lip licking of the corners of the mouth. Placing a bit of petroleum jelly on top of the antiyeast agents can be helpful as well.
• The affected area should be kept clean and dry.
• For diaper rashes, frequent diaper changes and the use of barrier creams speed recovery.
• Intertrigo can benefit from the use of nystatin powder, which decreases the amount of moisture and also acts as an antiyeast agent.

Other Therapy

Fungal infections thrive in moist, enclosed areas. The following instructions are important to prevent and treat skin and vaginal fungal infections.

• Try to keep the skin free from persistent moisture.
• Shower thoroughly after activities that produce sweat and dry areas prone to fungal infection.
• In infants, keep diaper area dry.
• Cotton underwear may help prevent excessive moisture for women who are prone to vaginal infections.
• Try to maintain the proper fungus/bacteria balance in the vagina by eating yogurt or taking acidophilus capsules.