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Gynecologic Health

For Treating Yeast Infections, Women Have a Choice

Summary & Participants

Yeast infections are a problem most women will have to experience at least once in their lives. There are dozens of treatment options available, but how do you know which is right for you? Join experts as they discuss the pros and cons of different prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Medically Reviewed On: June 30, 2008

Webcast Transcript

DAVID ESCHENBACH, MD: So for cream applications, the patients fill up a little tube applicator that has a plunger on it and they put it in the vagina and just push the cream in the vagina. For the suppository, they take the wrapper off and then just push the suppository into the vagina with their finger.

ANNOUNCER: Both types of vaginal therapy have the advantage that they often take effect more quickly than oral treatments.

JOHN HORN, PHARM.D: Some patients find that symptom relief is actually a little quicker when they use a local application. The infection itself takes about the same amount of time to cure, but the local application of the cream does seem to relieve the symptoms more quickly.

ANNOUNCER: And while some vaginal therapies also require a prescription, others don't, making them easier to get a hold of when they're needed.

JOHN HORN, PHARM.D: This is really an advantage for a woman who knows that she has a yeast infection; she's probably had them before and knows the symptoms that she wishes to treat. That means that she can simply go to her pharmacy and buy the product herself; she doesn't have to spend the time trying to get in to see the physician and the, of course, added expense associated with that.

ANNOUNCER: Another issue to consider is side effects, which tend to be less of a risk with vaginal treatments.

JOHN HORN, PHARM.D: And so there's a fundamental difference between the oral and the topically applied drugs, just in the fact that with the oral you expose the whole body to the drug; with the topical you're really only exposing the area where the infection exists to the drug.

DAVID ESCHENBACH, MD: The intravaginal preparations usually have very few side effects, so they're quite well-tolerated. Occasionally, there will be an increased amount of irritation that goes on just from the preparation itself more related to the vehicle that it contains -- that contains it. The side effects of the oral therapy are, for the most part, nausea, some abdominal cramps and bloating are the most common.

ANNOUNCER: Whether women choose creams, suppositories, or oral treatment, they should also consider whether they want a short-acting treatment, or one that takes slightly longer. The right choice usually depends on the severity of the infection.

DAVID ESCHENBACH, MD: The topical therapy is anywhere from between one-time dose to a seven-day dose. The oral therapy is usually a one-time dose itself. The advantage of the one-day is it's obviously a one-time use and the efficacy is relatively high for people with mild symptoms. For the people with three- to seven-days, the advantage goes to people who have more moderate to severe symptoms or had recurrences before, where the one-time dose may not be enough to relieve symptoms.

ANNOUNCER: With all these choices, it's clear that treating a yeast infection isn't always as simple as it seems. So while women with past experience can treat themselves, anyone with doubts or with a first time infection should play it safe and talk to their doctor first.

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