Natural Yeast Infection Remedies: Herbal Solutions & Lifestyle Tips

First, I've been prone to yeast infections since being on birth control pill. I stopped taking the pill 3 years ago but still will get occasional yeast infections. I found after my first yeast infection that none of the drug store creams worked or would appear to be working and than my yeast infection would return. (I know it was yeast because it smelled like yeast and was accompanied by thick white discharge and itching).

So, I discovered probiotics, apple cider vinager, organic coconut oil and hydrogen peroxide all relieved my yeast infections. Fast forward to last month when I got the WORST yeast infection of my life. Sorry for the TMI but it was so bad that I got a rash on my butt crack and my labia was so swollen and all my usual remedies made things worse.

It had a very yeasty smell and I was sure I got it from eating to much cake and bread (I'm vegan and usually stay away from gluten and sugar but last month I indulged.....a lot). I also had been working and sweating outside, not able to change right away.

Anyways, my period started and the yeast infection seemed to get much better and a day after my period ended it came back with a vengeance. I was crying and miserable and decided to try ice. (I had mini ice cubes, so they were perfect). I rubbed ice outside of my vagina and put a mini ice cube inside as well. It gave me instant relief but I new it wasn't a cure.

I finally decided to try what I had always been scared to try before: boric acid. I was desperate. All I could get was the Borax from the laundry isle. It is a naturally occurring mineral (Sodium tetraborate) and that is the only ingredient listed on the box.

I emptied out my vegetarian probiotics capsule into my water and filled the empty capsule with Borax. I than placed the capsule into my vagina. It tingled a little at first but than I felt relief. It was amazing! I did this 3 to 4 times a day and always had one in overnight. It made my discharge watery, so I would advise using some sort of panty liner. The yeast smell was gone, the itch was gone, the swelling was gone. It was amazing! I did this for 7 days and than stopped.

Borax saved me and I'm so thankful! I just wanted to write about my experience just in case it may help someone else.

DAY 1 TAMPON: Per my research I decided to use ACV.. I tried soaking w/tampon, the way it expanded before entering made it feel uncomfortable inside plus I've always heard tampons are bad so I tossed it! I separated a water ACV mix almost every time I used the bathroom, maybe worked a little, not enough for satisfaction. So I suffered.

DAY 2 AFTERNOON DOUCHE: I've never douched before but I bought Summer's ever, poured solution out and filled 50/50 water and organic ACV while in the shower. It stung for a few seconds then felt so good as it stopped the Itching, only for a few hours as it felt like it got worst after 2 hrs (Not blaming acv) (I'm also drinkin ACV 3x a day) Night time I douched again, also poured the little I didn't get from the douche over my vagina while standing. It felt so much better while in the shower, only 40% better and hr or 2 later. Same day after night time shower I wasn't satisfied still even though a little better.. So I decided to bathe. BATH So I gave up trying to avoid using my roommates bathtub (I only have a shower) and decided to do what I also kept reading works. Hot/warm water bath a little pass my ankles. Poured a little under 16oz of ACV towards my vagina while sitting in. I also added some Himalayan pink salt just because I know salt baths are good. MAN DID I FEEL 99% better while in there for 30 mins, I sat with my legs open in the birth giving position. I actually started writing this while in the tub! Lol :) I've been out for 30 minutes now, I now feel about 80-85% cured, because I'm use to feeling 100 down there 24/7 I maybe being a little sensitive/stingy with the percentage but I could definitely go out if I had to but after that bath and me going through heck all day id rather rest just in case, I'm kind of scared to do anything extra because I'm so at ease at the moment I don't want anything to bring the itchy feeling back tonight!

I'll douche again in the shower tomorrow morning and night, maybe I'll get in the bath again too not sure. I'll definitely drink 2 tablespoons of ACV 3x a day for the next week, after that I'll drink it at least once a day and make it apart of my lifestyle. There's so many other benefits! Thanks for taking the time to read! I'll try to update :)

After searching I came across this site and read about Borax. I have it in the bathroom for making laundry soap. I don't have any capsules to use so I just stirred about 2 tsp into 2 cups of water. The burning and itching were so bad I couldn't stand it and I didn't even wait for it to dissolve before shooting some up there with a turkey baster in the bathtub. It burned for a minute but then it got about 95% better and I feel SO much better. Well at least I do down there. I found out the hard way that long turkey basters don't balance well in small measuring cups and that when you knock the solution across the tub while balanced precariously everything gets a bit slippery. Next time I will sit in the bathtub instead.

A week ago I woke up with a slightly sore vagina. Didn't think anything of it until a couple days later the soreness got worse and was accompanied by itching. I didn't have any odor whatsoever (which I normally get with BV) and although I didn't have full blown cottage cheese looking discharge, I did have a little thrush down there. I was definitely in the early stages of a yeast infection, so let the remedies begin.

I did the apple cigar vinegar soaked tampon a couple times, but all that did was make my insides raw (and it burns). I think I even saw a little bleeding. I decided instead of using the tampon, I'd just put a teaspoon of diluted apple cider vinegar directly up my vagina. I had to get creative and applied it using a drinking straw while laying on my back - craziness, I know! Well, that offered some relief, but the itching would come back within hours. So then I moved onto garlic. I'd insert a clove of peeled garlic directly up my vagina and leave it there over night. Again, a little relief but the itching was still there. Since that didn't work, I moved onto acidophilus. I swallowed 10 x 100 million organism tablets and I also shoved 2 up my vagina. Again, no significant relief! I was becoming frustrated and hopeless!!!

I remember laying in bed one night sleepless, crying and itching like crazy... while searching the internet for my next potential remedy. I was just about to convince myself to run to the 24-hour pharmacy to just pick up some 3-day Monistat, when I came across a post on Earth Clinic about boric acid. I read through some reviews, did a little research and figured I didn't have anything else to lose.

For whatever reason, none of the pharmacies I called that night had any boric acid in stock, so I figured Amazon would be easier. I ordered a bottle of boric acid powder, a bag of clear 0 empty gel capsules and had them shipped overnight - longest 24 hours I've ever had to wait.

With clean hands, I filled one of the gel capsules with as much of the boric acid powder that would fit, closed the capsule and inserted it as far up my vagina as I could. I did this once in the morning and once at night. By the start of day 2... THE ITCHING WAS COMPLETELY GONE! I was so happy!!! I still had a little soreness around my vagina, but that was probably from stripping it raw with all the other stuff I had been shoving up there. After day 3, my vagina was feeling 100% normal again... but I committed myself to using the boric acid suppositories for 5 days, to ensure all of the yeast was in fact killed. During the 5 days, I also upped my water intake, stayed away from sugar & bread and would pop a couple acidophilus for good measure to help build up my good bacteria.

I am happy to report that boric acid CURED my yeast infection! From what I've read, this stuff also works miracles in curing BV too... so it looks like this will definitely be something I keep in bathroom cabinet. Personally, I was a little skeptical about using boric acid because technically, it is toxic when ingested. It's also used to kill pests, which frightened me at first. But I had no choice but to trust some of the women that wrote on Earth Clinic about their experiences. One woman said her female OB/GYN recommended boric acid suppositories after her long bout with vaginal infections as well. That was good enough for me!

I highly recommend that any woman suffering with recurring yeast infections (or even recurring bacterial vaginosis) at least try boric acid. Dealing with these ailments are not only physically debilitating, they drain you emotionally and there is not better feeling than finding something that finally CURES you!

Three things to remember: Make sure you only insert boric acid into your vagina, NEVER inhale it or take it by mouth.

Also, make sure you commit to using it for at least 5 days (maybe 7-10 depending on how aggressive your infection is). I inserted one capsule twice a day, for 5 days. You shouldn't start using it and just stop once the itching stops. You want to make sure all those pesky little yeast are dead, even after your symptoms subside. So remember, a minimum of 5 days.

Finally, I'm not a healthcare pro, but I would say it's better to abstain from sex during this time. This includes not letting your boyfriend or hubby perform oral on you for obvious reasons. Trust me, giving your body time to heal is what's most important anyway. Good luck ladies!!!

Put some coconut oil a small ziplock bag until it covers the bottom up to an inch high. Store it in the freezer and as soon as you feel like quotation you may have a yeast infection, take it out of the plastic bag in break off an inch or more and very quickly, because it melts fast, inserted just as you would a tampon. You have to wear a panty liner but it will stop the discomfort almost immediately in 3 or more days necessary and you will be doing! I have done this over 10 times while pregnant nursing or taking antibiotics it has never failed me good luck ladies!

It started with what I thought was a UTI. My doctor gave me antibiotics. It didn't work. Long story short, I took around 7 different antibiotics in about 3 months. Doctor just kept trying different ones. Please don't ever do this. It messed up my digestive system big time. I went to a naturopath next. Nothing helped. After 2 years passed with constant burning and going to a few different doctors, a new doctor finally diagnosed me with a resistant strain of yeast. I took 6 rounds of Diflucan. Didn't work. The doctor's last resort was boric acid suppositories. Didn't work.

I had pretty much given up until, by the grace of God, I read in a food/nutritin book about how Vitamin E kills yeast. I had also read here on Earthclinic how alot of women with Bacterial Vaginosis get relief by taking Acidophilus and Folic Acid. So, I took them all together. 2 Acidophilus, 1 200IU Vitamin E, and 1 Folic 400mg Folic Acid morning and night. Within a few days I felt a little better. I was hopeful. The burning wasn't as bad, but still there. I imagine 2 years of burning would take awhile to heal. After a month, I knew the combination was definitely working. I took it for 3 months. Then, gradually took it less and less. It has been gone for a long time.

And here is the kicker: At my next GYN appointment, I told the doctor what finally cured me. She then told me how she read about a very small study that tested the SAME EXACT combination I took and yes, it worked. I was FLOORED! She said big pharm doesn't do those kinds of studies (No way for them to make money off of vitamins). So, alot of people won't know about what has been found. So, I am telling you my own experience. I hope this will help someone else. This period in my life was horrific. It affected my family, marriage, and my overall health. I am still dealing with the physical effects of the stress and anxiety. It was so defeating to have this burning, but no one could tell me what it was. I credit the Lord for showing what I needed to take. I did pray for those two years and couldn't understand why God wouldn't heal me. The journey wound bringing me closer to God than I have ever been and I feel this is what He wanted from me all the while. I realize some people may downplay this aspect of my healing, but I am here to say I am living proof. May God Bless You!

The only thing that has helped since I stopped being able to buy prescription anti-fungal pills over the internet, is grapefruit seed extract. It works! And it works fast!!! I put anywhere from 10 to 20 drops on fruit like a kiwi or orange in the morning or in orange juice to hide the taste. I do this every morning for as long as I am having a problem. I can usually tell right away, the difference by just looking at my tongue. My tongue usually has a white coating when I am experiencing problems with yeast.

Takes anywhere from 1 to 3 days to notice a real difference. I'd say 5 days for most people would work. It's an ongoing battle for me so I do it several times a week especially if I have anything sugary.

Now I tried everything in those years. Everything. Nothing worked but the pil. But when I came off it to become pregnant, within a year or so my cycling went back to normal and my pain began again. I tried to go back on the pil but it didn't work. I saw countless doctors, had vaginal anaesthetic needles inserted with pain blockers done during ovulation and was given powerful pain creams (because all my tests came up negative for yeasts except 1) Not only did these creams not work but they made things worse due to the chemicals in them.

After a year , I had no success and only one positive yeast test and I had a very sour milk smell all the time except during my period. So my doctor suggested that it could be cyclical yeast that lives in the walls and hard to detect. Whatever....... I just wanted some relief and all the yeast creams aggitated me due to the chemicals and the moisture from them dripping out during the day made the yeast proliferate and irritated the already very irritated vulvar skin. And the medications were just too hard on my liver and I had bad side effects.

So we decided to try boric acid. I started with the empty gel caps 1x a day and it burned so badly it actually bleached my underwear three nights in a row. I tried vaseline and oil to protect the outside but it didn't help. Nor did pads. I didn't want to spend a fortune on custom suppositories so I called them up and asked them the ingredients. A basic wax or oil with the boric acid. THAT"S IT? I can do that. I researched oils that were candida friendly and two jumped out.......... Olive and Coconut. So I started making my own in icecube trays. This was so cheap, chemical free and also protected my vagina from the harshness of the boric acid. Also the cold is soooo soothing! I put a pad on at night for leakage and one during the day and try to go without underwear whenever possible for a breather.

I did this for 3 weeks everyday and it dissapeared withing days. Only to return the next month day 7 as usual. So repeat. Then repeat the following month. Then I added pro b probiotics(drug store no prescription) specifically made for your vagina as it is a great misconception that acidophilus from yogurt helps your vagina........... IT IS NOT EVEN THE SAME STRAIN! And in fact yogurt in the vagina can make yeast grow more due to the sugar lactose. ( the V Book) It is wonderful for your digestive tract though. And I added a controversial element, a mild cortisone cream in a petroleum only base I had compounded as the other cortisones had chemicals that just irritated me. When you are irritated and swollen almost everything makes in worse especially harsh chemicals (the V book). Cortisone can make yeast grow sometimes but I only use a bit once a day as needed for inflammation.

It's been 4 months. I need the suppositories less and less. I start day 7 and often do a week then every 2-4 days until my period. My doctor said sometimes it takes a really long time to completely erradicate a stubborn cyclical infection. I see the results slowly but surely. The smell is gone, I can have sex oart of the month and I can live a relatively normal life wth only a few super swollen days as opposed to before when it was 22 days a month I was walking and sitting funny and crying. I am told it is common for 6 months to a year to deal with this so I am on track.. I wanted the quick fix but as long as I see progress I feel motivated, not depressed and in control of my body! Plus I have learned a lot from the V BOOK about good vaginal health, from listening to myself and I saved a lot of money by making my own suppositories (I got the boric acid at the drug store behind the counter in Canada it USA you can get it on amazon.com)

It is slow and steady. BIG LESSON don't try more than one thing at a time or you will not know what is working or not working. And don't see too many doctors, naturopaths etc, too many cooks in the kitchen leads to disasters and conflicting information.... I keep it really simple, no thousands of supplements, diets, meds or doctors! and drink a lot of water so my pee no longer burns and inflames it... Another trick. And I always use natural oils or petroleum for sexual lubricant now.... NO MORE CHEMICALS (except boric and cortisone) will ever touch my vagina again. Good luck and I hope this helps someone out there. Don't give up hope. Find what works for you and listen to you body. Inform yourself and keep at it. There is an end to this misery. Keep the faith girls!

And now Boric Acid did the job, still on my 6 day, plan to take the full dose of 14 days. What a relief, no inches, no discharges and I am on my way to total recovery. Amen. Hopefully this will help someone out there.. Take care Ladies n God bless y'all.