tea tree oil for yeast infection

[hey-kayla-jay.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to treat a yeast infection fro home for the past few days. Two nights ago I tried inserting a clove of garlic before bed, but I felt no different in the morning. This morning, in my early morning half dead stupor, I scratched away at the area. Worst decision of my life; the area immediately became very inflammed and painful. I drove to work sitting on a damn ice pack trying to get it to go down. I bought a three-day monistat pack and took the ovule for the first day, but the burning and itching is still driving me up a damn wall.
I got some tea tree oil to try to take the irritation away. However, I dunno how to go about applying it, and I'm concerned over all the warnings telling me that it may burn and cause more damage. Can anyone who has used tea tree oil for yeast infections tell me about their experience with it?

Comments

[archangelbeth]

I would not insert tea tree oil directly into/onto the vaginal area, as my doctor says it's an antibacterial (so it would tend to make things worse by killing the good bacteria) -- however, I've used it for labial itching. I dilute at about a drop to a tablespoon at strongest, and dab a paper towel in the solution. Then I rub on the itching area. It causes a burning sensation that takes the itch away, yay!

You may also want to try vinegar, as there are some studies suggesting it will mess with yeast, but not the beneficial bacteria that are supposed to be part of the vaginal ecosystem, and while you'll smell a bit of pickles, it's fairly mild.

Another potential is, of course, unsweetened, unflavored yogurt.

Good luck!

[hey-kayla-jay.livejournal.com]

I went all over the friggin' world today looking for plain yogurt, since it was first choice. Finding none, I settled for tea tree oil I found at a health food store.
I heard about cider vinegar too. My primary concern right now is the discomfort, since I assume the monistat is doing it's job inside. What would I do with the vinegar?

[archangelbeth]

I'd suggest starting with the "dampen a paper towel, wipe on the external areas" -- while it has its own anti-yeast action, it might wash away too much monistat if used internally. It seems to have a much milder "anti-itch burn" than the tea tree oil, though, so you might wind up using the oil, depending on your needs.

*crosses fingers that the symptoms can be relieved till the monistat gets rid of the problem*

[hey-kayla-jay.livejournal.com]

Thank you, you've been very helpful.

[darlahood.livejournal.com]

DILUTE THE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR IN WATER 1 TO 8 PARTS WATER!!!!

[hey-kayla-jay.livejournal.com]

WOAH OKAY, WILL DO! :D

[ladycallie.livejournal.com]

I know this is late, hopefully your symptoms are all gone now, but for future reference, you'll burn the hell out of your skin is you put undiluted vinegar on already inflamed skin. I've got a small scar on my chest from trying to relieve a sun burn with undiluted vinegar.

Hope you're better!

[palatal-glide.livejournal.com]

You can also douche with a vinegar solution.

[misspaigeb.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised you weren't able to find plain yogurt. Most all grocery stores I've been to have some kind of it.

[rog22nyy.livejournal.com]

I've never used it for yeast infections but I have used it for piercings and the usual protocol for that is to use half tea tree oil and half water because the stuff is so strong. I also found this link:

http://www.nutritiontips101.com/1349/treating-yeast-infection-with-tea-tree-oil/

[archangelbeth]

I would be very wary of that site's suggestions, since it's trying to market a product. Yes, the best way to make sure that yeast goes away is to have enough probiotics/acidic enough environment to kick it out -- but I don't really trust a single site's research when it's trying to sell something.

http://www.home-remedies-yeast-infection.com/yeast-infection-home-remedies.html says Tea Tree Oil is for external use only, and direct application should always be diluted (which the nutritiontips101.com site ignores, advising dipping a tampon in the oil, without mention of dilution -- my tender bits scream out in terror!).

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/healthconditionsqtoz/a/yeast_infection.htm says "Unfortunately, there haven't been any clinical studies in humans showing that tea tree oil is effective or safe for yeast infection. Until we have more evidence, it should not be recommended. Tea tree oil must be diluted before applying it to the body. Full strength tea tree oil should never be applied to the vaginal area."

http://www.lef.org/protocols/infections/fungal_infections_candida_01.htm is excellent, citing a study that suggests tea tree oil is effective vs. yeast because it disrupts the yeast's cell wall, but their recommendations are "topical," not internal.


http://www.yeastinfectionpage.com/alternative-treatment-methods/tea-tree-oil-natural-treatment-for-yeast-infections.html is more "hey! use it for everything!" -- but note that they sell the stuff. One has to take that bias into account anytime that one sees an advertisement in the text of the "hey, here's how to fix your ________."

[paraxeni.livejournal.com]

OK you lured me off my death-bed, you win. NNEAT TTO ON TAMPON? *sobs and flails*

ok - back to expelling blood from my stupid lungs. that shock should bring things along nicely! habe friended you so you can read my tale of woe

[archangelbeth]

"I hear a great disturbance in the Force, as of a thousand vaginas screaming out in terror and clamping shut."

Poorly edited websites that are Selling Stuff: Just Say NO.

*goes to send good wishes to you at your journal*

[lilium-vitiate.livejournal.com]

I have successfully used TTO to treat yeasties a few times. I poke the end of a tampon out of the applicator, put a little TTO on it, put it back ino the applicator (so no TTO gets on my vulva- it BURNS!) Leave it in overnight, and repeat as necessary.

I know there is no testing behind it, but for me, it DOES work, usually within a day.

[mercyoverthrown.livejournal.com]

TTO is an antifungal and can be effective for a yeast infection. I have used it the same way as this poster.

I find that it clears up external yeast and itching too - you can dilute it with olive oil on a cotton ball to ease the burning. It will still burn a little and the itching will momentarily intensify. But TTO is very good for skin scrapes and will eventually work to soothe and heal both the irritation from scratching and any actual external yeast infection.

What I have found helpful for getting through work/the day is Benadryl cream...actually a cheaper generic brand (2% Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride and 0.1% Zinc Acetate). It relieves itching and soothes skin - but does *not* cure the yeast infection, only treats the itch. It stings a wee bit also if you have a scrape from scratching.