Make sure that you have a yeast infectionA study has shown that 67% of women incorrectly diagnosed themselves as having a yeast infection.  Many conditions may mimic a yeast infection, such a bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis or atropic vaginitis.  Just as in women with a yeast infection, women with these conditions may have itching, burning, redness, soreness, and a discharge.  Sometimes, women can have an infection with both yeast and another condition.  It is recommended to see a physician if natural remedies do not provide relief.  Antibiotics may be prescribed for bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis and estrogen may be recommended for atropic vaginitis.  The take home message is when in doubt; get a proper diagnosis by a physician.Natural remedies may provide some relief, but the effectiveness is not known in many of them. Natural remedies have recently become very popular.  Natural remedies are treatments that you do not need a prescription for and include dietary changes, yogurt, probiotics, tea tree oil, boric acid, gentian violet, and stress relief.  Natural remedies for vaginal yeast infections will continue to be popular among women because of convenience (no waiting for a doctor’s appointment) and cost (less expensive than prescribed medications), despite the backing of strong medical evidence.  These methods of treatment, although some more promising than others, are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. However, their popularity continues to increase. Because the doses, strengths, and forms of these medications vary greatly, it is recommended to do a lot of background research on natural remedies or consult legitimate alternative health care practitioners before choosing one that is best for you.  Douching is not recommendedDouching has been widely used as a method to “cleanse the vagina.  Widespread marketing has contributed to its popularity, but women do not know that this seemingly harmless act is places them at risk for infections.  Douching has been shown to change the normal vaginal flora, thereby increasing the risk of infection of the vagina (vaginitis), ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and endometriosis.  A study has shown that women who douched three or more times a month were almost 4 times as likely to have PID compared to those who do not douche.  So if you still douching regularly, it is recommended to stop, and see a physician if there are any abnormalities.  You may have a bacterial infection or a yeast infection that can be treated if diagnosed properly.You may not be preventing vaginal yeast infections by eating plain yogurt.  Yogurt is a delicious, fermented, dairy product made by adding bacterial cultures to milk, creating a pudding-like texture.  However not all yogurts are the same.  Worldwide, people have known for a while that certain active bacterial cultures may have a health benefit to the gut, urinary, and genital systems.  Food manufacturers have taken on the task to add active cultures of these beneficial bacteria, specifically Lactobacillus acidophilis to their products.  L. acidophilis is normally found in the vaginal flora, and it is believed that if this normal bacterial population is reintroduced, conditions will be normalized and Candida will not be able to grow.  However, it has been found that L. crispatus and L. jenseii are the most common and important species in the vaginal flora that restore the pH to an acidic level, which is important in suppressing the growth of other bacteria and fungi.  Vaginal inserts containing these two species may be more beneficial than L. acidophilis.Tea tree oil may be beneficialTea tree oil has antibacterial as well as antifungal properties.  It is produced by steam distillation of the leaves of the plant Melaleuca alternifolia.  It has many uses, and has been shown in studies to be an effective mouth rinse for people with oral candida infections (thrush) or as a topical application for acne, dandruff, athlete’s foot, or vaginal infections.  Ingestion of tea tree oil is not recommended, because of its severe toxicity and ability to produce strong allergic reactions.  However, as a mouth rinse (that is not swallowed) it has been effective at treating oral yeast infections or thrush.  It has also been tested in women with vaginitis caused by the organism Trichomonas, and has shown some promising results  mores studies have to be conducted.  Treatment with 0.05% tea tree oil pessaries, intravaginal gels and douches for yeast infection as shown some relief, but again, more studies have to be conducted.  Existing products are gelatin capsules filled with tea tree oil combined with calendula oil, vegetable oil, or water.  Two capsules are inserted into the vagina at night for six nights.