How do I Treat a Male Yeast Infection?

There are a number of ways to treat a male yeast infection. These begin with getting an accurate diagnosis of the problem by identifying its symptoms, seeing a doctor for confirmation and getting treatment suggestions. These steps sound easy, but they can be difficult for many. When people hear the term yeast infection, most of them will automatically assume the subject under discussion is a female problem, and they may never have heard of a yeast infection in men. Though this condition is rarer, it certainly does occur, and prompt treatment can help alleviate discomfort.

It’s not always clear what the root cause of a yeast infection is, but as is the case with women, one cause may be taking antibiotics, which can kill good bacteria on the penis, allowing yeast to proliferate. Most people have a balance of yeast and bacteria that keeps the other in check, but when this balance gets disturbed, a male yeast infection may result. Another cause is intercourse with a woman who has an active infection. Both partners should plan for abstinence if one partner has a fungal infection, as they may transfer the infection back and forth. Sometimes no clear causal factor exists.

Some of the symptoms of the male yeast infection are important to identify. The skin on or around the penis may be red and irritated, have a rash, and be itchy. Some men note a burning sensation when they urinate or they might experience small amounts of discharge from the penis. Sometimes people also notice an off odor when yeast levels are high.

The symptoms of a yeast infection in men are an indication to get medical help. Doctors can confirm the presence of this condition and make recommendations on what kind of treatment is most appropriate. Most men will be given a topical anti-fungal cream, similar to those given for jock itch, that could either be prescribed or purchased over the counter.

In rare cases, the infection is so severe that men don’t respond to the topical creams. In this instance, they are prescribed oral anti-fungal medications either with continued cream use or alone.

In addition to using the anti-fungal cream as directed, men could consider a few behavior changes. These would include making sure underclothing is dry, and that pants are not too tight. After any activities that create a lot of moisture, like exercising that causes heavy perspiration or swimming, damp clothes should be changed. Yeast tends to proliferate in wet environments.

There are also many proposed natural “cures” for the male yeast infection. Most of these do not have a significant amount of evidence to suggest they work. One potential aid is eating yogurt with live active cultures. There’s good evidence this may reduce number of yeast infections in women who take antibiotics, and though the matter hasn’t been studied a lot in males, it still could be sensible to try it. Unlike some other proposed treatments, it isn’t likely to be difficult to add a cup of yogurt to a daily diet.