Male thrush: whether it happens, tests, consequences, prevention

Today, one of the most common pathologies of the genitourinary tract is thrush. This is a condition that develops against the background of reduced immunity and metabolic disorders. Also, a decrease in immunity is a prerequisite for the development of thrush. Basically, traditionally, it is believed that this disease affects women. But this judgment is erroneous: thrush in men is also quite common in medical practice.

Do men get thrush?

It is worth dispelling the myth that is widespread today that only women suffer from thrush. This is fundamentally wrong. Men also suffer from thrush. The pathogenesis and etiological factors that contribute to the development of this disease serve as evidence of this. Thus, thrush develops against the background of reduced immunity. When it is reduced, dysbacteriosis develops in the genitals, which disrupts the normal microflora.

At the same time, the number of opportunistic microorganisms is significantly reduced, and their place is taken by pathogenic strains. Most often, this is a fungus of the genus Candida. But there may be other representatives of bacterial and fungal flora. All this contributes to the development of the inflammatory process, the progression of infection and inflammation. Thus, from all this, it is not difficult to conclude that thrush can affect both men and women, because all these processes occur in both the male and female body.

However, one cannot but agree with the statement that thrush affects women more often than men. Indeed, thrush is diagnosed in women approximately 3 times more often than in men. This is due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of women, physiological characteristics, hormonal background and functioning of the nervous system. Also, initially, women have lower immunity than men.

Is thrush dangerous for men?

Thrush is more of a discomfort than a danger, as it is accompanied by itching, burning, irritation in the genital area. There are also white, curdled discharges, which are an accumulation of purulent exudate, dead leukocytes and other cells. Thrush can also be dangerous with greatly reduced immunity and hormonal imbalance, with microbiocenosis disorders, especially congenital, since the disease can progress intensively, colonize other biotopes. Particularly dangerous is the progression of fungal infection, in particular, representatives of the genus Candida.

Complications and consequences

Thrush occurs against the background of reduced immunity and with a disturbed microbiocenosis of the urogenital tract. Therefore, if thrush is not treated, it can lead to further progression of dysbacteriosis. As a result, the normal state of the mucous membrane is disturbed, colonization resistance can decrease and the system of non-specific resistance of the membrane, normal regulation of local immunity can be disrupted.

A complication of thrush may be the development of a fungal infection, in particular, Candidiasis, which affects not only the urogenital tract, but also other organs and systems. Also, a bacterial infection is considered as a complication, an increase in the number of pathogenic and opportunistic flora not only in the main biotope, but also in other microbiocenoses. The most dangerous complication (however rare) can be bacteremia or sepsis, in which the infection penetrates the blood and forms a new source of infection. Thrush can also reduce potency.

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Does thrush affect potency in men?

Thrush is caused by a rather dangerous fungus, which has a negative impact on the state of the body as a whole, on the functional state of the genitals, and also significantly reduces libido (sexual desire), potency, and has a negative impact on reproductive function (including sperm activity, their motility, ability to survive in the urogenital tract of a woman, penetrate the egg and fertilize it).

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Diagnostics thrush

To make a diagnosis, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible and choose the best treatment. The sooner the treatment is started, the faster the recovery will come. The doctor examines and questions the patient. The questioning can be very informative and contain the information necessary for further diagnosis. It is necessary to have general information, anamnesis of life and illness. Here the cause of the pathology may be hidden, by eliminating which you can cure the disease.

The medical history is important because it can be used to judge the characteristics of the disease, predict its further development and outcome. Any information about the disease can be very useful: the circumstances of its onset, the presence of itching, irritation, discharge: how they developed, whether they cause discomfort to the patient, whether there are circumstances under which the pathology intensifies, or, conversely, decreases. It is important to inform the doctor about the treatment being carried out, preventive measures, lifestyle in general, the presence of sexual partners.

Then the doctor examines the patient. Usually a urological examination is used, during which the doctor carefully examines the genitals, detects pathology. Classical research methods are also used, such as palpation, percussion, auscultation. During palpation, the doctor probes the groin area, the nearest lymph nodes, evaluates possible lesions, the degree of hyperemia, swelling, local temperature. Auscultation and percussion are used much less often, mainly when the pathology is widespread. If necessary, laboratory and instrumental research methods may be prescribed, and differential diagnostics may also be required.

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Tests

First of all, a bacteriological study is carried out, during which the pathogen, its quantitative and qualitative characteristics are determined. Also, in parallel, an analysis for antibiotic sensitivity may be required. During this analysis, the pathogen is isolated, and the optimal dosage of the drug is selected, which will have a bactericidal or bacteriostatic effect.

Clinical tests are also traditionally prescribed: blood, urine, feces. They allow you to assess the general direction of the processes occurring in the body. With the help of these tests, you can roughly determine what kind of process is occurring in the body: inflammatory, infectious, or allergic. For example, if a large amount of protein is detected in the urine, we can talk about the development of an inflammatory process in the kidneys. With an increase in ESR, leukocytes, we can also talk about an inflammatory process. It is also possible to assume the development of an allergic process in the case of an increase in eosinophils and histamine in the blood.

Then the nature and direction of further research is determined. For example, if allergic diseases are suspected, allergy tests, analysis of the content of total and specific immunoglobulin E, and histamine levels are prescribed to clarify the data.

A detailed immunogram, culture for dysbacteriosis or fungal infection are often prescribed. These analyses allow the exact cause of the pathology to be determined. Culture or scraping from the mucous membrane of the urogenital tract can be very informative.

If a viral infectious disease is suspected, virological studies are prescribed, which will allow differentiating a viral disease from a bacterial or fungal one. In case of a disease of unclear etiology, a study is conducted on latent infections, parasitic diseases.

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Thrush test for men

Basically, a smear or scraping from the mucous membrane of the urogenital tract is prescribed first. This allows you to isolate the pathogen that caused the development of the disease, as well as select the drug that is active against the isolated microorganisms. Also, during the study, the optimal dosage of the drug is selected.

Most often, the study is carried out using the microscopy method, during which, in the obtained sample, under a microscope, they look for those microorganisms that can cause pathology, and then determine their quantitative and qualitative characteristics, basic properties.

Laboratory methods such as PCR (polymerase chain reaction) are also used, during which DNA strands and fragments of the microorganism causing the disease are isolated from the sample being tested. Various serological express tests are also used, during which microorganisms are identified and counted in a relatively short time. Serological tests are the fastest, but they are less accurate. The most accurate methods are microscopy and PCR.

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Smear for thrush in men

In order to make a smear, it is necessary first of all to correctly collect the biological material. To do this, in the morning, without preliminary washing and other hygienic procedures, the doctor collects the contents of the mucous membrane of the genitals. In this case, it is necessary to observe sterility conditions: the smear is taken with special sterile swabs or cotton swabs, which are then quickly placed in a test tube or Petri dish with a nutrient medium.

The biological material is then sent to a laboratory where the necessary studies are carried out.

It is also important not to drink alcohol or take any medications for several days before the test. It is imperative to stop antibiotic therapy or any other treatment with antibacterial drugs or antiseptics. Even local treatment is contraindicated, since it kills pathogenic microorganisms, and the test will simply be uninformative, and the pathogen will not be identified.

Differential diagnosis

First of all, it is necessary to determine whether thrush is an independent disease or is one of the symptoms of another disease. Thrush can also be a consequence of long-term antibiotic treatment, a consequence of chemotherapy, a consequence or complication of another, more serious disease.

Often, thrush is a consequence of a skin disease, allergic or other reaction. In this case, laboratory and instrumental research methods are used to establish a differential diagnosis, in particular: scraping, smears, immunogram, allergy tests. It is also necessary to exclude other diseases that have similar manifestations. For example, it is often necessary to differentiate with various sexually transmitted diseases. For this, bacteriological screenings, cultures, analysis for dysbacteriosis, latent infections, and individual infectious diseases are used.

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Treatment thrush

The most effective way to treat thrush is to boost your immunity. To do this, you need to see a doctor, take the necessary tests, and, depending on what deviations are found in your immune status, take the necessary measures. Thus, you may need immunocorrectors, immunosuppressants, immunostimulants, infusion therapy, drugs to relieve autoimmune reactions, or to normalize sensitivity and sensitization of the body. Everything depends on the direction of the pathological processes.

It may also be necessary to correct the microbiological background, eliminate dysbiosis and dysbacteriosis. In particular, this may require probiotics, prebiotics, local and systemic means of normalizing the microbiocenosis. Antibacterial or antifungal therapy may also be prescribed. If viruses are detected, antiviral drugs are prescribed, and antihistamines and antiallergic drugs are prescribed for allergic reactions.

Symptomatic therapy may be required, in particular, local agents to eliminate itching, burning, irritation, and to localize inflammatory and infectious processes.

Often the treatment is medicinal, but physiotherapy can also be used. Homeopathic, folk remedies, herbal preparations are also very effective. In most cases, the treatment is complex. Only with normal immunity does thrush in men go away on its own, without any treatment.

Prevention

In order to ensure prevention, it is necessary to follow the rules of hygiene, and also to ensure that the immune system is always at a high level. Dysbacteriosis should not be allowed. You need to be especially attentive to your health after antibiotic therapy, since at this time the risk of developing dysbacteriosis, and accordingly, fungal infection, increases significantly. After a course of antibiotics, you need to drink probiotics that allow you to normalize the microflora. You also need to drink vitamins, mineral supplements. You cannot overcool or allow overwork.

Prevention of thrush for men if a woman is sick

If a man has a strong immune system, he may not get sick. But it is better not to risk it and take an antifungal drug for prevention - fluconazole. For prevention, a single dose of the drug is enough.

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Sex with thrush in men

Thrush is not an obstacle to having sex. But it is important to remember that there is a risk of infection for a woman if she has a weakened immune system. Therefore, for prevention, it is better for a woman to also take an antifungal drug.

Hygiene for thrush in men

In order to reduce the degree of contamination with fungal microflora, it is recommended to wash at least 2-3 times a day. In this case, it is better to use special means for maintaining hygiene during thrush, or antibacterial agents. It is not recommended to use regular soap. It is better to use laundry soap.

Forecast

If you start treatment in a timely manner, thrush in men goes away quite quickly. Sometimes it goes away without special antifungal treatment. To do this, you need to normalize the state of the microflora and improve immunity. If the disease is not treated, it will progress, complications will arise. The infection can spread to other organs.

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Can thrush in men go away on its own?

Thrush in men often goes away on its own due to the normalization of the immune system. If the immune system is weakened, thrush does not go away on its own. In this case, it requires special treatment, in particular, the appointment of drugs that help normalize the immune system. Thrush can also go away on its own if the cause of the pathology is eliminated. For example, it is necessary to normalize the microflora.

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How long does it take for thrush to go away in men?

Everything depends on the state of the immune system and the state of the microflora of the urogenital tract, as well as other biotopes. Thrush with normal immunity can go away on its own, without concomitant treatment. Usually, this takes from 1 to 2-3 weeks. However, if you treat thrush, it can go away from 1 to 7 days. The minimum treatment period is 1 day.

Most often, this is antifungal therapy (for example, fluconazole, which quickly and effectively kills the fungus and normalizes the microflora). When treating with probiotics, which normalize the microflora, it may take 3-7 days for the body to fully recover.