If you are one of those women who suffers from frequent yeast infections, or candidiasis, you are probably tired of paying for high priced ointments and pills from the pharmacy. There are some home remedies that can offer you some relief from the painful and embarrassing symptoms of candidiasis. The most effective of these home remedies use yogurt or garlic to help you feel better and sometimes kill off the infection for the time being.

Yogurt is one home remedy that even doctors recommend. One common cause of candidiasis is when someone is taking oral antibiotics. The active bacteria in yogurt, lactobacillus acidophilus, kill yeast so many doctors will tell you to eat yogurt at least once a day while on an antibiotic treatment. Another method of using yogurt that can give almost instant pain relief is by actually injecting some into the vaginal opening. Most people use a tampon applicator to do this but you can also purchase a syringe applicator at any drugstore.

Garlic has many beneficial health properties but one that is little known is that it is a naturally anti-fungal, antibacterial substance. Taking garlic supplements may help reduce the frequency of candida overgrowth that causes the redness, soreness and discharge commonly experienced. To treat an active infection, you will need the actual garlic clove or a softgel encapsulated garlic supplement commonly found in health food stores. If using the clove, you need to take off all of the papery outer covering. Tie a string tightly around the end of the clove and insert it like you would a tampon. Leave the clove in place overnight. If this is a little too much for you, you can insert the capsule and let it dissolve instead.