While male thrush is not as common as it is in women, its effects can be just as debilitating. It’s vitally important to get it diagnosed and treated as soon as possible as some nasty symptoms can develop.

Firstly though, thrush in men (just as it is in women) is not just limited to one part of the body. However, the most common area for male thrush is the genitals. It’s commonly found around and underneath the foreskin. The head of the penis is often red and inflamed. In some cases the yeast is quite evident as white patches.

The mouth and throat are also ideal places for Candida to take hold as oral thrush is not uncommon either. This is normally characterized by a dry or sore throat which may be accompanied by a cough while thrush in the mouth may be evident by a pale fungal growth growing on the tongue or anywhere inside the mouth and throat.

Other areas of the male body to watch out for thrush are under the arms as well as around the nails.

Once a man has been diagnosed with thrush, the next question is how to treat it? Generally, anti-fungal creams and ointments are used and of course these can offer some relief and maybe even a temporary cure. But if men want to eliminate thrush completely, they have to take a similar approach to women and address the causes, not just the symptoms.

Candida occurs naturally throughout the body but when the body is out of balance, Candida quickly becomes opportunistic and proliferates causing a thrush infection. This can occur after a course of antibiotics or when the body is feeling run down due to illness, an inadequate diet or after excessive alcohol intake.

A side-effect of taking antibiotics is that they also kill good bacteria in your body. Ordinarily, this good bacteria keeps Candida in check. Taking a course of Probiotics to replace the good bacteria is highly recommended.

Prolonged use of antibiotics can also increase your risk of developing a chronic male thrush infection.

An inadequate diet, illness, prolonged use of some prescription drugs and excessive alcohol intake are all major contributors to a suppressed or stressed immune system. This is not an ideal state of health as your immune system is also designed to keep Candida in check.

Therefore, when your immunity is low you are greatly increasing the chances of a thrush infection taking hold.

Knowing the symptoms of male thrush is important so that you can seek a medical diagnosis early. Also knowing the causes of thrush in men is just as important as males can then be vigilant and take steps to avoid it if they feel they are susceptible. Plus, it is also important to note that knowing the cause of your thrush is also the secret to eliminating it.

Just treating the symptoms of male thrush is a temporary measure and may even contribute to your thrush becoming chronic. If you can correct the cause of your thrush as soon as possible, then you will then be on the quickest path to a full recovery and a thrush free life.