Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Yeast Infections OccurSigns and SymptomsIf You Stop Taking AntibioticsManaging the InfectionAvoiding the InfectionWho Is at Risk?

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Yeast Infections Occur

Signs and Symptoms

If You Stop Taking Antibiotics

Managing the Infection

Avoiding the Infection

Who Is at Risk?

Although antibiotics are used to treat infections, a question often asked is whether antibiotics can cause yeast infections. The short answer is yes, it’s possible.

How Do Antibiotics Lead to Yeast Infections?

To treat bacterial infections, antibiotics kill the bacteria or prevent them from growing and multiplying.

Your body is home to trillions of beneficial microorganisms that help protect you from infection, digest your food, and perform other body functions.These microorganisms may be bacteria, fungi, or viruses. They usually exist in a balance that does not harm you.

Antibiotics are designed to attack harmful bacteria that may make you sick. However, some antibiotics may also kill helpful bacteria and cause a microbe imbalance. When this happens, yeast that naturally exists in your body can overgrow, resulting in a yeast infection.

Not all antibiotics cause yeast infections. Those called broad-spectrum antibiotics are more likely than others to cause a yeast infection. These are antibiotics that kill a broad range of bacteria. Examples of broad-spectrum antibiotics include:

Signs and Symptoms of Yeast Infection

A yeast infection may occur in any part of your body where yeast might be present. Your mouth, throat, and vagina are common areas where yeast infections can happen. Although less common, it’s also possible to have a yeast infection in youresophagus(the food tube that connects your throat to your stomach). Yeast infection symptoms will vary based on where the infection occurs.

Symptoms of a yeast infection in your mouth or throat (also calledoral thrush) can include:

A yeast infection in your esophagus can have symptoms such as:

Symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection can include:

While mild yeast infections may be treated at home, some require medical attention. If you have yeast infection symptoms, talk with your pharmacist or healthcare provider. They can recommend ways to manage it.

Should You Stop Taking Your Antibiotics?

You should not stop taking your antibiotics even if you have a yeast infection. Doing so can worsen the infection the antibiotic is treating to worsen and may lead toantibiotic resistance(when drugs designed to kill bacteria are no longer effective).

Antibiotics that commonly cause yeast infections target a broad range of bacteria. These antibiotics often kill both healthy and harmful bacteria.

Just as yeast can overgrow when helpful bacteria are destroyed, harmful bacteria can also overgrow in this environment if you stop taking your antibiotic too soon. What’s worse is that the newly growing bacteria can become resistant to the antibiotics designed to kill them.

How to Manage a Yeast Infection

Mild vaginal yeast infections can be managed at home with over-the-counter (OTC) treatments. Other types may require medical attention or prescription medications.

How to Get Rid of a Yeast Infection at Home

Vaginal yeast infections can be easily treated at home with OTC medications. These products are available without a prescription as creams, ointments, and suppositories that can be inserted into the vagina. Creams and ointments may also be applied to the labia and other areas around the vagina that may be affected.

Examples ofOTC vaginal yeast infection treatmentsinclude:

When using OTC treatments for a yeast infection, follow the instructions on the packaging. These treatments typically last one to seven days.

When to See a Medical Provider

Not all yeast infections can be treated at home. More severe infections, or those that occur in your mouth, throat, or esophagus, typically require prescription medications to treat them.

If you have a vaginal yeast infection that gets worse or doesn’t go away after treatment with OTC medications, it’s a good idea to contact your healthcare provider. They can prescribe oral medications or a different vaginal cream to treat your yeast infection.

Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of a yeast infection in your mouth, throat, or esophagus while taking an antibiotic. Yeast infections in these areas are typically treated with prescription tablets or lozenges that you swallow or dissolve in your mouth. Liquid forms of the medications can be swallowed or swished around your mouth, depending on the area affected.

If these treatments don’t work or the yeast infection is severe, your healthcare provider may prescribe a Diflucan (fluconazole) intravenous (IV) injection. With an IV injection, the medication is injected into your vein.

Examples of prescription treatments for yeast infections include:

Ways to Avoid a Yeast Infection

Although some antibiotics can cause yeast infections, a few precautions can prevent the infections from occurring. Some studies suggest that eating yogurt containing live cultures may help prevent yeast infections. However, more research is needed to confirm these results.

Other steps you can take to help prevent a yeast infection while taking antibiotics include:

Who’s at Risk of Developing a Yeast Infection From Antibiotics?

Anyone can get a yeast infection while taking antibiotics. However, some groups may be more at risk.

Factors that can increase the risk of having a yeast infection include:

Before taking an antibiotic, let your healthcare provider know if you have factors or conditions that may increase your risk of developing a yeast infection. They can take preventative measures to lower your yeast infection risk during your antibiotic treatment. This may include taking yeast infection medication, such as Diflucan, with your antibiotic.

Summary

If you have symptoms of a yeast infection, such as vaginal itchiness or white patches in your mouth, talk with a healthcare provider. While certain mild yeast infections can be treated at home with OTC medications, some should be treated with prescription medications.

Before starting antibiotic treatment, let your prescriber know if you have factors that increase your risk of developing a yeast infection, such as diabetes or conditions that weaken your immune system. They can talk with you about ways to help prevent a yeast infection.

18 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

MedlinePlus.Antibiotics.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Candidiasis basics.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Yeast infection.

Hou K, Wu ZX, Chen XY,et al.Microbiota in health and diseases.Sig Transduct Target Ther.2022;7(135). doi.org/10.1038/s41392-022-00974-4

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of candidiasis.

InformedHealth.org. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Overview: oral thrush.

InformedHealth.org. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Overview: vaginal yeast infection (thrush).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About antibiotic resistance.

MedlinePlus.Antibiotic resistance.

MedlinePlus.Vaginal yeast infection.

DailyMed.Label: Fluconazole injection.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment of candidiasis.

DailyMed.Label: Oravig- miconazole tablet.

Office on Women’s Health.Vaginal yeast infections.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing candidiasis.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for candidiasis.

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?