Does Nystatin Work for Yeast Infection?
Does Nystatin Work for Yeast Infection?
Nystatin is an antibiotic with antifungal properties. It’s used to treat different kinds of fungal infections: vaginal, oral, skin yeast infections, etc.
Nystatin is available as an oral suspension, cream, or vaginal tablets.
In this article, I’ll look at what scientists have found out about the efficacy of Nystatin in yeast infection treatment and I’ll tell you what you can use instead of Nystatin.
Let’s start with scientific research
- One study found that ketoconazole was slightly more effective in treating yeast infections and better tolerated than Nystatin.
- Another study looked at treating candidiasis in people after a liver transplant. They found that those who took fluconazole were less likely to develop potentially life-threatening candidiasis than those who took Nystatin.
- Nystatin tablets turned out to be less effective than miconazole vaginal cream in treating vaginal yeast infections. Also, women who used miconazole were less likely to suffer a relapse than those who used Nystatin.
It seems that Nystatin, although it is antifungal, is not as effective as other antifungal medications.
So What’s Better Than Nystatin?
Before you use Nystatin, it’s best to try miconazole-containing creams. If you want to treat a vaginal yeast infection, try Monistat 7. Monistat 7 comes with 7 applicators with a vaginal cream.
The cream contains miconazole, an antifungal agent which seems more effective against vaginal yeast infection than Nystatin. The treatment lasts 7 days, with one dose inserted into the vagina before bedtime.
Another excellent option is boric acid suppositories. Boric acid has been shown to be very effective against Candida strains that are difficult or impossible to treat with conventional antifungal drugs.
The treatment takes one week. You should insert one suppository in the morning and one in the evening for seven consecutive days for best results.
There are many boric acid suppositories available as they’re becoming increasingly popular among women who suffer from yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis.
I always recommend BoriCap as their suppositories contain very finely ground boric acid powder to reduce the risk of irritation. On top of that, they offer same-day shipment if you place your order before 2 pm so that you can start your treatment as soon as possible.
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What are the Side Effects of Nystatin?
If you decide to follow a Nystatin treatment for yeast infection, you should know that it’s considered relatively safe, but sometimes it can cause the following side effects:
- skin irritation and redness
- you’re very unlikely to suffer a severe allergic reaction to Nystatin. But if you experience dizziness, swelling of your tongue and throat or trouble breathing make sure you go to the hospital immediately.
How Long Does it Take for Nystatin to Work?
You should notice a relief in your symptoms within 24 to 48 hours from starting your Nystatin treatment. It may take longer if your infection is very severe, and as I mentioned before, it may not work for all types of yeast infections.
Can Pregnant Women use Nystatin?
Nystatin is generally not recommended for pregnant women because its effects have not been studied on animal or human fetuses.
Nevertheless, sometimes Nystatin may be prescribed to pregnant women when potential benefits outweigh the risks.
It’s not known whether Nystatin is excreted in breast milk as no studies have been done on animals or humans. Make sure you consult your doctor before you start taking Nystatin if you’re breastfeeding.
Conclusion
Thanks to its antifungal properties, Nystatin can be used to treat yeast infections. However, it’s worth knowing that other antifungal medications, such as miconazole or ketoconazole, are more effective and better tolerated.
If you’ve got a vaginal yeast infection, make sure you try Monistat 7 or boric acid suppositories before you try Nystatin. If you’re trying to treat a skin yeast infection, a miconazole nitrate cream may be more effective than nystatin cream.
Have you ever used Nystatin to treat a yeast infection? Were you happy with the results? Please share your stories and questions in the comment section below.