Q Ever since the birth of my child who is now 18 months old I have suffered from recurrent thrush. Do you have any advice because it seems to keep coming back after the usual treatments my doctor prescribes?

A This quite commonly occurs after a pregnancy when your immune system alters and the body's microscopic inhabitants can change. The usual treatments for thrush include clotrimazole or canesten either in cream or pessary form, or else an anti-fungal tablet fluconazole. Both treatments are available over the counter. If these don't seem to be eradicating the problem consider if your partner is re-infecting you and might also require treatment. Also consider using live yoghurt cultures to re-colonise the genital tract with healthy acid-producing lactobacilli, because the thrush-causing yeast cells don't like acidity. The best way is a tampon coated with live yoghurt and left in overnight after a course of treatment. This can be done regularly as required, perhaps weekly and certainly after each cycle.

Naturopaths believe that many illnesses ranging from chronic fatigue to migraine are caused by overgrowth of thrush-causing yeast cells. As well as low-sugar diets they recommend a range of dietary and therapeutic approaches and you might consider a consultation with a naturopath if your problem does not resolve easily.