You may already know that there’s a “normal” amount of times to get up to pee at night ― and it changes by age.
But it can be harder to talk about conditions like thrush, which affects 75% of women, 6% of whom will have recurring cases, and 3-11% of men.
“Thrush is often thought of as an embarrassing problem [a] woman should accept, rather than a medical problem which needs to be dealt with,” Dr Riina Rautemaa-Richardson, who has conducted research into thrush, said.
You may not know how many instances of thrush per year is “normal,” or when you need to see a doctor about it.
So, here’s what the NHS advises.
How many times a year is it “normal” to have thrush?
Thrush happens when there’s an overgrowth of a yeast called Candida, which can make the skin itchy, cause white discharge, lead to red and inflamed skin, and create a burning or stinging sensation.
It can affect your skin too: this can show up as an itchy red rash that scales over with a pale discharge.
According to the NHS, you should see your doctor if you get thrush more than four times a year.
They add you should see your GP or visit a sexual health clinic if:
- you have symptoms of thrush for the first time
- you have thrush and are under 16 or over 60
- treatment for thrush has not worked
- you have thrush and are pregnant or breastfeeding
- you have thrush and a weakened immune system – for example, because of diabetes, HIV or chemotherapy.
If you have recurrent thrush, your doctor will work with you to work out what might be causing it.
You may be given treatment for longer than is usual – up to six months.
What causes thrush?
Some people are just naturally more likely to experience thrush more often than others.
However, the condition, which is due to an imbalance of bacteria, has a few risk factors.
Antibiotics, which can kill off your body’s own bacteria alongside the ones giving you grief, may lead to that imbalance.
Some hormonal changes like pregnancy, being on birth control, and taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can make you likelier to develop thrush too.
Poorly managed diabetes is linked to increased thrush risk, as is a weakened immune system.
The Mayo Clinic advises wearing cotton underwear that isn’t too tight, because close-fitting synthetic materials can lead to thrush too.
Douching, using scented bath products in the genital area, using hot tubs, and sitting in wet clothes for too long may also put candida into overdrive.