Borax is used in many household products such as detergents, cleaning agents, floor cleaners and even toothpaste. Borax has been widely used since ancient times and it was discovered in 1806 when German chemist Friedrich Hölderlin noticed its antibacterial properties. Today, borax is one of the most common ingredients found in everyday life. However, there are some concerns about using borax for yeast infections because of possible health risks.
Can You Use Borax for a Yeast Infection?
There have been reports of people dying after taking borax pills. Some of these cases were caused by swallowing the pills instead of drinking water or eating food with borax in it. If you take borax tablets, do not swallow them whole; instead, cut off a small amount and put it into your mouth before swallowing. Do not use borax if you are allergic to it.
Other people have died after ingesting borax dust. Dust containing borax may cause breathing problems like asthma attacks and lung cancer. Borax dust contains arsenic which causes skin rashes and burns. People who work around borax powder should wear protective clothing such as gloves, goggles, long sleeves, pants with closed-toed shoes and safety glasses while handling the powder.
Borax has some serious health effects. The one you really have to worry about is if borax comes in contact with your skin, it will cause severe burns. Borax also causes skin rashes and blistering if it comes in contact with your eyes. Be careful not to touch any part of your body to the borax you are using because it will cause a burning sensation.
Can You Use Boric Acid Suppositories for Yeast Infection?
Boric acid is a popular remedy for yeast infections. Boric acid works because it suppresses the growth of yeast and bacteria and does not allow them to multiply within your body. It also has anti-inflammatory effects which also help yeast infections. It is important to remember that boric acid suppositories are not contraceptives and do not prevent the spread of STDs.
Boric acid suppositories are an easy and convenient way to fight a yeast infection. All you have to do is dissolve the suppository in your rectum and leave it there for about six to ten hours. Boric acid has no taste or smell so you do not need to worry about that. You should not have any problems with inserting the boric acid suppository into your rectum as long as you follow the directions on the package.
One of the most common side effects of boric acid is a burning sensation in the area the suppository was inserted. This can cause pain for somewhere between 4 to 24 hours and should go away after that time period. It is best to take an over-the-counter pain reliever for this discomfort such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
You may also experience some changes in your bowel movements. These effects are usually temporary but you may experience changes in your stool for between three to seven days. This includes diarrhea or constipation, a feeling that you have to go to the bathroom all the time or not at all and changes in color or appearance (such as mucus).
Boric acid suppositories are best used when taken as soon as you notice the symptoms of a yeast infection. If you already have a yeast infection and have been taking medicine for it, the infection may have become resistant to that medication. This means that the infection will not respond to that medication anymore and you may need a different treatment plan.
Boric acid is available in capsule and suppository forms at most drug stores. Boric acid suppositories are either yellow or pink and should not be confused with glycerin suppositories which are also inserted into the rectum.
Can You Pee on a Yeast Infection?
It is not recommended that you pee on a yeast infection because this may actually cause more harm than good. Yeast infections occur when there is an overgrowth of yeast in your body. Normally, your body has a good amount of bacteria living in it as well. When the balance of bacteria to yeast is kept in check, everything operates smoothly.
When there is an overgrowth of yeast, however, your body tries to get rid of the excess by flushing it out through your urinary tract. By peeing on a yeast infection, you are actually just spreading the infection to other parts of your body. It can also irritate the urinary tract which may cause you to feel sick.
Additionally, yeast infections do not actually cause itching or pain (except in some rare cases). The most common symptom is an unusual amount of vaginal discharge which can change in appearance and color. If you believe you have a yeast infection, it is best to see a doctor immediately. They can prescribe you medication that will get rid of the infection and help restore the balance of yeast in your body.
You can learn more about yeast infection symptoms here.
What Can You Use Instead of Pee?
If you find yourself in a position where you need to treat a yeast infection and do not have access to medication, you can use some other fluids instead of your own. Most of these are not as good as your own urine but they will help reduce the infection until you can get some proper treatment.
Gargling with mouthwash containing alcohol
Douches (only recommended if you don’t have a vaginitis infection)
Boiled and cooled tea bags (dipped in and out of the water)
You can learn more about treating yeast infections here.
Can You Drink Too Much Water?
While it is possible to drink too much water, this usually only happens when people try to intentionally do it as a challenge. Drinking too much water leads to something called water intoxication which is essentially the dilution of essential minerals and electrolytes in your body.
Drinking water is essential to staying hydrated but it is possible to drink too much of it. If you drink a lot of water too quickly, you may experience some nausea, a fast heartbeat, chest pains and difficulty breathing. While these symptoms usually resolve themselves when you stop drinking water, you may need medical attention if the symptoms are severe.
If you are concerned that you or someone else is suffering from water intoxication, seek medical attention immediately.
Can You Drink Salt Water?
It is not recommended that you drink salt water because it will do more harm than good in most cases. Swallowing small amounts of salt water won’t necessarily cause harm but it isn’t necessary for hydration either. When we sweat, we lose essential mineral salts along with water. These need to be replenished by drinking plain water. Drinking plain water and adding mineral supplements (such as salt) is a better way to do this than just diluting your body’s salt content by drinking salt water.
You may have heard that people in the past (and sometimes in the present) drank seawater when they were lost at sea to prevent dehydration. This is true, but it isn’t a good idea for several reasons other than the fact that it is extremely full of salt. First of all, you need to drink quite a bit of seawater to stay hydrated and this makes you very thirsty. Secondly, this can cause a severe imbalance of salt in your body which can lead to death by hypothyroidism.
You can learn more about the dangers of drinking salt water here.
Sources & references used in this article:
Boric acid for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: the clinical evidence by C Iavazzo, ID Gkegkes, IM Zarkada… – Journal of Women’s …, 2011 – liebertpub.com
Antifungal mechanisms supporting boric acid therapy of Candida vaginitis by F De Seta, M Schmidt, B Vu… – Journal of …, 2009 – academic.oup.com
Treatment of vaginitis caused by Candida glabrata: use of topical boric acid and flucytosine by JD Sobel, W Chaim, V Nagappan, D Leaman – American journal of …, 2003 – Elsevier
How to treat persistent vaginal yeast infection due to species other than Candida albicans by S Davies, E Johnson, D White – Sexually transmitted infections, 2013 – sti.bmj.com
Prevalence of Candida glabrata and its response to boric acid vaginal suppositories in comparison with oral fluconazole in patients with diabetes and vulvovaginal … by D Ray, R Goswami, U Banerjee, V Dadhwal… – Diabetes …, 2007 – Am Diabetes Assoc
