When it's time to choose a yeast infection medicine, it's a choice you want to get right the first time. Once you've gotten the go-ahead from your doctor, you should already know which active ingredients are safe for you, and relevant to your specific yeast infection.
Before you start taking yeast infection medication, make sure your doctor has ruled out any other causes for your symptoms. A variety of venereal diseases and bacterial infections share the same symptoms as a yeast infection.
The Purpose of Yeast Infection Medication
About 80% of all yeast infections are caused by the fungus Candida albicans. 
Most other yeast infections are caused by either Candida glabrata, or Candida tropicalis. As you'd guess by the names, these fungal infections are related.
Yeast is a normal thing to have in your body, until it gets out of control. However, hot, moist areas of the body such as the rectum, colon, vagina, throat, and intestines can be the site of an overgrowth of yeast. Once yeast growth gets out of control, the symptoms are typically uncomfortable or painful, not to mention embarrassing.
In general, yeast infection medications are meant as a short-term, fast-acting measure to quickly reverse the infection. They're not meant as a substitute for correcting any lifestyle problems that lead to repeated yeast infections. Correcting the root cause and putting your immune system back on track is a much more effective, long-term solution than relying on yeast infection medicines.
Types of Yeast Infection Medicine
The three main types of vaginal yeast infection medication are creams, ovules, and pills. Yeast infection creams and ovules can be bought without a prescription, while the tablets require a doctor's order.
Aside from fighting the yeast infection, creams are a good choice if your symptoms include irritation or skin pain. However, the bottom line for you is likely, how soon will the medication be effective? Different yeast infection medicines are formulated for different time-lines of getting relief. The shorter the time-line a specific medicine claims to work, the stronger the dose of active ingredient.
Some yeast infection medication will claim to work in just one day. However, it's very rare that a single day's medication can actually cure your yeast infection. In any case, you want to be sure you continue taking the medication until it's all gone. Yeast grows in cultures, and can be pretty resilient. Stopping your medication before the treatment is through, can allow the yeast infection to recover and affect you again.
In fact, it's not a bad idea to take yeast infection medicine for twice the advertised length of time - with your doctor's permission.
Active Ingredients in Yeast Infection Medications
The wide variety of yeast infection medicines, reflects the wide variety of active ingredients you'll find printed on the side of the packaging. Each of these drugs are also marketed using brand names, which will be mentioned below. Here's a list of the active ingredients you'll see in yeast infection medicines:
For yeast infection creams:
- Butoconazole
- Clotrimazole
- Miconazole. See the following link for the varieties of miconazole packaging:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miconazole#Brand_names_and_formulations - Terconazole
For yeast infection ovules:
- Clotrimazole
- Miconazole. See the following link for the varieties of miconazole packaging:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miconazole#Brand_names_and_formulations - Nystatin. This chemical is packaged under a long list of brand names, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nystatin#Brand_names - Terconazole
The main active ingredients you'll find in prescribed yeast infection medicines are:
- Fluconazole (a.k.a. Diflucan or Trican, or the prodrug Fosfluconazole)
- Itraconazole (a.k.a. Sporanox)
