Treatment of bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis is a type of vaginitis caused by an overgrowth of bacteria present in the vagina, upsetting the natural balance. Women of reproductive age are very susceptible to bacterial vaginosis. Unprotected sex or frequent douching,... will increase the risk of disease.

Signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginosis may include:
Thin, gray, white, or green vaginal discharge A foul-smelling "fishy" vaginal odor Vaginal itching Burning when urinating A lot Women with bacterial vaginosis have no signs or symptoms. You should see your doctor right away if you have symptoms such as:
You have new vaginal discharge with an odor or fever. Your doctor can help determine the cause and identify signs and symptoms. You've had a vaginal infection before, but this time the color and consistency of the discharge seems different. You have had many sex partners or a new sexual partner recently. Sometimes, the signs and symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection are similar to those of bacterial vaginosis. You try self-treating a yeast infection with over-the-counter medications and your symptoms continue.

Bacterial vaginosis is the result of an overgrowth of one of the types of bacteria found naturally in your vagina. Usually, there are more "good" bacteria (lactobacilli) than "bad" bacteria (anaerobic bacteria). But if there are too many anaerobic bacteria, they will upset the natural balance of microorganisms in your vagina and cause bacterial vaginosis.
Risk factors for bacterial vaginosis include:
Having multiple sex partners or a new sex partner. Bacterial vaginosis occurs more often in women with multiple sex partners or a new sex partner. Bacterial vaginosis also occurs more often in women who have sex with men. Douching. Rinsing the vagina with water or cleaning agents (douches) upsets the natural balance of the vagina. This can lead to anaerobic bacterial overgrowth and cause bacterial vaginosis. Since the vagina is self-cleaning, there is no need to douche. Lack of lactobacilli. If your natural vaginal environment does not produce enough good lactobacilli bacteria, you are more likely to develop bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis usually does not cause complications. Sometimes, having bacterial vaginosis can lead to:
Preterm birth : In pregnant women, bacterial vaginosis is associated with premature birth and low birth weight babies. Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Having bacterial vaginosis makes women more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV, herpes simplex virus, chlamydia, or gonorrhea. If you have HIV, bacterial vaginosis increases the chance that you will pass the virus on to your sexual partners. Risk of infection after gynecological surgery: Having bacterial vaginosis can increase your risk of developing an infection after surgery after procedures such as hysterectomy or dilation and curettage (D&C). Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): Bacterial vaginosis can sometimes cause PID, an infection of the uterus and fallopian tubes that can increase the risk of infertility.

To help prevent bacterial vaginosis:
Minimize vaginal irritation : Use mild, deodorant-free soaps and unscented tampons or pads. Don't douche: Your intimate area doesn't need cleaning other than a normal shower. Frequent douching disrupts vaginal balance and can increase the risk of vaginal infections. Douching will not clear up a vaginal infection. Avoid sexually transmitted infections: Use male latex condoms, limit the number of sexual partners or abstain from intercourse to reduce the risk of STIs.

To diagnose bacterial vaginosis, your doctor may:
Ask questions about your medical history. Your doctor may ask about any previous vaginal or sexually transmitted infections. Perform gynecological examination. During the pelvic exam, your doctor will visually examine your vagina for signs of infection and insert two fingers into the vagina while pressing on the abdomen with the other hand to examine the pelvic organs for signs of infection. signs that may indicate disease. Take a sample of vaginal discharge. This may be done to check for anaerobic bacterial overgrowth in your vaginal flora. Your doctor may examine vaginal discharge under a microscope, looking for "focal cells," vaginal cells covered with bacteria that are signs of bacterial vaginosis. Test your vaginal pH. Your doctor can test your vagina's acidity by inserting a pH test strip into the vagina. A vaginal pH of 4.5 or higher is a sign of bacterial vaginosis.

To treat bacterial vaginosis, your doctor may prescribe one of the following medicines:
Metronidazole (Flagyl, Metrogel-Vaginal, others). This medication may be taken as an oral (oral) tablet. Metronidazole is also available as a topical gel that you insert into your vagina. To reduce the risk of stomach upset, upset stomach, or nausea while using this medicine, avoid drinking alcohol during treatment and for at least one day after completing treatment - check the directions on the product. Clindamycin (Cleocin, Clindesse, others). This medication is available as a cream that you put into your vagina. Clindamycin cream may weaken condoms during treatment and for at least three days after you stop using the cream. Tinidazole (Tindamax). This medicine is taken orally. Tinidazole has the same potential for stomach upset and nausea as oral metronidazole, so avoid alcohol during treatment and for at least three days after completing treatment. It is generally not necessary to treat the male partner of an infected woman, but bacterial vaginosis can be spread between female partners. Female partners should be tested and may need treatment. It is especially important for pregnant women whose symptoms need to be treated to help reduce the risk of preterm birth or having a low birth weight baby.
Take medicine or use cream or gel for as long as your doctor prescribes - even if your symptoms go away. Early discontinuation of treatment may increase the risk of recurrence.
Bacterial vaginosis usually recurs within 3 to 12 months, despite treatment. Researchers are exploring treatments for recurrent bacterial vaginosis. If your symptoms return soon after treatment, talk to your doctor about treatments. One option may be long-term metronidazole therapy.
One self-help method is lactobacillus colony therapy - which tries to increase the number of good bacteria in your vagina and re-establish a balanced vaginal environment - which can be done by eating some yogurt or other foods containing lactobacilli. Although current research suggests there may be some benefit to probiotic therapy, more research is still needed on this topic.
Currently, Vinmec has deployed the Basic Gynecological Examination and Screening Package. This examination package can detect inflammatory diseases early, making treatment easy and inexpensive. When registering for the Basic Gynecological Examination and Screening Package, customers will receive:
Gynecological examination. Transvaginal ultrasound of the uterus and ovaries. Bilateral breast ultrasound. Tests such as: Treponema pallidum rapid test, Chlamydia rapid test, taking samples for cervical-vaginal cytology, bacterioscopic staining (female vaginal fluid), HPV genotype PCR automated system, total analysis Automated urine collection.

Reference source: cdc.gov