Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common bacterial vaginosis conditions. It is caused by a change in the normal microflora of the vagina. This can be completely cured through an antibiotic cream, or medication by mouth. The exact cause of BV is not well known, but making lifestyle changes and learning more about it will help you avoid developing symptoms in the future.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Lifestyle Changes

1. 

   Complete the dosage of the medicine you are currently taking. If you are trying to treat a disease, the most important thing is that you need to take the full dose and time as prescribed by your doctor. Once you've had BV, it's likely to come back. However, if the condition has been diagnosed and you are taking medication prescribed by your doctor, the chance of a recurrence is lower.
   • If your doctor tells you to take metronidazole or clindamycin for a week (these two drugs are usually prescribed), you will need to take the full dosage of your prescription, exactly as your doctor directed.
   • Do not miss a day of medication or stop taking it earlier than the prescribed time.
   • Even if all symptoms have resolved within a few days, stopping the pill or not taking the prescribed dose increases the risk of BV recurrence.

2. 

   
   
   Add probiotics to your diet. Probiotics contain live bacteria and are beneficial for the intestinal and vaginal microflora. They help restore beneficial bacteria and fight harmful bacteria. Many researchers have shown that recurrence of BV can be the result of a deficiency in the necessary amount of lactobacilli ("friendly" bacteria), which is commonly found in the vagina.
   • Provides lactobacilli through food, such as yogurt (the type labeled "contains probiotics"), pea milk, kefir, sauerkraut, fresh milk, pickles, and Olive will promote the proliferation of the vaginal microflora. You should consume about 140 grams of probiotic-containing foods per day to maintain a healthy balance of acids in your vagina.
   • Taking probiotics in concentrated form, such as the Probiotic Acidophilus pill, has been shown to be effective in preventing BV from returning.

3. 

   
   
   Wear cotton underwear. Avoid wearing tight jeans, tights, thongs, or underwear that can block air circulation near the vagina. It's best to use cotton underwear and stay away from nylon. This is because cotton is a fabric that is breathable and allows air to circulate. Nylon prevents moisture and heat from escaping, making you more susceptible to vaginal infections, including BV.
   • Experts believe that wearing thongs increases the risk of transporting bacteria from the anus to the vagina and, in turn, can lead to BV.
   • Wearing loose, comfortable dresses or pants can speed up recovery and prevent BV from coming back.
   • Do not wear underwear when sleeping so that the air can circulate better.

4. 

   
   
   Clean from front to back after using the toilet. This can help prevent harmful bacteria from accumulating in the vagina. After you go to the toilet, sit still, and lean forward so that your hands can reach your vagina from behind your buttocks. Wipe the genital area with toilet paper, starting at the front and ending at the back of the vagina.
   • As you clean your genital area, you can repeat these cleaning steps by starting from the back of your vagina and cleaning the anal area and between your buttocks.
   • By cleaning the two areas separately, you will prevent the spread of bacteria from the anus to the vagina.
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Part 2 of 3: Know What to Avoid

1. 

   Avoid having sex. Although BV is not a sexually transmitted disease, and the link between sexual activity and BV has not been thoroughly studied, sex often occurs between women and one or more male partners. or a new female partner. Although there are not many cases of men infected with BV, having safe sex through the use of a condom is still quite important to avoid contracting different types of sexually transmitted diseases. .
   • BV is more often spread during lesbian sex because vaginal fluids and uterine mucus are exchanged during sex.
   • There's no best way to avoid this process unless you give your body time to recover from BV infection or when you abstain from exercise altogether.
   • Using a latex-free condom or diaphragm during sex during the first month after completing BV with antibiotics has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence.
   • Rinse off any sex toys to prevent infecting others or even re-infecting yourself.

2. 

   Do not use douching products. Douching is a process in which you use water and vinegar or other douche products sold at a pharmacy to wash the inside of your vagina and actually remove bacteria. helpful in the vagina. It will make you more inflamed and increase the proliferation of harmful bacteria and, in turn, affect the microflora in the vagina more badly and increase the risk of infection coincide. This is a fairly outdated measure and is no longer appropriate.
   • The vagina is capable of self-cleaning. The natural acidity in the vagina will help kill harmful bacteria.
   • Douching won't do any good for a vaginal infection and will only make the problem worse.

3. 

   Stay away from scented soaps, bubble baths, and bath oils as they can irritate the vagina, or alter balance in quantity. beneficial bacteria in this area. Soap or any similar product can affect the balance of healthy vaginal flora. Instead, wash your genitals with water by hand.
   • You can use mild soap and water to wash the outside of your genital area.
   • A soak in a hot tub or whirlpool bath can also negatively affect your vaginal health. It is best to limit soaking in the hot tub if you are trying to prevent BV from returning.

4. 

   Do not use harsh detergent when washing underwear. They often contain chemicals and when in direct contact with the vagina will negatively affect the normal microflora. They alter the acidic balance in the vagina and thereby alter the required pH. Use a mild detergent to wash your underwear and be sure to rinse them off.
   • The best detergent for underwear is one that contains no fragrance and fabric softeners.
   • If you feel hot and sweaty, change your underwear quickly. Changing your underwear just once a day will not be enough for you to continue your active lifestyle.

5. 

   Use regular tampons or an odorless tampon. Fragrant products make the infection worse. Also, be sure to change the dressing regularly. Wearing tampons for longer than allowed will increase your risk of getting vaginal infections caused by bacterial infections.
   • Switch between regular tampons and tampons as you go on with your menstrual cycle.
   • Regular tampons and tampons should be worn daily only when necessary, as they can prevent air from circulating in the genital area, making the area warmer and wetter. And this is an ideal environment for bacteria to multiply.
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Part 3 of 3: Understanding Vaginal Infection

1. 

   Learn more about bacterial vaginosis. The cause of BV is not well known, but there are a few specific factors that occur quite commonly in women who have been diagnosed with this disease. Most women with BV are in the childbearing age, from 15 to 44 years old. African-American women are more susceptible to the disease than people of other ethnicities. About 1 in 4 pregnant people will get BV, probably due to changes in hormone levels.
   • Women who do not use a condom, but have intrauterine devices (IUD) inserted are more likely to develop BV than those who use a condom or who do not have sex often.
   • BV is not a result of poor hygiene.
   • You can still get BV without having to have sex, but many women diagnosed with BV have had sex with a male or female partner in the near future. Sexual activity includes vaginal, oral, and anal intercourse.
   • BV cannot be diagnosed in men.

2. 

   Recognize the symptoms of BV. Many women with bacterial vaginosis do not have any specific symptoms. Each person can have different signs and symptoms of the disease, but they will usually be summarized in a few key features as follows:
   • Gray, white or yellow discharge. This could be caused by harmful bacteria that are multiplying in the vagina, thus affecting the natural microflora in this area.
   • Vaginal discharge has an unpleasant odor. Often described under the term "fishy smell" and gets worse after sex.
   • There was no sign of pain or itching. BV can sometimes be confused with a yeast infection, also known as a yeast infection. This will cause a milky white, itchy, or painful vaginal discharge. If your genital area gets itchy, it usually won't be a symptom of BV.
   • Pain when urinating. Many women report pain or burning or sometimes a stinging sensation when urinating.

3. 

   Know the method of diagnosis. If you suspect you have BV, you need to see a doctor to confirm and treat the disease. Your doctor will need to take a sample of your vaginal discharge. This will require you to lie on your back, with your legs bent on the exam table. Your doctor will gently wipe the inside of your vagina with a cotton swab to collect the necessary specimen.
   • They will then take a measurement of the acidity of your sample. If the amount of acid in your vaginal discharge is lower than normal levels (less than 4.5 pH), you may have BV.
   • Medical staff will examine the specimen under a microscope. If your lactobacilli is quite low, but there are quite a few "clue cells" (vaginal epithelial cells that are attached to cell membranes), chances are you have BV.
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Advice

• The patient's partner usually won't need treatment, but in the case of recurrent bacterial vaginosis, the doctor will likely consider this.
• Use a condom for women. It will help shield the entire area inside the vagina during sex and prevent an imbalance in the amount of bacteria needed.

Warning

1. • BV can cause a significant wound infection if it occurs during hysterectomy.
   • BV is often linked to premature birth during pregnancy, so it's important to get medical treatment done.

• When taking metronidazole or clindamycin (an antibiotic commonly prescribed to treat BV), you should avoid drinking alcohol, because they can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, flushing of the skin, heart. tachycardia (heart rate higher than 100 beats / min during rest), and difficulty breathing.