Bacterial vaginal Infections - What to do about them?
A nasty condition that can affect up to 75% of women at some point in their lives
. Bacterial Vaginal Infections can have lots of different names - Yeast Infection, Vaginitis, Candida and Candidiasis among them. They all refer to the same problem of inflammation of the vagina caused by an imbalance of bacteria. Unfortunately it is also a recurring condition if it is not treated properly. A vagina has a natural flora of micro organisms. If this delicate balance is upset a Vaginal Infection can quickly result. Some common symptoms are * A thick vaginal discharge often with a horrible "yeasty" or "fishy" odour.* Intense itching
* A burning sensation
* Rashes The causes can be many and varied. Among them can be * Prolonged use of Antibiotics. These kill the good bacteria as well as the bad. This means that the optimum natural balance of the vagina is compromised due to the good bacteria not being present.
* Sex with an infected partner. It is of vital importance that you both get treated else you may become reinfected.
* An excess of sugar. A diet with a high intake does not help as sugar encourages the yeast to overgrow. This sugar issue is a reason why Diabetics are often Candida sufferers.
* Your body being in too much of an acidic state. This can be caused by unhealthful eating habits. Lots of fruit and vegetables help promote an alkaline body where bacteria does not thrive as well.
* An overly warm and damp environment. It is very important that you wash well and dry yourself thoroughly, particularly in warm weather and after any exercise as fungal infections will always grow faster in warm and damp areas.
* A low immune system. Often stress and just recovering from an illness will combine with another cause and start off an infection. It all helps prevent your body from fighting to achieve it's natural balance.
* Clothing and underwear. It is always best to wear cotton or a breathable fabric and also clothes that aren't too tight. This is to ensure the vagina is not kept overly warm and damp encouraging the candida to grow out of control. So what should you do if you are experiencing these symptoms and have a Bacterial Vaginal Infection? There are lots of treatments people use and you can usually get the condition under control relatively quickly. Among these are * Medications and creams that can be bought over the counter.They will probably only treat the external symptoms and while they may provide temporary relief the infection is likely to re occur as the cause has not been tackled.
* Antibiotics. They kill the bad bacteria but will also kill the good bacteria too, and the good bacteria are needed to help stop the problem permanently.
* Cider vinegar & water washes. This can be useful in restoring an acidic environment to your vagina.
* Probiotics such as Lactobacillus Acidophilus can help to re introduce good bacteria to keep your system in better balance. However by far the best approach is to try to live a more healthy lifestyle and to follow a holistic plan. By addressing all the possible causes, eliminating them and getting your body more in balance you are far less likely to suffer further attacks of Bacterial Vaginal Infection.
Bacterial vaginal Infections - What to do about them?
By: Jane Harling