Bacterial vaginosis prevention... how many times have we tried to prevent this from recurring, only to have our efforts blown right back into our faces? Some of the nifty little bits of advice we get from our friends and family actually seem to make a bit of sense, but really, they don't do anything much in the lines of bacterial vaginosis prevention.
However before we focus on what you need to be doing to get rid of bacterial vaginosis, and prevent it from coming back,you need to be aware of what actually causes BV. Basically the symptoms of BV begin to appear when the amount of bacteria in the vagina increases. The vagina contains a lot of bacteria, some good and some bad. Both types provide a function.
Bacterial vaginosis is the result of an imbalance of the naturally occurring bacterial within the vagina. It occurs when the healthy Lactobacillus bacteria is weakened or eliminated which allows an overgrowth of harmful bacteria.
Bacterial vaginosis tends to develop when the blood sugar level rises up. Reducing and maintaining the blood sugar level at the normal range will help to lower the risk of developing the disease.
You should eat plenty of nutritious foods like fresh fruits and vegetables it can assist to avoid BV, other food example that are shown to be useful for fighting bacterial vaginosis are normal yogurt, oats and also brown rice. On the other hand, there are also some foods that must be avoided such as cakes, cheese, chocolates and alcohol.
Although minor isolated outbreaks are not usually dangerous, if left untreated, BV can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, pregnancy complications or infertility. There is also evidence to suggest that untreated BV can make women more susceptible to HIV.
Other preventive measures include wearing looser fitting clothing and avoiding cotton or nylon apparel that suffocates the crotch or genital region. Always avoid sitting in a wet bathing suit for an extended period of time because it only creates a moist environment for the yeast to grow in.
In order to get rid of the odor you must wash the external vaginal area with mild, antibacterial, unscented soap. Put in mind not to wash the internal vagina with any kind of soap. When sleeping, do not wear anything on your lower part to allow your vagina to dry completely.
One of the best ways of preventing the recurrence of BV is to keep your body, especially your vaginal and anal areas, scrupulously clean. Women who do not have high standards of personal hygiene are more likely to suffer from this ailment on a regular basis. You should always use a mild non-perfumed soap to clean yourself and should avoid douching yourself with any products that contain chemicals, perfumes etc.
You can get capsules of goldenseal at any health food store and should consume at least 500 ml every day. Tracheal is another herb that is effective against Bacterial Vaginosis. It can be steeped in a cup of hot water and consumed in order to bring your infection under control. Like all the other herbal remedies, tracheal too can be consumed in capsule form.
Taking Lactobaccilus supplements can help with the digestive tract. To introduce beneficial bacteria into the vagina, soak a tampon in live probiotic yogurt and leave in the vagina for an hour.
