subject: How To Eliminate From Bacterial Vaginosis-Read These Tricks Carefully! [print this page] How To Eliminate From Bacterial Vaginosis-Read These Tricks Carefully!
Are you experiencing a vaginal fishy odor? This embarrassing problem affects over half of women at some point in their lives. The cause of the fishy odor is a vaginal infection called bacterial vaginosis.
How do you get bacterial vaginosis?
This type of infection is caused by a bacterium called Gardnerella. This bacterium, along with many other kinds of bacteria and fungi, exist in all vaginas. Usually, there are a number of healthy bacteria keeping the more threatening varieties in check. For a vaginal infection to occur, something has to upset the balance of vaginal flora, allowing certain kinds of bacteria to outgrow others. Sometimes fungi grow out of control as well, which causes yeast infections.
What kinds of things can upset the balance of vaginal flora?
Irritants are a common cause of vaginal problems like infection. These irritants can be anything from a heavily fragranced tampon to soap that's too strong. Usually any product with synthetic ingredients is capable of causing some kind of irritation to the vagina. When irritation gets severe, the vagina can become imbalanced and possibly infected. Sexual activity is another risk factor for bacterial vaginosis in particular. Having multiple sex partners, a new sex partner, or having unprotected sex can all put you at a higher risk for developing this infection.
What are the symptoms?
You already know that an unpleasant fishy odor is a symptom of bacterial vaginosis. In fact, that's what women usually notice first. Another symptom is a change in discharge. Almost all vaginal problems will cause the discharge to change in some way. With bacterial vaginosis, discharge becomes thin and a white or grayish clear color. Things like itching, burning, and soreness of the vaginal opening can also be present, but irritation symptoms like these only appear in some cases.
How do you treat bacterial vaginosis?
Treatments for bacterial vaginosis range from prescription antibiotics to over-the-counter creams and home remedies. Most women find that home remedies and other alternative cures are the best option for them. Antibiotics tend to cure the problem at first but lead to a recurring infection, or even cause a separate yeast infection. Over-the-counter creams are messy and not always effective. Some popular home remedies for bacterial vaginosis are tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar baths. Once the infection clears up, the fishy odor will disappear leaving your vagina feeling as fresh and clean as ever.
