It has been determined that most BV cases display no symptoms whatsoever. But for those that do, here are the seven most common, visible symptoms of bacterial vaginosis:-
1. Thin white or dull gray discharge.
2. Foul or fish-like odor especially after sexual intercourse.
3. Burning sensation when passing-out urine.
4. Itching sensation around the genitals and opening of the vagina.
5. Pain around your genitals.
6. Unusual irritation around the vagina.
7. Liquid or thin vaginal discharge.
Notify your healthcare provider about these symptoms so that they may conduct tests to determine whether it is BV or some other infection.
If you get diagnosed with this infection, the healthcare provider will prescribe some antibiotics which are even safe to consume during pregnancy. It is advisable to complete the dosage even after the symptoms disappear. In most cases, the symptoms and infections in the vagina clear away however, unfortunately at some point the infection may recur. It is a fact that 30 percent of women exhibit symptoms again within a period of 2-3 months. Antibiotics kill off most causing bacteria but the normal harmless bacterial also get destroyed in the process and there is no formula for increasing the growth-rate of the ‘good’ bacteria in order to control the harmful bacteria.
You may not require any treatment if you show no symptoms of these bacteria or if the symptoms are too mild but in some cases, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Some of the treatments doctors prescribe for bacterial vaginosis include the following;-
Antibiotics.
These antibiotics come in two forms; gel and tablets. Antibiotics are very effective in curing bacterial infection and relieving its symptoms. These antibiotics include Metronidazole and Clindamycin which come as oral medication or gel. You can either take Metronidazole 500mg or Clindamycin 300mg daily for one week to treat the infection. Sadly, the symptoms may recur after some time in some women. You should have a follow-up check-up 1 month after completing the medication to determine if the infection has recurred or not.
Long-term gel application of Metronidazole; a 2 times application in a week for 4-6 months period after the oral antibiotic therapy achieves moderate recurring rates reduction. However, it may be an expensive and tedious process for patients.
A certain conducted research revealed that antibiotics may lower the risk of low birth weight and premature rupture of membranes for women with this infection and a history of preterm labor.
Acidity Alteration.
This is another form of bacterial vaginosis treatment. It involves introduction of an acid to alter the pH balance of the vagina. It can be in form of gel or dissolved tablet placed in the vagina. Increased acidity in the vagina inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. It hasn’t been proven whether pH balancing is effective therefore it is highly unlikely that clinics will recommend it. It is improbable that the pH will cause you any harm so it might be worth giving a shot. pH correction treatments can be acquired in pharmacies- over the counter.
Probiotics.
Probiotic therapy is said to be an accompaniment of traditional antimicrobial treatment. It was discovered that combining the use of probiotics and Metronidazole gel resulted in 100% cure rate just after a month, 75% cure rate in 2 months and 62.5% cure rate in 3 months of treatment compared to 75%, 50% and 37% of using the gel alone.
These treatments significantly reduce the symptoms within 1 to 2 weeks of treatment. The recessing risk increases with time.
Author Bio.
This article was written by Joydeep Majumder. In this article, he pin-points the bacterial vaginosis symptoms and some effective treatments prescribed by healthcare providers.