Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal infection that happens when some normal bacteria that live in your vagina overgrow, causing a bacterial imbalance. Symptoms include an off-white or gray vaginal discharge that smells “fishy.”
Symptoms may include: Strong fishy or unpleasant vaginal odor, which may be stronger after sex or menstruating. Increase in vaginal discharge (about 50 percent of the time) Vaginal discharge that is thin in consistency and milky white or gray.
Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis include: Thin, vaginal discharge that may be gray, white or green. Foul-smelling, "fishy" vaginal odor. Vaginal itching.
Most often, BV does not cause other health problems. However, if left untreated, BV may increase your risk for: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV. Pelvic inflammatory disease where BV bacteria infect the uterus or fallopian tubes.
Living with bacterial vaginosis
Some women suffer from chronic (recurring) bacterial vaginosis. Medicine can clear up the infection, but it returns again after a few weeks. Some women report that bacterial vaginosis returns after their period each month. Or it can return after they have sex.
Studies suggest that the higher risk is due to the different pH levels of sperm. The more sexual partners you have, the more likely you can get BV. Furthermore, certain genetic and lifestyle factors can put women at higher risk of getting bacterial vaginosis and having recurring cases.
Duration of Bacterial Vaginosis
Once BV is treated with antibiotics, it usually goes away. But sometimes it persists or recurs, often within three months, for reasons that aren't entirely understood. If a person keeps getting BV, a longer course of antibiotics may be necessary.
Recurrent BV might happen when the infection isn't fully treated, something messes up the balance of your bacteria again, or a layer of microorganisms known as a biofilm forms to protect BV-causing bacteria. Besides disrupting your work and sex life, recurrent BV can also lead to serious complications.
Bacterial vaginosis often clears up on its own. But in some women it doesn't go away on its own. And for many women it comes back after it has cleared up. Antibiotic treatment works for some women but not others.
Bacterial vaginosis treatments
The three best treatments for Bacterial Vaginosis include: Metronidazole 0.75% vaginal gel once a day for 5 days. Metronidazole (Flagyl) 500 mg pills twice a day for 7 days. 2% clindamycin vaginal cream once a day for 5 days.
What are the Symptoms of BV? Sometimes, there are no symptoms with BV at all. Other times, BV symptoms can be mistaken for other problems such as UTI, yeast infection or other causes of pelvic infections such as Trichomonas, Chlamydia or Gonorrhea. What causes BV?
The primary treatment course for BV is antibiotics. However, some people may wish to treat the condition at home. Options for home treatments include practicing safe hygiene, using barrier protection during intercourse, and taking probiotic supplements. BV is a common condition and typically is not cause for concern.
It's common for bacterial vaginosis to come back within 3 to 12 months even with proper treatment. Researchers are exploring options for recurrent BV . If your symptoms return soon after treatment, talk with your care team. It might be possible for you to take extended-use metronidazole therapy.
With treatment, bacterial vaginosis usually clears up in 5 to 7 days.
BV does not cause bumps, sores, or rashes. Multiple vaginal infections can cause vaginal irritation. BV is characterized by increased and foul-smelling or “fishy” vaginal discharge. Vaginal discharge is usually thin (and sometimes foamy), gray, greenish, yellow, or white.
BV is readily treated and usually doesn't cause any other health problems. With that said, it can increase the risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or lead to birth complications in people who are pregnant.
To know for sure, you should visit a health care provider. He or she will give you a pelvic exam and look at your vaginal fluid under a microscope to check the levels of "good" and "bad" bacteria. The pH level of your vagina may also be measured.
BV is also linked to higher rates of premature birth and low birth weight babies. BV can be cured with antibiotics, but it often comes back within months.
A: Possibly helpful for treating BV: Vitamin C: One study1 of 142 European women evaluated vaginal use of silicone-coated 250mg vitamin C tablets to reduce BV recurrence and showed a nearly 50% decrease in recurrence of BV.
Some strains of BV organisms may have resistance to some antibiotics. You should return to your healthcare provider and describe the problems you are having. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises clinicians on a variety of treatment strategies which can be tried if symptoms recur.
Researchers suggest that high fat intake, particularly saturated fat may increase vaginal pH, thereby increasing the risk of bacterial vaginosis. As you can see in the associated video Bacterial Vaginosis and Diet, most saturated fat in the American diet comes from dairy, desserts, and chicken.
a yellow or green discharge from the vagina or penis, which can sometimes have an unpleasant, 'fishy' smell. genital itching and soreness which can lead to infections of the urethra (the passage that carries pee from the bladder) and infection of the prostate gland.