Abstract. Multiple studies have shown that oral or vaginal probiotics can effectively treat and prevent recurrent bacterial vaginosis. The dose, route, and treatment protocols vary greatly between studies, but many have shown a statistically significant reduction in the rate of recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.
Hallen et al. [32] found that significantly more women with BV were cured 7–10 days after the start of treatment with L. acidophilus when compared with those treated with a placebo. Restoration of a normal vaginal microbiota was established in significantly more (57%, 16/28) women with BV who were treated with L.
This meta-analysis involved 10 RCTs with a low or moderate risk of bias, which suggested that the treatment with probiotics alone was more effective in the therapy of BV for both short- and long-term; however, the probiotics used after antibiotic treatment was effective only for a short term.
Yes, BV can be treated without antibiotics. Natural remedies such as tea tree oil, boric acid or probiotics can be effective in treating BV.
Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins and re-establish proper vaginal pH. The mucous membranes in the vagina require fluids to be supported and healthy. Dehydration can make BV worse by allowing bacteria to become concentrated in the vagina.
Probiotics and other supplements may help treat bacterial vaginosis (BV) without antibiotics. Using barrier protection and practicing good hygiene can also reduce the risk of it developing. In the United States, as many as 21.2 million women aged 14–49 have bacterial vaginosis (BV).
Many papers have linked BV with sexual behaviour; a recent change of sexual partner,7 and multiple partners compared with one partner10 increasing the risk.
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.
To treat bacterial vaginosis, your doctor may prescribe one of the following medicines: Metronidazole (Flagyl, Metrogel-Vaginal, others). This medicine comes as a pill or topical gel. You swallow the pill, but the gel is inserted into your vagina.
While BV may go away on its own, if you have symptoms you should take an antibiotic to treat BV. Pregnant women who have BV are more likely to have complications, so it's especially important for them to get treated. Antibiotics include metronidazole, either orally or vaginally, or clindamycin (oral or vaginal).
Your healthcare provider can treat BV with antibiotics; the most common ones prescribed are Metronidazole, Metronidazole gel, or Clindamycin cream. Dean points out that while on any treatment for BV, you should refrain from having sex, as intercourse and other kinds of sexual activity could lead to discomfort or pain.
Tinidazole is an antibiotic used to treat BV in people who cannot tolerate metronidazole or clindamycin. Tinidazole comes in pill form.
Disruptive microbes have formed a biofilm
The ability of BV-causing bacteria to potentially form a biofilm may explain in part why BV has such a high recurrence rate.
While bacterial vaginosis may go away on its own, most doctors use antibiotics to treat it. You may have been prescribed pills or vaginal cream. With treatment, bacterial vaginosis usually clears up in 5 to 7 days.
Once you start treatment with a simple course of antibiotics, the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis (BV) usually go away within two to three days. While in some cases it can resolve on its own without treatment, it can take longer to clear up and it can come back.
Bacterial vaginosis is a common condition and treatment is available; however, in some women the condition may recur or even become chronic, requiring multiple and sometimes long-term treatments.
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.
Researchers do not completely understand why it occurs. However, activities such as douching can put you at greater risk for bacterial vaginosis. So can having a new sexual partner or multiple sexual partners—even though it is not a sexually transmitted infection.
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.
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.
It may be that BV-associated bacteria from some men's microbiomes can directly impact the onset of BV in women when they're transmitted to the vagina during intercourse or that the penile bacteria may disrupt the natural balance of vaginal bacteria in ways that could induce BV over time.
At times, BV will go away without treatment. However, treatment can help avoid the increased chance of some serious health risks associated with BV, including: Getting or transmitting HIV; Delivering your baby too early if you have BV while pregnant; and.
This study reveals that garlic could be a suitable alternative for metronidazole in treatment of BV in those interested in herbal medicines or those affected by side effects of metronidazole.