There are always bacteria in the vagina. Bacterial vaginosis means that there has been an imbalance among the bacteria. The most common symptom is floods that smell bad. Bacterial vaginosis is common and treated with antibiotics or antiseptics.
Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis
The most common symptom of bacterial vaginosis is smelly fluids. It often smells stronger just after menstruation and after vaginal intercourse without a condom. It allows you to experience the symptoms coming and going.
The flow of bacterial vaginosis can be thin and grayish-yellow. However, you do not usually get increased movements.
Sometimes it can also burn and itch around the muzzle. This may be because you have also got fungal in the abdomen while you have bacterial vaginosis.
Many people who have bacterial vaginosis get no symptoms at all.
When and where should I seek care?
Contact a gynecologic clinic or health center if you have any changes in appearance or odor.
You can seek care at any healthcare center you want throughout the country.
In order for you to be able to participate in your care and make decisions, it is important that you understand the information you receive from the healthcare staff. Ask questions if you don’t understand. You can also ask to have the information printed so that you can read it peacefully.
You may have the right to get help from an interpreter if you have a hearing loss .
What Does Bacterial Vaginosis Cause?
There are always bacteria in the vagina. Bacterial vaginosis is due to an imbalance in the bacteria. However, it is not known which bacterium causes bacterial vaginosis.
Since it is not known how to get bacterial vaginosis, it is difficult to protect against it.
The risk of getting bacterial vaginosis increases if you change sex partners frequently. Therefore, use a condom, femidom or lick of mouth when having sex with a new partner.
What can I do for myself?
There are no prescription drugs that have any effect on the imbalance of the bacteria in the vagina. However, there are non-prescription herbal remedies and products with lactic acid bacteria that can help with the bad smell. These products have no proven effect, but some find that they help. You can buy the medicines at pharmacies.
Surveys
The doctor or midwife does a gynecological examination. Then the appearance, smell and acidity of the liquid are examined. Sometimes they look at the flow in a microscope. You will receive an answer immediately after the survey.
There may be other causes of smelly fluids. Therefore, it is important that you be investigated.
Treatment of bacterial vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis is treated with antibiotics or antiseptics. There are two different ways you can take the drugs:
- You can use lubricating creams or vaginas, ie medicines that you bring into the vagina.
- You can use tablets that you swallow.
The treatment takes three to seven days depending on which drug you use.
It is common for the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis to come back again after a month. Then you can treat again.
What happens in the body?
There are always more or fewer movements in the vagina. This is usually not a sign of any illness. The removals act as part of the defense against infections in the vagina.
In addition to removals, there are always bacteria in the vagina. The most common kind of bacteria is called lactic acid bacteria. The lactic acid bacteria protect the vagina by helping to acidify the vagina. This means that some other bacteria do not thrive and grow there.
Bacterial vaginosis causes lactic acid bacteria to become less or less effective. Then other bacteria can become more. Nobody knows what this is due to.
sequelae
Bacterial vaginosis can cause other infections that can then spread to the uterus and ovaries. This is because the imbalance among the bacteria impairs the protection of the vagina against infections. For example, if you get chlamydia while you have bacterial vaginosis, it may increase your risk of getting inflammation of the fallopian tubes. This risk is particularly high if you have had a hormone or copper coil inserted, or if you have had a surgical abortion.
Tell your doctor that you have bacterial vaginosis if you, for example, undergo a scraping or that you should have a spiral inserted. Then there is an increased risk of getting an infection in the uterus. The infection can then spread to the fallopian tubes. Therefore, it is good if your doctor knows you have bacterial vaginosis.
Sometimes the treatment of bacterial vaginosis with antibiotics can cause you to have a fungus in the genital area .
Bacterial vaginosis and pregnancy
Tell your midwife or doctor if you are pregnant think you have bacterial vaginosis. It is unusual, but bacterial vaginosis can cause the baby to be born prematurely or cause miscarriage. However, bacterial vaginosis cannot be transmitted to the baby, either during pregnancy or during childbirth.