Bacterial vaginosis, highly known by the name of BV, is a type of vaginal infection. It disturbs the required balance of bacteria in the vagina. Well, such infections don’t cause any other health problems but can cause issues in pregnant women. Let’s go through the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis, which will help you to understand whether you are having BV or not.

Symptoms Of Bacterial Vaginosis:

In fifty per cent of bacterial vaginosis cases, women don’t notice any kind of symptoms. But the common symptoms of BV are :

1. Burning sensation while feeling

2. Fishy smell, especially after intercourse

3. Itching

4. Discharge of white, grey or green colour

Don’t consider it similar to yeast infection. In yeast functions, you get a thick discharge, and it doesn’t have any odour.

When To See a Doctor For Bacterial Vaginosis?

The tricky thing is the symptoms of certain infections are similar, and you must know which infection you are going through to get proper treatment. So visit a doctor and know what you are going through and which type of treatment is required.

The doctor usually asks for below-depicted things:

1. Having vaginal discharge with a bad smell or have a fever

2. Multiple intimate partners or a new one. Because he might be having any sort of infection which resulted in BV in you.

3. Used any sort of treatment or Creams for Bacterial Vag and still having symptoms.

All such things help the doctor get a clear image of the infection and required treatment for the best results.

Causes of Bacterial Vaginosis:

The presence of lactobacillus bacteria keeps the vagina a bit acidic and prevents the growth of bad bacteria if the level of lactobacillus drops, then the number of bad bacteria increases and results in BV.

Risk Factors:

Any woman can go through Bacterial Vaginosis, but the chances increase, especially when you :

1. Smoke regularly

2. Are sexually active

3. Douche

Douching results in disturbing the natural balance of existing vaginal bacteria. Similarly, the scented soaps in addition to bubble baths can result in BV.

If you have a new partner and face such symptoms after having intercourse, he can be the reason behind it. It is unclear why having multiple partners or new ones results in n Bacterial Vaginosis in several cases. But the fact is female partner have more risk as compared to male ones. Also, anal sex can cause Bacterial Vaginosis. Apart from this, using public toilets, swimming pools can be a reason to cause Bacterial Vaginosis.

Diagnosis of Bacterial Vaginosis:

The doctor usually asks for:

Medical history for better understanding

. Ask about your medical history

. Perform physical examination

. Do a pelvic examination

. Checks vaginal pH and acidity level

Additionally, takes a sample of vaginal discharge to examine the presence of bacteria, its type and associated infection.

Bacterial Vaginosis and Complications:

Bacterial vaginosis is linked with increased health problems, such as:

1. A bacterial infection, when having a hysterectomy or any other surgery over female organs while suffering from BV

2. A premature baby or low weight infant

3. A sexually transmitted disease such as herpes, and HIV to the partner

4. Less fertility success, especially in the case of in vitro fertilization (IVF)

5. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infection within the uterus, fallopian tubes, in addition to ovaries.

Bacterial Vaginosis Prevention

For lowering the chances of getting BV, consider the following steps:

l If you use sex toys, clean them after every use.

l Avoid douche.

l Get your tests done for sexually transmitted diseases and ensure the same for your partner.

l Limit your partners.

l Use condoms.

l Use water and mild soap for cleaning the genitals.

l Wipe front to back whenever you use the bathroom.

Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment:

People usually take Bacterial Vaginosis lightly. But you should never do that. The doctor prescribes certain antibiotics, including metronidazole, clindamycin, and tinidazole, to treat Bacterial Vaginosis. In addition, there can be oral tablets, creams for bacterial vag or any reliable gel to provide relaxation and healing of BV.

In maximum cases, the treatment is carried out for a week. So take your medication on time to get free from BV as soon as possible. IF you stop taking medicines before completing the course, you may have to face it again. So never leave a course in between.

As we know, Bacterial Vaginosis can easily spread through sex, so you should avoid having it while you are under treatment. Unless you stop noticing any kind of symptoms, try maintaining a distance. If you repeatedly see symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis, again and again, get long term treatment to get rid of it from the root.