Having an infection or problem in your intimate area can affect not just your sexual life but several areas of your life.
An infection of this type can become an embarrassing situation, and generate discomfort and insecurity as well as physical discomfort such as burning when urinating or a bad smell.
One of the most common infections is bacterial vaginosis, especially in young women. It usually occurs with hormonal changes, such as pregnancy or puberty, because the production of “bad” bacteria outpaces that of the good bacteria.
The good news is that for this common problem exists a wide variety of treatments that will fit your budget and preferences.
Here you can learn more about this infection and what you can do to get rid of it.
What Are the Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis?
The cause is the decrease in the number of lactobacilli, the most abundant under normal conditions, and the increase in other bacteria present in the area, such as Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae, among others.
Lactobacilli generates lactic acid that maintains the normal pH of the vagina between 3.8 and 4.5, thus preventing the overgrowth of other bacteria.
Women with bacterial vaginosis probably experience white or gray vaginal discharge, an unpleasant odour in their intimate area that resembles that of fish, and that can accentuate during menstruation or after sexual intercourse.
Women could also experience itching on the outside of the vagina and burning when urinating, although these last two symptoms could indicate that it is another type of infection.
Tell that to your doctor, and they will find out what is happening.
Having a new sexual partner or multiple sexual partners increases the risk of getting bacterial vaginosis.
On the other hand, taking broad-spectrum antibiotics that decrease the concentration of lactobacilli can cause vaginosis. Despite what some people think, you cannot get vaginosis from contact with pool water, sharing towels or sheets, or sitting in the bathroom.
In short, any factor can modify the pH of the area. Using a cleansing soap with a more basic pH, vaginal douching, using vaginal deodorants, or any other irritating product, can be the cause of vaginosis.
How to Treat Bacterial Vaginosis?
Vaginosis is a benign condition that sometimes heals without treatment.
If treatment is necessary, this must be indicated by a doctor and consists of the use of antibiotics, and the most commonly used are Metronidazole and Clindamycin.
Bacterial vaginosis is usually treated with antibiotics, and these can be of two types:
- Pills.
- Creams or gels with an applicator you can use in the same way as a tampon.
Bacterial vaginosis is a condition that can reappear later, and that is why you must take care of eliminating it very well.
If you start feeling good in the middle of the treatment and do not see the need to continue taking the antibiotics, you should keep taking them until the end of the treatment.
If you do not want to get out of your house to find your medication, at HelloWisp, you can buy what you need and receive it at home.
If the doctor prescribed a cream for you, ask if it might not affect your contraceptive method since in some cases, it affects condoms and diaphragms. If a woman has sex with men, they do not need to be tested.
But if a woman has sex with another woman, the partner should get a test.
Tips to Prevent Vaginosis
By following the simple preventive measures below, you will reduce the risk of contracting bacterial vaginosis.
• Be careful with intimate hygiene, do not douche, and use specific products for the vaginal area.
• Avoid using vaginal deodorants, scented toilet paper, and other scented products that can irritate.
• Change your tampons or pads constantly.
• Use a condom every time you have sex, especially if you are with different partners.
Improve Your Intimate Hygiene
The genital area is sensitive, and that is why you must take care of it more delicately than other areas.
However, on many occasions, just the opposite occurs, and it is one of the parts to which less attention is devoted.
The objective of cleaning, besides maintaining hygiene, is to prevent the proliferation of germs that could lead to discomfort or pathology (irritation, cystitis, vaginosis, etc.), but without eliminating the local microbiota (group of microorganisms that habitually live in the area and that are not harmful but beneficial) that helps protect you from infections.
Tips to Improve Your Intimate Hygiene
- Use Specific Cleaners
You must use a specific product for the daily hygiene of the vaginal area.
Intimate soaps ensure proper hygiene without irritating, drying out, or altering the normal pH of this area. By using them, you make sure to maintain natural protection against infections.
Cleaning the intimate area after going to the bathroom must be done correctly to avoid developing infections.
It is recommended to clean the vulvar area first and then the anal site since if you do it oppositely, you can carry bacteria or microorganisms into the vagina.
● Do Not Use Vaginal Showers
Experts do not recommend vaginal douches; you do not need to use them.
This practice can affect the stability of the microbiota of the vagina and aggravate other types of existing infections, such as cystitis.
Conclusion
No one is exempt from suffering a vaginal infection. If it happens to you, there is no need to be ashamed or worried. Today there are many ways to eliminate this infection, and if you go to the doctor, they will tell you what medicines you should take and for how long.
Be sure to follow all the doctor’s instructions and take care of the hygiene of your intimate area, and soon you will find yourself in perfect condition.
Image by tonodiaz from freepik
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