Millions of women today will have to deal with bacterial vaginosis. This is a medical concern that many times has no symptoms. Many will have no symptoms at all, and may be carrying the illness with them. However, left untreated, there will eventually be symptoms that can be disconcerting for many women. Some may even blame a missed period on this issue, but there’s more to this that you will need to know before you start considering that.
What Exactly Is Bacterial Vaginosis?
First and foremost, you should know that bacterial vaginosis can be caused by a variety of simple activities. For instance, sexual intercourse can cause this problem. Unprotected sex with different partners, or even with the same person many times, could cause the pH balance of the vagina to change, and subsequently smell. You may also find that douching could cause problems. Too much douching could cause the pH balance of the vagina to change, therefore resulting in bacterial inflammation. The downside here is that there may be no symptoms that appear at first, which can be problematic for diagnosing.
What Are The Symptoms of Vaginosis?
The symptoms associated with vaginosis do not appear all at once, and may be delayed overall. In many instances, there are no symptoms at all, but in time, they may start to appear in single changes or multiple changes. When symptoms do start to appear, they begin with odor. From that, vaginal discharge may occur, itching, redness, and even pain may occur as a result of the symptoms. Left without any treatment, these do not go away, and could get worse, and cause serious issues during menstruation, and sexual intercourse as well.
Can Vaginosis Cause A Missed Period?
In the case that you have bacterial vaginosis, you may think that a missed period is a result. It’s not. There are no less than 16 different reasons why you may miss a period, and vaginosis is not traditionally a reason why this occurs. Now, there are exceptions to every rule, and if you have any doubts, you can contact a professional to get a helping hand in this regard. However, it’s not a common occurrence at all. You may have to seek professional help for the issue, but you will not miss a period as a result.
What Treatments Are Given For Vaginosis?
Women can visit their primary care physician to get a helping hand with healing the issue. A topical prescription can be ordered, and applied directly to the vagina. This will help remove the odor, itching, and pain within a few days. The recurrence of this issue can pose a bigger problem, but in most instances, one treatment will help get rid of the main symptoms that can occur in this regard. You will find that treatment, and diagnosis will need a doctor’s opinion. You can self-diagnose if you’d like, but if there is no change, or calm to the symptoms that are coming through, you will need additional support. In the end, a missed period is not connected to bacterial vaginosis, but there are exceptions to every rule, and a doctor may be needed to hash that out.