Antibiotics are always the basic medication for different types of infections. It’s just a matter of knowing which of these can provide the best and most appropriate medication depending on what kind of infection one has. One common infection suffered by many women is bacterial vaginosis (BV). In the United States alone, BV affects one third of its women population. There’s no specific known cause for this condition, as studies show that this is a polymicrobic synergistic infection. BV occurs when normal level of the good bacteria lactobacilli is reduced and the bad bacteria gardnerella vaginalis and other bad bacteria become more prominent. Typical symptoms manifesting this type of vaginal infection are foul-smelling vaginal odor, abnormal increase of vaginal discharge, and in some cases vaginal itching and inflammation. It is non-life threatening however it may lead to a more serious condition if not checked. It is therefore recommended to get a vaginal and or microscopic examination to get a clinical diagnosis. That way the physician would be able to prescribe the best gels, creams, and pills to get rid of bacterial vaginosis.
There are three most common antibiotic usually prescribed by doctors to get rid of bacterial vaginosis. These are Metronidazole, Clindamycin, and Tinidazole. These three has equal effectiveness and potency.
Metronidazole tablet/pill is the most common treatment. This is usually prescribed to be taken orally at 500 mg two times per day for 7 days.
Patients who do not like taking pills are recommended to use Metronidazole vaginal gel 0.75% formulation and vaginal suppository daily for 5 days.
Another option is to use Clindamycin cream (2% formulation) and vaginal suppository once daily for 7 days.
Tinidazole is also taken orally like Metronidazole. It is very important to avoid alcohol intake during medication and at least 48 hours after treatment when using oral medications to avoid the risk of stomach and abdominal pains, as well as nausea and vomiting.
For breastfeeding mothers, it is best to use Metronidazole vaginal gel or Clindamycin cream. Pregnant women can take the oral antibiotics as prescribed by their doctors. It is also recommended for patients to avoid sexual intercourse during the medication period.
These oral and intravaginal antibiotics record a 70-80% success rate in resolving cases of bacterial vaginosis. This means that there is definitely a possibility of infection recurrence. In situations like this, re-treatment is needed and physicians would usually use the same regimen or switch to another antibiotic, from Metronidazole to Clindamycin or the other way around. If not resolved patients are usually advised to continue treatment with Metronidazole gel twice a week for 4-6 months, or take Metronidazole 600 mg caps a day for a whole week. This should be followed by intravaginal application of boric acid for 21 days. Aside from antibiotic treatment, it is also important to consider prevention tips like avoiding the use bath oils, antiseptics, scented soas and bubble baths. Frequent washing and douching should also be avoided. And though BV is not a sexually transmitted disease, avoiding multiple sex partners is also recommended.
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