With millions of cases of bacterial vaginosis reported around the world, it’s not surprising that many women will deal with this at one point or another. It’s something that can cause a variety of symptoms, but often do not manifest them initially. It requires a pelvic exam to diagnose, and medication to treat it. This is an issue that occurs when bacteria over grows in the vagina, and disrupts the normal pH balance overall. It’s something that can even cause problems with pregnant women, and much more. To understand how bacterial vaginosis is treated, and what antibiotics are given, it’s imperative to consider a few notes on this malady.
The Main Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis
There are some symptoms that do not appear. Some symptoms do not come through at first glance. The main issues that you are going to need to pay attention to includes vaginal discharge, itching, redness, odor, and pain. It is important to remember that these symptoms do not come through immediately, they can take a little bit of time to come through, which is why it’s imperative that a diagnosis is garnered and treatment is rapidly given.
How Is Vaginosis Treated?
There are two major types of medications that are used to help with vaginosis. There are topical solutions and there are oral medications. Either option can help with this issue. When you visit a doctor, they will administer a pelvic exam. That exam will reveal that there’s a pH level problem and a doctor will prescribe a solution. Some options are simple, applying a cream to the area, and within a few days it will work and the issue will be cleared up.
However, there are some medications that are given to patients orally. That includes antibiotics. There are a variety of antibiotics that are commonly given to women that have this problem. These include metronidazole, clindamycin, and tinidazole. These are taken twice a day, usually in 500mg doses, and for 5 to 7 days. Once that round is done, the infected areas should be free and clear of the problem. There are some that will see this return, but in most instances, it may not come back.
Home Treatments For Vaginosis
The best way to treat options for this is to work with oral solutions. A probiotic can be taken in a capsule, or yogurt can be eaten. This will help give the right bacteria a push in to the body, and will ease any issues that may be had within the vagina. Home treatments can be good to test out, however, if you’re pregnant or think you may be pregnant, consider contacting a doctor. Pregnant women that contract vaginosis will be endangering their pregnancy, and cause uterine lining issues, and even miscarriage. This should be treated immediately. It’s imperative to not wait on this. If there’s bleeding, itching, redness, rash, or any problems associated with this issue, a doctor should be called. Otherwise, if not pregnant, then topical solutions over the counter, or even a capsule could help with reversing this issue.