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What is bacterial vaginosis? Â
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a very common condition that is caused by an imbalance of bacteria in the vagina, which causes abnormal vaginal discharge, which may develop a fishy smell. BV is the common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge in women of reproductive age.
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What causes bacterial vaginosis? Â
Bacterial vaginosis is a condition that is characterised by an overgrowth of bacteria naturally found in the vagina, which upsets its natural balance. This causes the vagina to lose its normal acidity and itâs pH level (the measure of how acidic or alkaline something is) rises above 4.5.
Naturally, our vaginas include âgood bacteriaâ that help keep our vaginas healthy. This includes anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that grow without oxygen) and lactobacilli bacteria. However, in BV, the anaerobic bacteria increase in number, killing off the lactobacilli bacteria and disrupting the vaginas natural balance and meaning it becomes less acidic than normal. This environment perpetuates the growth of anaerobic bacteria.
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How common is bacterial vaginosis? Â
BV is actually the commonest cause of abnormal vaginal discharge, yet we donât talk about it or know enough about it, and It can be embarrassing and distressing to deal with. It affects up to 50% of vagina-owners at some point in their lives and with between 5-70% being affected at any one time.
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How do I know I have bacterial vaginosis and what are the symptoms of BV? Â
Around half of women with BV do not have any symptoms, but if you do, it tends to be an abnormal vaginal discharge.
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Image credit Sally HewettÂ
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What does BV discharge smell like? Â The vaginal discharge with BV tends to be fishy-smelling or strong smelling. This smell tends to be stronger and more noticeable after sex.
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What is the colour and consistency of BV discharge? The discharge tends to be thin and watery, and white or grey in colour.
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What can I do about the discharge from bacterial vaginosis? Â
This vaginal discharge caused by BV can be distressing and make women feel unclean. This sometimes leads to people douching or washing vigorously with soaps. However, this is exactly the opposite of what you should do! Douching and using perfumed washes can disturb the vaginal balance even further and make the problem even worse. Continue reading to see the management options for BVâŠ
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Do you get vaginal itching with BV? Â
Unlike thrush, the discharge is not usually associated with soreness, itching, or irritation.
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Is it bacterial vaginosis or thrush? It can be difficult to distinguish between BV and thrush, but there are some key differences. If your vaginal discharge is greyish or watery you're probably dealing with BV, but if it's white thick itâs likely to be thrush. If the discharge is strong and/or fishy in smell, then you probably have BV, as discharge with thrush rarely causes any smell.
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How is bacterial vaginosis diagnosed? If youâre unsure that you have BV, then itâs worth being seen by a doctor. They will ask a few questions to determine whether the symptoms youâre having are indicative of BV, and if you have any signs or symptoms of other infections.
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The pH of your vagina can also be tested to distinguish between BV and other causes for your symptoms. The normal vaginal pH is between 3.5 and 4.5. However, in BV, the pH rises above 4.5, meaning it is more alkaline than normal. Therefore if the pH is above 4.5 this is suggestive of BV although not necessarily diagnostic (as other things can make your vaginal pH become less acidic). Other infections such as trichomoniasis can cause an alkaline pH of the vagina. If youâre not sure if your condition is BV or not, see a healthcare professional.
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Will my doctor examine me if they think I have bacterial vaginosis? Â
Not necessarily. If you see a healthcare professional with symptoms, they do not need to do an examination if youâre at low risk of an STI, have no other medical conditions or symptoms, are not pregnant or recently post-pregnancy, and you havenât had a recent gynaecological procedure. If you tick all of these boxes, youâre able to start generic treatment for BV and if your symptoms do not improve, then you would be advised to go back for a professional review and examination if needed at this point.
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If you do have an examination (see our article on speculums ), then your healthcare professional may see a thin, white/greyish discharge in the vagina.
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How do I treat bacterial vaginosis? If youâre not pregnant and donât have symptoms, then you do not need to take medication for BV. However, if you have symptoms you can be treated with antibiotics (such as metronidazole or clindamycin) given by mouth or through the vagina. You can also use lactic acid gel s such as the ones offered here at HANX. These can help restore the normal acidic pH of the vagina, encouraging the growth of healthy bacteria, and suppressing the growth of the bacteria that cause BV. These gels are inserted vaginally and restore the natural pH, helping with any symptoms you are having too.
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What treatment does HANX offer? Here at HANX we provide Relactagel Lactate Vaginal Gels which treat and prevent bacterial vaginosis with 7 x single dose tubes for 1 weekâs treatment. The gels have a twisty top which you simply break off, and then gently squirt the contents inside your vagina. Just donât forget to read the instructions and youâre all set.
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