Home Cures For Bacterial Vaginosis Outbreaks

If you think you are suffering from bacterial vaginosis, then first of all you should confirm this. Typical symptoms include itching and burning of the delicate vaginal tissues, together with a foul, fishy smelling discharge which is watery and gray or white in color. If you are in any doubt, visit your doctor for a diagnosis.

There are several home cures for bacterial vaginosis which are simple to use and economical to buy. Three of the most popular ones are probiotics, tea tree oil and cider vinegar.

Bacterial vaginosis happens as a result of an imbalance of the naturally occurring bacteria within the vagina, resulting in an overgrowth of "bad" bacteria. One of the side effects is that the pH level of the vagina switches from its normally healthy acidic level to a mildly alkaline level and this in itself encourages the growth of harmful bacteria.

Probiotics

Probiotics are groups of beneficial bacteria and often form part of many home cures for bacterial vaginosis. They mirror those which naturally occur in a healthy vagina, the supplies of which are depleted during an outbreak of BV. To reintroduce them into the vagina, they need to be put there directly and a very easy way is to soak a tampon in live yogurt and leave it into the vagina for an hour or two

Tea tree oil

The properties of this natural oil are truly amazing. Just a few drops in a shallow bath can help to kill off the harmful bacteria without any side effects. You can also buy pessaries to insert directly into the vagina

Cider vinegar

The naturally acidic properties of this substance can help to restore the vagina's healthy pH levels. Add a couple of cups of cider vinegar to your bath and this can help soothe the inflammation whilst restoring balance

It is important to understand that although isolated outbreaks can sometimes be cured by simple ad-hoc remedies, if you suffer from recurrent BV, you will need to use a comprehensive, multifaceted system which helps to eliminate all the root causes. It is particularly important to treat recurrent outbreaks as if left untreated, BV can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and even infertility.