AD: This post discussing Bacterial Vaginosis is in conjunction with Canesbalance® but all thoughts are my own. Canesbalance is a medical device. Always read the instructions. Please always speak to your doctor if you are unsure of your symptoms and condition, they will be able to guide you on the best treatment for you.
Okay, I suppose I should start this post with the ultimate disclaimer that indeed, I am not a Doctor or a Gynaeocologist. Therefore, should you have any doubts about your vaginal health, then please speak to a qualified professional. However, I do own a vagina and have spent many a year of my life trying to understand more about this intimate area of my body and would love to make you feel a little bit more comfortable discussing your vaginal health because guess what? It’s totally normal.
There are a number of conditions that can affect your vaginal health, and you’ve probably heard of others. However, there is a common, lesser spoken type of infection that I think deserves a little bit of spotlight. So today I’d like to talk about Bacterial Vaginosis (BV).
So, what exactly is Bacterial Vaginosis?
Essentially, your vagina is pretty incredible. At the best of times it’s self-cleaning and has a naturally acidic environment which helps to maintain the balance of good bacteria (e.g. lactobacillus) and bad bacteria in the vagina. If you remember anything from GCSE Science, then you might remember studying a pH scale that helps assess whether something has an acid, alkaline or neutral pH. Well, your vagina likes to maintain it somewhere between 3.8 and 4.5 (anything less than 7 is acidic). As you go about your day to day activities things can impact this pH balance like change throughout your cycle, over-washing (stay away from the perfumed products please), semen in the vagina, pregnancy & certain types of contraception. When there is an imbalance in your vaginal pH, this can lead to a change in the bacterial balance, where the bad bacteria overgrow leading to BV.
The Taboo Topic?
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If I look back to when I first heard of BV, it was from a friend who was working as a Doctor’s receptionist. I must have been about 17, and that’s a while to go without understanding what it is and how it can impact your vaginal health. I’d never heard about conditions like this or discussed this within my family unit and I’m not really sure why.
For myself, I have no issue addressing these important topics and will ensure that it is an open topic for discussion for my children in the future. However, until then, I’m glad to write this post in the hope that it may help some others understand and address their own vaginal health with no fear of uncomfortableness. So, let’s get to it.
How do you know you’ve got it?
Like most infections, there are usually a couple of signs that something funny is going on. Here are a few of the symptoms of BV:
- Fishy or unpleasant odour
- Greyish white-looking, watery discharge
- Worsening of the above after sex or during your period
I should say at this point that BV is often overlooked. But, fortunately for us, there are now some secrecy approved, self-test kits that you can pick up in most pharmacies to use in the comfort of your own bathroom if you really are feeling a little uneasy about it. Remember, if you feel uneasy about ANYTHING at all, or if you are pregnant just pop a call to your Doctor and they will help you out.
How do you relieve your symptoms?
Well, fortunately for us modern medicine is a wonderful thing. If you are not pregnant, you can use a BV Vaginal Gel like Canesbalance BV Vaginal Gel to relieve symptoms and discomfort when suffering from BV. However, if you’re pregnant things can be a little more complicated so it’s best to seek medical advice.
So how do I prevent a BV infection?
- Avoid any perfumed products around your genitals
- Change sanitary products (pads and tampons) frequently
- Always wipe front to back when using the toilet
- Pat the area dry after swimming, exercise and washing
- Use a gentle detergent to wash underwear (like the type you’d use for babies!)
How do you feel now about Bacterial Vaginosis?
Violet x
Canesbalance®, from the makers of Canesten® is the source for information regarding BV
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