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Vaginal Infection Tests and When to Seek Treatment

Bernie — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 04:58:59 +0000

Chances are, when you hear the words vaginal infection you immediately think of the most popular and prevalent form of infection – the vaginal yeast infection.

Yeast infections are very common and will likely be experienced by the majority of women at least once in their lifetime, and they are usually very treatable with over-the-counter the medications.

But what if the infection does not respond to these treatments and continues to worsen?

When should you seek medical treatment and undergo vaginal infection tests?

While there are rare occasions when yeast infection symptoms will worsen to the point of requiring medical care, often times there is another type of infection at the root of the problem – a type of infection that would not normally respond to over-the-counter yeast infection remedies.

In this article, we will outline some of the more serious vaginal symptoms – symptoms that usually indicate medical treatment is needed, and explain in some detail some of the vaginal infection tests typically used by doctors to determine the cause of the infection and the best course of treatment.

Vaginal Infection Tests - When to Seek Treatment

Yeast infections, which are caused by fungus overgrowth, share many of the same symptoms as bacterial infections (bacterial vaginosis and Chlamydia), as well as many parasitical or protozoan infections (trichomoniasis).

These symptoms include vaginal itch, irritation, redness and vaginal discharge, usually with a strong, foul odor.

Yeast infections are the most common cause of these symptoms, but certainly not the only one, so if any of the following apply it is probably time to seek medical treatment :

Yellow or Green Vaginal Discharge. Discharge resulting from yeast infections is usually white-gray in color. Yellow or green discharge can be an indication of a bacterial or parasitical infection.
Stomach or Back Pain. While vaginal yeast infections are itchy and uncomfortable, they are usually not painful.
Vomiting or Fever. Vomiting and fever can also be the sign of a more serious bacterial infection.
Your Symptoms Have Not Improved in Three Days. Yeast infection symptoms will tend to ease with treatment by the second or third day.
Rash or Lesions. Rash or lesions on the vagina or vaginal area are not characteristic of a simple yeast infection.
Dizziness. If you begin to feel weak, dizzy or unstable you should always seek immediate medical treatment.

Vaginal Infection Tests and Diagnosis

Doctors have many methods at their disposal for the testing of various vaginal infections, some more involved than others.

In the initial diagnostic phase, you will be asked several questions that can help doctors get a clearer picture of your symptoms.

Some of the questions you might be asked include :

When was the onset of your condition, including the onset of discharge?
What are the amount, appearance and odor of the discharge and have any of these characteristics changed in any way since the date of onset?
Are you experiencing pain, a burning sensation or itching?
Are you sexually active, and if so, does your partner(s) have discharge from his penis?
Are you taking any medications?
What, if anything, helps to relieve your symptoms?
What type of soaps and cleansers do you use to wash your body and clothes?
Do you often wear tight clothing, especially tight undergarments?

Questions such as these can help steer doctors toward a potential cause, and will usually be followed by a series of vaginal infection tests, including :

Blood Tests. Blood tests can be helpful in identifying any potential bacterial infections.
Complete Vaginal Examination. A complete vaginal examination can help doctors identify any overt irritation or bleeding. Generally, the doctor will use individual swabs to collect samples of the vaginal discharge, and later examine these samples microscopically to determine whether the infection is fungal, bacterial or caused by a protozoan.
Pap Tests. A pap test can help rule out any potentially serious conditions such as cervical cancer.
STD Tests. If it is determined from the vaginal infection test that you are suffering from trichomoniasis, additional tests may be needed to check for other sexually transmitted diseases.

When the symptoms of a vaginal infection do not respond to yeast infection treatments, or when they continue to worsen over time, vaginal infection tests are the only method for pinpointing the exact cause of the infection so that proper treatment can be administered.

Vaginal Bacterial Infection – 5 Home Remedies

Bernie — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:15:42 +0000

Vaginal bacterial infection, especially when the condition is chronic, is not only uncomfortable, but can be awkward and embarrassing and may become an obstacle to living a normal, active life.

However, there are several home remedies for vaginal bacterial infection that will not only ease the symptoms while you’re in the midst of the infection, but may also help prevent future recurrences.

Have you been told by your doctor that your uncomfortable and often painful vaginal symptoms may be the result of a vaginal bacterial infection?

Did you know that in addition to the various forms of medical treatment that may be initiated by your doctor there are also several home remedies for vaginal bacterial infection – remedies that may help alleviate some of your symptoms?

Vaginal Bacterial Infection vs. Vaginal Yeast Infection

While some of the home remedies for vaginal bacterial infection may also be somewhat effective and beneficial in the treatment of vaginal yeast infection, it’s very important that you understand the distinction between the two conditions.

Yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of fungus in the vagina, and in 90-95% of cases the fungus at fault is the Candida albicans fungus.

Vaginal bacterial infections, on the other hand, are caused by an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, which in turn upsets the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina.

Treatment for a vaginal bacterial infection usually involves antibiotics to reduce the bad bacteria, while with yeast infections antibiotic treatment may in fact worsen the problem. This is because antibiotics can also destroy many of the good bacteria, which are necessary to fight fungus, including the Candida fungus.

Finally, while yeast infections usually include a number of problematic symptoms, such as intense itching, painful irritation, redness and a thick vaginal discharge, vaginal bacterial infections are characterized solely by vaginal discharg – discharge which is much thinner than yeast infection discharge.

5 Home Remedies for Vaginal Bacterial Infection

Proper Diet and Rest

Vaginal bacterial infection, also known as bacterial vaginosis, can often be the product of a weakened immune system, which is why it’s so important that you take care of yourself and maintain your health.

This can best be accomplished by eating a proper diet and getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Doctors recommend a balanced diet that is rich in lean protein sources (chicken breast, fish, etc.) complex carbohydrates (brown rice, whole grains, etc.) healthy unsaturated fats (olive oil, avocados, salmon, etc.), plenty of fruits of vegetables and at least 8-10 glasses of water every day.

Probiotics

Probiotics are one of the best home remedies for vaginal bacterial infection. Because vaginal bacterial infections are caused by an insufficiency of good bacteria, you need to replace these bacteria as often as you can to maintain a healthy balance in the vagina. Probiotics can be found in food sources such as yogurt and in many pre-made powders, and are usually fairly inexpensive to purchase.

Vinegar or Boric Acid Douching

The good bacteria in the vagina are responsible for producing acid, which is needed to fight off the harmful bacteria before they can become overgrown and begin to produce symptoms. To maintain that acidity level you can occasionally douche the vagina with a mix of vinegar and warm water, or boric acid with warm water. Both of these substances can help reestablish the proper pH balance in the vagina – a pH balance which is necessary for fighting off infection.

Loosen Clothes

Tight clothing, especially tight undergarments, can irritate the vaginal area, and an irritated surface is the perfect breeding ground for infection. Try instead to wear undergarments that are looser and made from more breathable fabrics like cotton.

Proper Hygiene

Among the many home remedies for bacterial vaginal infection, there is perhaps none more important than proper hygiene. Proper hygienic care, which should consist of regular washing of the vaginal area using warm water and a mild unscented soap, can help reduce the amount of harmful bacteria, and may prevent infection.

These home remedies for vaginal bacterial infection can help to significantly ease the troublesome symptoms associated with your condition, and will usually bring you some much needed relief, however, if your symptoms still persist for more than a week, you should definitely make an appointment to consult with your doctor.

Why Antibiotics Will Never Cure Bacterial Vaginosis

Bernie — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:17:11 +0000

Women who take several rounds of antibiotics to treat bacterial vaginosis risk getting more difficult-to-treat secondary infections like urinary tract infections.

Today, people are loading tons of antibiotics into their systems, often with no benefit except to the manufacturers of antibiotics. The end result is not pretty in terms of what we are doing to our collective immunity against the big diseases, which of course mutate more and more every day into super bugs.

Do you really want to be part of this trend towards lowering humanity’s resistance to disease? All of this over prescribing of antibiotics is leading to even more resistant bacterias.

Is there an alternative? – Yes!

The alternative is to wake up and realize that life style changes, not magic bullets are the key to getting off this treadmill of antibiotic intolerance.

In a very wide variety of complaints, doctors may prescribe antibiotics without a clear indication of a bug that is susceptible to antibiotics – just in case. The problem is that sometimes there are no bacteria to kill, only a virus.

Antibiotics simply do not work on viruses – only bacteria.

That is why it is so crucial for you to make sure that you are actually suffering from bacterial vaginosis and not infectious vaginosis which is caused by sexually transmitted viruses. Viruses simply will not respond to antibiotics and you will be lowering your resistance and immunity for no good reason.

Worse yet, people without proper medical training may push antibiotics or misguided persons may self-medicate with them. One really nasty habit is to never finish the initial round of antibiotics that was prescribed you. The reason this is a disaster is because every time you do this you give the bug time to mutate and overcome the power of the antibiotic.

The prescribing antibiotics just in case approach to life is bringing super bugs and their damaging consequences closer to the fore. We are not far away from the day when a new strain of BV that is not treatable at all by existing antibiotics.

The result in the long run is a massive amount of the population developing life threatening infections that can’t be treated by antibiotics. The overuse of antibiotics to treat bacterial vaginosis is in fact an excellent example of how allopathic medicine sometimes benefits from keeping us sick.

It works like this, the more attacks of bacterial vaginosis that you have, the more visits you will make to the doctor. The doctor profits! The more trips to the doctor you make the more antibiotics prescriptions he will write to treat your condition. The pharmaceutical companies profit!

The more antibiotics that you take the more likely you are to require treatment for a yeast infection or urinary tract infection. The pharmaceutical companies profit again!

These treatments are only a temporary quick fix for your problem and before you know it, your infection is back and you return to the doctor’s office where, the doctor profits again.

The only person that does not profit from this situation is you.

You keep spending money for treatments that don’t work. All the time this medical treatment is not working, you are led to believe that it is somehow your fault and not the fault of the drugs or doctors.

The more money you give to your doctor and pharmaceutical companies for this, the more medical problems you’ll have.

Over the long term your immune system may become compromised and you will find yourself donating even more money to the pharmaceutical companies to treat the following conditions that are caused by the overuse of antibiotics:

Bad breath
Depletion of helpful intestinal Bacterial
Chronic Candida yeast overgrowth
Chronic urinary tract infections
A lowered resistance to viruses, fungus and bacteria

These physical problems are mostly the result of how antibiotics affect our intestinal bacteria, which in turn affects our ability to ingest nutrients, creates unfriendly Bacteria in our intestines and lowers our immune system.

So, think twice before using antibiotics to treat bacterial vaginosis!

BVCures Review – 3 Days to Permanent Bacterial Vaginosis Relief

Bernie — Fri, 27 May 2011 08:02:46 +0000

I came across BV Cures more than a year ago when I was researching for resources and articles for this website. I saw a lot of BV related websites spoke highly about BV cures. The curious me wanted to find out what it’s all about.

So I decided to get myself a copy of the book. Paid $39 for it.

The million dollar question is – Does it help you cure bacterial vaginosis? Read on.

What It’s BV Cures Is All About

BV Cures is a book written by Kristina Tomlin (herself a chronic bacterial vaginosis sufferer) to treat bacterial vaginosis using natural remedies. The keyword here is natural remedies.

No medication. No antibiotics.

If you are looking for a quick fix, I’m afraid this book might not suit you. However, if you are looking to cure bacterial vaginosis permanently, then you are at the right place. Kristina argued that the answer to curing bacterial vaginosis permanently lies in natural remedies. She gives you a list of natural remedies and ingredients that you can easily find at home, it not, at your local grocery store.

What BV Cures Claims

Now if you look at the book cover, it claimed “3 Days to Permanent Bacterial Vaginosis Relief”. Like you and many other women, I’m skeptical about this.

From my experience and conversation with other BV sufferers, you can’t cure bacterial vaginosis in just 3 days. You can do so with medications but that’s just a quick fix, not a permanent solution. Natural remedies CAN cure them permanently but it takes time.

Some people might find the program outlined by Kristina too hard to follow. It requires a major change in your lifestyle especially your daily diet and activities. If you’re not up to it, you might not really benefit from the book.

Kristina has a lot more info about BV Cures over at the website. Go see for yourself if it’s really for you.

Click Here to Go to BV Cures Official Website.

Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom Review

Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom Review

Bernie — Sun, 23 May 2010 15:09:50 +0000

I’ve actually heard a lot of good reviews about Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom when I communicated with many BV sufferers. So I decided to get it myself. I wanted to see what’s so good about it myself rather than listening to all the rumors and hypes. And I know that if it’s NOT delivering what it claims to be, I’m entitled to my 110% money back guarantee. Paid $39 for the book.

And when I finished reading it, I could really understand why so many women gave two thumbs up for it.

The main reason is because it was written by Elena Peterson, who is a chronic bacterial vaginosis sufferer for many years. She wrote in detail about her own experience in curing her chronic bacterial vaginosis.

It is broken down to a 3 step plan which has proved to be a fast, effective and safe solution for thousands of women around the world.

If you’ve been searching around the internet for bacterial vaginosis cure for sometime, you will notice that there are too many cures available today that focuses on the signs and symptoms.

However, Elena chose to tackle the problem head on. She focuses on the disease itself. And her unique approach to fight bacterial vaginosis would really blow you away. Be rest assured that Elena knows what she is talking as she’s a full time medical researcher.

In short, Bacterial Vaginosis Freedom will give you :

A 3 step plan how to use natural remedies to eliminate BV once and for all
How to immediately relieve yourself from the fishy odor, itching and burning caused by bacterial vaginosis using cheap and general ingredients you can find at home
5 very serious and common mistakes women tend to make which eventually leads to bacterial vaginosis
Valuable free bonus books - Natural Yeast Infection Cure, 100 Love Making Techniques, Candida Control Diet

The results?

Honestly, this varies among individuals. Elena claims it takes only 3 days. It took me 7 days. For some, it took 14 days. But one thing for sure, you WILL see results.

I wish I could have written more about BV Freedom. But Elena has done it on her website. So what could be better than listening from the author itself?

Click here to find out more about BV Freedom now.

BVCures Review – 3 Days to Permanent Bacterial Vaginosis Relief

I Have Bacterial Vaginosis. Does My Partner Needs Treatment Too?

Bernie — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:35:01 +0000

It depends on the gender of your sex partner.

If your partner is a man, he does not need any bacterial vaginosis treatment. Even though a man cannot suffer from bacterial vaginosis, he can be the carrier of it. One of the common ways bacterial vaginosis is transferred between women via a man is that he has oral sex with both the women, and one of the woman has bacterial vaginosis.

If your partner is a woman, then both of you needs to be treated if any one if diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis because it could spread easily through oral sex or physical contact of the vagina.

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

What Treatments Are Available for Bacterial Vaginosis?

Bernie — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:02:09 +0000

There are 2 types of bacterial vaginosis treatments widely used today. Antibiotics and home remedies.

First time sufferers are usually given antibiotics such as metronidazole (Flagyl) or Clindamycin. They are usually prescribed in the form of vaginal cream or you can also opt for oral medications for these.

The purpose of antibiotics is to kill off all the good and bad bacterias found in the vaginal flora and hopefully bacterial vaginosis will go away. This usually works well for first time suffers.

But there are a lot of cases where the woman complained about recurring bacterial vaginosis after the first one was cured, usually about 1-2 months earlier. This is the time where antibiotics will not work as effectively as it was before which leads us to the second kind of bacterial vaginosis treatment – home remedies.

Home remedies are becoming popular these days because of effectiveness. They range from yogurt, liquid probiotics, folic acid supplements, apple cider vinegar and oatmeal poultice.

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

How to Treat Bacterial Vaginosis With Apple Cider Vinegar At Home

Bernie — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 03:29:53 +0000

Upon first hearing about apple cider vinegar’s use in bacterial vaginosis, you may think it is a little strange. Vinegar is an acid so how could it help restore the pH?

Well the reason is that in bacterial vaginosis, the pH is usually greater than 4.5. The vagina loves a pH of about 3.8 to 4.2.

Apple cider vinegar has an effect on the body where it corrects the pH. In most people their pH is off because they are eating foods such as processed foods, sweets, candies and even chocolates loaded with sugar. They are drinking beverages laced with fructose, sucrose, corn syrup and corn syrup derivatives, and sugar.

These sugars also change the pH of the body. By adding a slightly weak acid, that of apple cider vinegar to the diet, you can begin to shift the body’s pH back to normal.

Apple Cider Vinegar Drinks

Some websites on the internet will say that you can simply add 2 oz. apple cider vinegar to 6 oz. water and drink it three times daily for bacterial vaginosis. I disagree.

Here’s why.

For many years, I’ve watched what happens to women that take apple cider vinegar.

Many of them take a tablespoon in a glass of water and drink it down. Others take a teaspoon. A tablespoon is too much! It can precipitate fatigue, joint swelling, joint pain, headaches, and skin breakouts. One tablespoon is too much!

Can you imagine how bad the poor women that used 2 oz. apple cider vinegar in 6 oz. water three times daily felt?

One teaspoon in water once or twice maximum per day is the recommended amount if you wish to drink it. Make sure you get the raw unfiltered version. Even though it looks like something’s growing in it, know that it’s supposed to look like that.

Apple Cider Vinegar Douche

Other websites will say that you can use the apple cider vinegar as a douche. This is correct, but again, don’t go using too much or you’re in for some hard times.

Use one teaspoon in about 2 cups of water in a douche bag and douche away. You will no doubt have to repeat it a few times for it to work.

Repeat it once daily until the bacterial vaginosis is gone.

Apple Cider Vinegar Baths

Another way to use apple cider vinegar to treat bacterial vaginosis is to add it to the bathtub water. Before you do this, clean out your bathtub really well. Then fill it with warm water and add one cup apple cider vinegar. Sit in the tub for about 20 minutes.

The slight acidity of the water will be soothing to the irritation on the labia and around the vagina. You may also want to douche with the apple cider vinegar as well.

Remember that bacterial vaginosis is improper pH AND not enough of the right vaginal flora so just by changing the pH, you may not have enough good results. You must replenish the flora.

Bacterial vaginosis is an interesting phenomenon.

It’s not a disease but it causes symptoms such as bad smell emanating from the vagina, grayish discharge, and itching. Sometimes bacterial vaginosis is accompanied by burning as well.

The most interesting point about bacterial vaginosis is that it results simply because the pH and vaginal flora are out of balance. So it’s not a disease persay.

The cure for bacterial vaginosis lies in restoring the pH and restoring the vaginal flora. This can never be accomplished with a drug. Prescription medications just don’t do these simple things!

The cure becomes something that you must find for yourself. And when you go on the internet, you will find many different natural remedies for bacterial vaginosis. One of them is apple cider vinegar.

5 Goldenseal Characteristics That Help Cure BV

Bernie — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 04:37:43 +0000

Goldenseal and Bacterial Vaginosis

You can opt to take herbs that could help re-balance the flora. Goldenseal herb has a long history of being used for bacterial vaginosis and it’s definitely one you should know about. Its official botanical name is Hydrastis Canadensis and its common name is yellow root. The reason why it is called yellow root is because of its obvious yellow color. The herb can also be used as a yellow dye.

Goldenseal root is an endangered plant in 25 different states of the U.S. Some say that it is endangered because the herb has been found to hide THC levels from marijuana drug tests; it does this by increasing the metabolic breakdown of THC. This makes ambitious drug dealers and/or drug users motivated to find the natural herb, say some reports. Those reports don’t realize that if the drug users really wanted to find the goldenseal, they could easily find it online or at any health food store. Why go through all the trouble to search it down like Sean Connery in the movie Medicine Man traipsing through the Amazon jungles?

Here are some characteristics about Goldenseal that you will be impressed with:

Goldenseal has been used for vaginal infections as serious as gonorrhea. The National Institutes of Health reported this in its report on the herb. Their report can be found here. However, remember that the government only hires scientists and not herbalists. The problem with this is that scientists only know the technical and not the practical aspects about herbs.
As mentioned above, this Goldenseal can be used to treat vaginitis. This is a specific indication for its use, not some hypothetical one where it could work.
Goldenseal can also be used as a mouthwash. When using it to gargle after intercourse, it can kill any harmful bacteria that may have migrated into your partner’s mouth and that he then passed along to you while kissing. Goldenseal has long been used in mouthwash formulas that are natural.
Goldenseal’s antibacterial properties are due to two alkaloid medicinal constituents, berberine and hydrastine. Both also act as a mild sedative. They are also antiviral and antifungal.
Goldenseal’s berberine helps reduce Candida and Chlamydia trachomatis infections in the vagina.

The typical dosage of goldenseal is 465 to 500 mg two to three times daily. Read the label to see how much each capsule contains. If you obtain an extract or tincture, the dosage varies based on how potent the company made the formula, so use it according to the label instructions.

Goldenseal can stimulate uterine contractions and is not an herb of choice for women that are pregnant.

7 Side Effects of Clindamycin That You Should Know

Bernie — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:24:38 +0000

When you have bacterial vaginosis, your medical physician will most likely send you home with a prescription medication that he believes will eliminate it and get you better in no time. One of the prescriptions commonly used for bacterial vaginosis is called Clindamycin.

Every medication has side effects. With Clindamycin, there are several different side effects that you should know about before you start taking the prescription.

With knowledge, you’re always in a position of power. By knowing potential side effects before they occur, you can easily avoid disaster!

By knowing potential side effects before they occur, you are able to spot problems before they become life-threatening.

It’s a lot easier to research something before it goes into your mouth than while you’re writhing in pain with diarrhea on the toilet!

How can you get onto the internet then? It just doesn’t happen!

So with this in mind along with your ultimate preservation of health, let’s go through these top symptoms.

Diarrhea

If you notice you’re in the bathroom a lot more frequently than before with loose, runny stools that are not formed, you have identified diarrhea.

Diarrhea is not just increased bowel movements; it’s loose, runny stools that are not formed. It’s not due to what you ate or your nerves. If you’re taking Clindamycin, it’s a side effect.

Nausea and Vomiting

If you start noticing that your stomach feels queasy, it’s not the vitamins that you’ve been taking for several months or the probiotics. You’re not on a ship so it’s not seasickness. This is nausea and if you’re taking Clindamycin, then it’s from the drug.

If you have actually had some episodes where you felt queasy and then threw up, identify this as nausea and vomiting associated with Clindamycin.

Genital Itching and Burning

Bacterial vaginosis is bad enough to cause itching and burning but when you get more itching and burning after taking Clindamycin, then you are experiencing a side effect of the medication. When this side effect shows up, it is a signal that your body’s flora is out of balance even more than it was before.

The burning and itching is indicating that the proper flora have been killed by the medication and now one of the hardy strains of pathogenic bacteria that cause disease is trying to take over. This needs to be stopped immediately so call or visit your doctor.

Pain

When you’re on an antibiotic, you should never have more pain. You should only have less pain. If you have more pain, then it indicates that the proper strain of bacteria or microbe causing your illness is not being killed.

Pain is a red flag indicating that the proper flora have been killed and a hardy strain of disease-causing bacteria is being established. You will need medical attention.

Don’t go another day without getting in to see your doctor.

Vaginal Discharge

You probably already had a vaginal discharge with bacterial vaginosis. If you develop a new discharge, this indicates that you are having a side effect from Clindamycin for the same reason as in the 2 points above.

Hives, Difficulty Breathing, Chest Tightness,Swelling of the Mouth or Face

If you ever have any of these symptoms, it’s an indication that you are allergic to the prescription medication you are taking.

Don’t mess around with these symptoms; call the doctor. If he’s not in, you may consider having a friend or family member take you to an emergency room or ambulatory care center.

Allergy reactions can be life-threatening. Don’t take a chance. And don’t take another dose of Clindamycin before you go.

Headache

Headache is one of the mild side effects from Clindamycin, but nevertheless, it still is real. If you suffered frequently from headaches before, the headaches you get now may actually be increased as a result of Clindamycin.

Side effects can be frightening. A drug is supposed to cure a problem, not cause another, right?

Remember that there are always options for treating bacterial vaginosis.

You don’t have to put up with symptoms while you are overcoming bacterial vaginosis. Try natural remedies and you may just be amazed at their lack of side effects.