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Vaginal Infections – How It Affects Your Daily Life

Bernie — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 02:39:35 +0000

Are you suffering from occasional or chronic vaginal infections that are interfering with your ability to live a full, normal and active life?

Are you frustrated by the lack of information and support available for these types of conditions? If so, you are certainly not alone.

There are literally millions of women who suffer silently with these very common, yet embarrassing infections, making it difficult for them to live as they would like and enjoy all the things they want to do.

What’s even more frustrating is that the subject of vaginal infections is one that still remains rather taboo and unspoken about in our society, despite what doctors now know about the various causes of these infections and their promising potential for treatment.

In this article we will briefly explain the various causes and symptoms of vaginal infections and discuss how these symptoms can negatively impact your ability to live a normal life if left untreated.

Causes and Symptoms of Vaginal Infections

Perhaps one of the reasons that vaginal infections are rarely discussed is that most people associate these infections with another taboo subject in our society: sexually transmitted diseases.

This is unfortunate, because, while it’s true that a very small percentage of vaginal infections can be transmitted sexually, the majority of these infections are not contracted in this manner, and when diagnosed correctly they are very treatable.

Vaginal infections can be caused by an overgrowth of fungus, as with vaginal yeast infections; a proliferation of badbacteria, as with bacterial vaginosis; or by a protozoan or parasite, as with the infection trichomoniasis.

Generally, only the parasite-based infections are transmitted sexually, although there are certain bacterial infections such as Chlamydia that can also be transferred sexually.

Some of the symptoms of vaginal infections include :

Itching
Redness and Irritation
Soreness
Vaginal discharge
Unpleasant odor

Diagnosis and treatment of vaginal infections is not always easy, as many of these infections share the very same symptoms.

Vaginal Infections and Your Daily Life

The symptoms of vaginal infections can affect almost every aspect of your daily life. When coping with the soreness, itch and vaginal discharge associated with these infections, you may find it difficult to concentrate on work, which can in turn affect your overall productivity.

Family responsibilities can also suffer when dealing with vaginal infections, because it’s almost impossible to concentrate on the needs of others when your mind is focused and preoccupied with uncomfortable vaginal symptoms.

You may also have the tendency to avoid social situations due to the discomfort and embarrassment you feel, and the constant itch may even make it difficult to sleep. Collectively, these symptoms can have a life-altering effect until you seek the proper treatment.

The physical symptoms of vaginal infections are only a small part of the overall effect they can have on your life. These infections can also have an indirect effect, possibly making you feel embarrassed and lonely, and because the subject is difficult to talk about, you may even begin to isolate yourself.

This can lead to unnecessary and undue stress and even mild depression – two factors that can play a major role in the development of other potentially serious health conditions.

To avoid this stress, isolation and inability to meet your daily responsibilities, it is extremely important that you seek treatment at the first sign of symptoms. This is not a time to be bashful and embarrassed. Be open and honest with your physician, filling them in on each of the various ways you are being affected by your symptoms, both directly and indirectly.

Vaginal infections are very treatable, and once the condition is properly dealt with, your doctor can provide a number of helpful tips on how to reduce the likelihood of future infections.

Difference Between Vaginal Infection and Vaginal Bleeding

Bernie — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:58:08 +0000

Are you concerned that the vaginal bleeding you are currently experiencing could actually be a type of vaginal infection bleeding, as opposed to the bleeding you experience from your normal menstrual cycle?

The term vaginal infection, which can include infections that are bacterial, fungal and even parasitical in nature, can cause a number of troublesome vaginal symptoms, including vaginal infection bleeding.

But how do you differentiate between normal menstrual bleeding and the type caused by infection? This is not always an easy proposition; however, when the bleeding is caused by infection there will usually be other signs and symptoms that are fairly easy to recognize.

In this article we will take a closer look at this topic by providing a comprehensive definition of vaginal infection bleeding, explaining its characteristics and outlining some of the more common infectious causes for this awkward and embarrassing problem.

What Is Vaginal Infection Bleeding?

As the name suggests, vaginal infection bleeding is blood that flows from the vagina as the result of some type of infection. This blood can originate in the vagina, cervix or uterus, but in the case of infection-related bleeding, the origin point is most typically the vagina.

When a woman experiences unexpected vaginal bleeding – a typical bleeding that occurs outside of the normal menstrual cycle – it can point to a number of underlying conditions, some more serious than others. For example, vaginal bleeding can often be caused by irritation, due to vaginal dryness or sex, or it may be a side effect of certain medications.

Pregnancy complications can also cause vaginal bleeding, and in more serious cases, uterine cancer or pelvic inflammatory disease may be to blame. Only a doctor can say for certain what the root of your bleeding is, however, in the majority of vaginal bleeding cases – when the bleeding occurs outside of the normal menstrual cycle – the root cause is normally some type of vaginal infection.

Vaginal Infections and Vaginal Bleeding

There are many different types of vaginal infections, each with a different cause, but regardless of the specific origin of the infection, it will almost always lead to a condition called vaginitis.

Vaginitis can best be defined as an irritation and/or inflammation of the vagina, with characteristics that may include redness, soreness, itching and burning, and in some cases, vaginal discharge and vaginal bleeding.

While vaginal infection bleeding can potentially occur at any time during the infection cycle, most cases of vaginal infection bleeding are the result of direct contact with the affected area, which is why vaginal bleeding is so prevalent during and after sexual intercourse.

The amount of bleeding women experience varies, and can range from mere spotting in the less serious cases, to a very heavy flow when the infection and irritation are more profound.

There are several types/classifications of vaginal infections that can eventually lead to vaginal infection bleeding. These infections can be caused by bacteria, fungus, viruses and even parasites and include:

Vaginal Yeast Infection. A very common type of infection among women, vaginal yeast infection is caused by an overgrowth of fungus which can leave the vagina area very dry and irritated.
Bacterial Vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and can also lead to vaginitis.
Gonorrhea. Gonorrhea, while not technically an infection, is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause vaginal infection bleeding.
Chlamydia. Also sexually transmitted, Chlamydia is a type of bacterial infection that, when left untreated, can lead to many serious complications, including vaginal infection bleeding.
Trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis is caused by a tiny protozoan, a parasite that causes infection and potential bleeding.

Vaginal bleeding is a normal, monthly menstrual function, but when that bleeding is abnormal, such as bleeding that is very heavy or occurring at unexpected times, it may be a sign of a more serious underlying cause.

In many cases, the root of the problem may be one of the treatable vaginal infections listed above, but to be on the safe side, and to rule out a more serious condition such as uterine or cervical cancer, it’s extremely vital that you meet with your doctor at the first sign of symptoms.

What Are The Health Complications of Bacterial Vaginosis?

Bernie — Tue, 04 May 2010 06:58:05 +0000

Usually bacterial vaginosis do not cause much health complications if it is identified and treated right from the beginning. There is a risk the woman might be vulnerable to other health complications due to bacterial vaginosis if it is left untreated for a prolonged time.

The most important thing to note is that bacterial vaginosis do not cause death.

Some of the complications of bacterial vaginosis are :

Risk of having Pelvic Inflammatory disease and other pelvic related diseases (Further Reading : The Relationship Between PID and BV)
Increased complications during pregnancy (Further Reading : Can Bacterial Vaginosis Prevent Pregnancy?
Higher risk to be vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, Chlamydia (Further Reading : Is Bacterial Vaginosis A STD?, Bacterial Vaginosis Complications That Your Gynecologist Didn’t Tell You)

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

Bacterial Vaginosis Complications That Your Gynecologist Didn’t Tell You

What Are The Risks Involved If I Have Bacterial Vaginosis During Pregnancy?

Bernie — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:45:06 +0000

There are cases where the mother was having bacterial vaginosis while she was pregnant and it resulted in either premature birth or low birth weight for the baby and possibly urinary tract infection (UTI) after delivery.

There are also some inconclusive studies that showed a link between bacterial vaginosis with second trimester miscarriage.

However, medical experts do not know exactly why only some women who suffers from bacterial vaginosis ended up giving birth prematurely while some others don’t.

The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all pregnant mothers be checked for bacterial vaginosis during the early stages of pregnancy and treated accordingly, if needed. (Further Reading : Can Bacterial Vaginosis Prevent Pregnancy?)

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

How Can I Get Bacterial Vaginosis?

Bernie — Sun, 02 May 2010 22:31:26 +0000

There are many ways you can contract bacterial vaginosis. However, through science and research, it remains inconclusive of what exactly causes bacterial vaginosis.

The main argument is that bacterial vaginosis occurs due to the imbalance of bacteria found in the vaginal flora. There are the good bacteria called Lactobacillus and bad bacteria called Anaerobes.

Both these bacteria live in a perfect balance to form a healthy vaginal flora.

However, when the bad bacteria, Anaerobes overpopulates the good bacteria, Lactobacillus , then bacterial vaginosis occurs.

Even though bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection today, there are still a lot unknowns about it throughout the medical communities worldwide. There are questions like how exactly the Anaerobes (bad bacteria) plays a role in causing bacterial vaginosis.

There are also arguments about bacterial vaginosis is caused by having several sexual partners, but research results proved inconclusive until today.

However, you can greatly reduce your risk of getting bacteria vaginosis if you practice the general steps below.

Have only one sexual partner at any single time. This includes your partner as well. (Further Reading : How Oral Sex Could Easily Cause Bacterial Vaginosis)
Do not douche if possible. Otherwise limit it to once a week. Vaginal douching upsets the perfect vaginal flora balance which could be a breeding groud for bad bacterias and eventually lead to BV. (Further Reading : What Is A Healthy Vaginal Flora And How to Have One, How Lactobacillus Acidophilus Can Fight Bacterial Vaginosis)
Make sure that you know what you are doing if you’re using intrauterine device (IUD) for contraception. Find out more about it’s potential risks because having a IUD inside your uterus could lead to bacterial vaginosis.

There is a very significant link between one’s sexual activities and bacterial vaginosis. But it is not proven through research yet.

This is because a high percentage of women who suffers from bacterial vaginosis are very active sexually.

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

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Is Bacterial Vaginosis Common Among Women?

Bernie — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:57:21 +0000

Most women are familiar with vaginal yeast infection rather than bacterial vaginosis. This has lead a lot of women to assume that vaginal yeast infection is the most common vaginal infection.

But the truth is, it is not.

In fact, bacterial vaginosis is more common among women compared to vaginal yeast infection. This is especially true for women who are in the childbearing age bracket, usually 20s to 30s and sexually active.

In the United States alone, it is estimated that around 16% of women suffer from bacterial vaginosis during their pregnancy stage. Studies also showed that 1 in every 4 women will suffer from bacterial vaginosis at some stage of their life.

Bacterial Vaginosis FAQ

5 Common Signs of Vaginal Infections

The Relationship Between PID and BV

Bernie — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 17:31:31 +0000

At first when most women hear that there’s a relationship between Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and bacterial vaginosis (BV), they are shocked.

“PID!!?” they ask.

“I didn’t know it was that bad!”

Pelvic inflammatory disease is definitely not something that you want to have, ever!

There’s a lot of pain in the entire abdominal area, pain that can double you over and make you not want to get out of bed except to go to the hospital. The pain can be accompanied by a fever.

The pain is from all the inflammation that is occurring in the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. These are your female organs and if the inflammation progresses, it can lead to scar formation with adhesions. Once you have adhesions, it becomes difficult to get pregnant and also if you do get pregnant, it’s possible that the adhesions can interfere with the developing fetus and possibly cost you your life.

So Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is no laughing matter and it’s nothing to brush off.

The reason why all that inflammation is there in the first place is that there is an infection – a bacterial infection, viral infection, fungal infection, parasitic infection or a sexually transmitted disease. Gonorrhea is associated with a high percentage of those with PID. In one study, up to 40% of those with untreated gonorrhea and Chlamydia developed PID.

PID can occur after sex, after giving birth, after an abortion, or even just because you had an IUD. PID can be silent as well as cause its victim a lot of pain; it’s possible that you didn’t even know you had it but the scarring nevertheless is still there to prove it.

The sad news is that 100,000 women become infertile each year because they develop pelvic inflammatory disease.

Pelvic inflammatory disease can also result from an infection that technically isn’t an infection: from having bacterial vaginosis or BV.

Bacterial vaginosis results when the pH of the vagina and the bacterial flora in the vagina is out of balance. The predominant bacteria in the vaginal flora is Lactobacillus, the same bacteria that is found in yogurt. When the bacterial flora are out of balance, the number of Lactobacillus bacteria decreases to a very low level and sometimes that number can approach zero. When this happens, the other bacteria that reside in the vagina will then increase their numbers. The problem with this is that when they do, they begin to cause a discharge, disease, or a smell. When they increase to a high enough number, then it’s possible for pelvic inflammatory disease to result.

The bottom line is that the longer you have bacterial vaginosis, the more you are at risk of developing pelvic inflammatory disease. What this means to you is that you must learn to recognize the signs of BV in your own body. At the first little sign, it’s important to do something about it, such as eat yogurt, take probiotics capsules, do a yogurt douche, or apple cider vinegar bath.

If you feel that it’s essential for you to schedule an appointment with your ob-gyn, then do so. Intuition won’t tell you to do something unless there’s a reason. It could be that you do have another co-existing infection that also needs to be cleared up.

So remember, at the least little sign of something wrong, act. Take positive steps. Protect your uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Protect your unborn!

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Do You Know If You Have Bacterial Vaginosis?

Bernie — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:08:11 +0000

Not sure if you really have bacterial vaginosis?

Did you know that a recent survey showed that one in every three women will be affected by bacterial vaginosis at some point of their life?

It can be embarrassing to discuss this topic with your friends or sometimes even the doctors!

So, here’s a really simple bacterial vaginosis quiz for you. It’s just you and your computer, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

Remember, do this quiz honestly. Just answer the 7 questions you’ll see what are the chances that you are infected by bacterial vaginosis, and what you SHOULD do next.

Click HERE to take the bacterial vaginosis quiz.

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The Dangers of Vaginal Sex Toys That You May Not Know

Bernie — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:35:40 +0000

Scientific studies can be found about most topics that are imaginable but some topics seem to have escaped scientific scrutiny. One of those topics that has escaped scrutiny is that of the safety of sex toys.

So if there aren’t any scientific studies, that means that it’s time to compile your own data and make your own decision.

There are two steps to this process : read up on it on the internet and ask experts in the field. Asking your aunt won’t really help much unless she has been a top researcher in the field of plastics or sex toys.

Safety First : What’s In It?

The first thing to consider about sex toy safety is similar to what is the first thing to consider about a child’s toy safety: What is the toy made out of?

Have you ever opened a new sex toy such as a dildo and found the smell of it offending or even nauseating? That new dildo smell is actually the smell of phthalate plastic out-gassing. This can be likened to a new car smell. The chemical smell in the car is the result of all the chemicals used in the production of the car.

The out-gassing process can also be likened to the smell of a home that was freshly painted in every room of the house. The smell can be quite overwhelming and even cause headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.

For some people with environmental sensitivity, the out-gassing of the chemicals in new paint, a new car, or a new dildo is enough to physically make them ill.

If you feel queasy when you’re around newly painted homes, new carpeting, new cars, and new dildos, then it’s possible that you share environmental sensitivity with many others. To overcome it takes weeks or months of detoxification.

What the Phthalates Do

Did you catch the news reports on phthalates in 2007 through 2009?

They made headline news for several days. The phthalates in plastic (toys, shower curtains, dog dishes, food packaging, Tupperware containers, vinyl flooring, wall coverings, detergents, hair spray, shampoo, nail polish, lubricants, and adhesives) were found to disrupt the endocrine system and cause liver cancer.

In men, phthalates were be linked with testicular atrophy (shriveling) and low sperm counts.

The problem was so serious that Congress passed legislation in 2008 to ban six phthalates from children’s toys and cosmetics. There was no legislation, though to ban the phthalates from sex toys.

No Rules and Regulations Restricting Sex Toys in Any Way

The reality of sex toys is that they could contain radioactive material and no one would know it. The FDA has no guidelines or regulations on sex toys because they are sold as novelty items. And you won’t see a telltale triangle with a number in it on a sex toy either as you would on a baby bottle.

The fact is that rubber toys are made of phthalates, jelly rubber sex toys or hard plastic rubber sex toys.

Safety Second : Does Sex Toys Harm Your Body Any Other Way?

The second thing to consider about sex toys is the possible mechanical damage that cause to the inside of the vagina. If a tampon that just sits inside the vaginal tract is enough to cause micro-ulcerations, then what about a sex toy that is very hard and inserted over and over again?

Would this be enough to harm many of the vaginal cells?

Would the combination of the mechanical trauma plus the phthalate be enough to initiate cancer or at least abnormal cellular changes?

No one knows for sure but what we do know is that you must make the decision on your own. Don’t let your partner make it for you; he may be long gone ten years from now when you are potentially facing cancer.

How to Talk to Your Man About Your BV

Bernie — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:18:02 +0000

When you have bacterial vaginosis, it’s the bad odor that is truly upsetting.

Because the odor comes from such a private part of your body, it’s embarrassing and limits what you want to do. You don’t want to go out in public because you’re afraid that someone will smell you.

You don’t even want your man to know you have bacterial vaginosis!

You don’t want to hang around people at work in the break room for the same reason. And when it comes to the bedroom, you’re afraid of what your man will say when he notices the smell.

Because the best defense is always offense, your best strategy is to talk to your man and tell him the truth about what is occurring. There are several points you will want to make in a non-threatening way.

Below is a list of them.

BV is not spread sexually and he won’t get it.
BV acts up during sex and the odor increases.
Washing with soap and water doesn’t really help decrease the odor.
BV is caused by an imbalance in the vaginal flora, not a sexually-transmitted organism.
You’re working on natural ways to eliminate it and they’re showing real progress.

Your conversation might go something like this:

“Honey, I found out that I have BV and that’s why there’s been that funny smell coming from my vagina recently.”

“Is it contagious?” he asks.

“No, it is not. It’s caused by an imbalance of the flora in the vagina. The good bacteria can be killed if I eat processed foods, candy, skip good meals, that kind of stuff.”

“Okay, that means no more chocolate for Valentine’s Day for you! I want to make love to you every day! I’ll help you keep your diet clean. I’ll be the enforcer,” he says.

“That could help but guess what else I learned… If I use probiotics or yogurt with live cultures in it, this can restore the flora and take the odor away pretty quickly!”

“Well in that case, I will always make sure you have plenty of yogurt and probiotics capsules. I’ve been reading up on them for myself lately and was going to start taking them for my heartburn,” he says.

“I always feel embarrassed when I get that smell. I don’t want you to think I’m dirty or worse yet, that I’ve been seeing someone else.”

“So what you’re saying is that BV is just something that happens to the body when it’s out of balance, kind of like … candida infections?”

“Yes, that’s right. Even virgins can get BV.”

“Wow! Who would have thought that? … Anything else I can do to help you?” he asks, since most men are solution-oriented.

“Not that I can think of. Just keeping the probiotics and yogurt in the refrigerator will help a lot. I’ll let you know though if I think of anything else…”

“Oh, when you get the yogurt,” you continue, “Just make sure that it’s a few billion live cultures and it isn’t flavored.”

(smiling) “I was looking forward to tasting raspberry when we were making love…” he says.

See how easy the conversation goes when you just lay out the facts?

Remember that men will always want to know how they can help so before you start the conversation, make sure you have something in mind that they can do for you.

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