The reasons behind the cause of Bacterial Vaginosis can be very difficult to identify but there are some of the things which you should do before your examination in order to make sure that health care provider is able to give you the best possible diagnosis.
Visit your health care provider when you are not menstruating.

Refrain from sex before the day of your test. Even if you perform sex before the day of your examination make sure that you use a condom because the presence of semen in the vagina can surely screw up your test.

Many women have a habit to use a vagina spray or douche and avoiding it before 24 hours of your examination is very much advisable because such sprays or douche affects the acidity of the women. This can surely affect the results of the tests and such reports can lead the doctor to provide diagnosis which may not work effectively.

It is always advisable for the women to inform the doctor if they have performed anything mentioned above. This will allow the doctors to perform the tests accordingly and will give out perfect results which will help the doctors to give you the best possible treatment.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions by the doctors when you go for your exams:

• Do you have any problems during urination?
• Do you notice any vaginal odor?
• Date of your last period?
• Did you have or had any vaginal or urinary tract infections?

These are some of the basic questions which your doctor may ask you. Make sure that you give all the right answers to the doctor as it can help him/her to decide the treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis. Other than such basic questions your doctor may even ask you question regarding your past pregnancy, if you have used any birth control pills, number of sexual partners, other health issues etc. The doctor will then take your examination and will send your samples for further examination which will allow him/her to decide which type of treatment you should get.

The examination has four steps and they goes as follows:

• In the first step the doctors will check out whether there is any white coating present on the walls of the vagina.

• In the second step the doctor will take your urinal sample and will send it for further inspection which will be observed under the microscope to find out any deformity that indicates the infection. In this test, the lab will look out for cells or vaginal skin cells which are affected which such kind of bacteria.

• The third test involves the whiff test in which the test of checking the presence of a fishy odor is carried out by adding potassium hydroxide to the urine sample.

• The fourth test will be performed to check the acidity level. In this process the vaginal discharge will be tested for an eminent pH level which point towards the level of acidity which is lower than the normal one.

Not all the tests performed will be 100% positive and therefore even 3 out of the 4 check tests positive then it definitely points towards the occurrence of Bacterial Vaginosis infection.

Many women suffering from BV thinks that it is a yeast infection and hence they take the over-the-counter medicines which can help them to control the yeast infection and this is not the proper way to treat Vaginosis. As BV is very difficult to point out by you, only the doctors can test it perfectly and therefore women should not assume the vaginal infection for yeast infection and should visit the doctor because over the counter pills may are not the right way to treat Vaginosis.  The prescription pills are the only way to treat this bacterial infection.

Early diagnosis of this infection is very much important because in the long run it can cause major complications and prolong your illness. Many women assume that they are facing yeast infections and do not consult the health care provider but they should understand that there are many other infections which can affect the vagina. A proper and early treatment is very much important in order to maintain a proper reproductive health for near future. It is very important for you to pay close attention to the symptoms and consult the health care provider without wasting any time.

Check out for the symptoms like:

• If you find the color of your emancipation appears to be milky instead of thick and cottage cheese like
• If your vagina emits a bad odor

If you feel any other symptom you shouldn’t worry as there are number of treatments available for BV.

Scientific studies suggest that BV is common in women of reproductive age. In the U.S. the prevalence rate is approx 1 in 424 women. Statistics show that as many as 16% of pregnant women in the U.S. suffer from Bacterial Vaginosis.

Vaginal odor is not an issue of being “dirty”, as many people believe. It is simply a pH imbalance in the vagina. If you suffer from BV, do not despair because there is hope.

First of all, bacterial vaginosis is not your fault. That reminds me of something that Forest Gump once said, “it happens— sometimes”. He was serious.

There are stories that would nearly bring tears to your eyes- of women being embarrassed, about whispers of ‘a strange smell’, of being afraid to get close to anyone in social situations, the inability to have intimacy with their partner, and even marital separations.

This is an issue that gets very little media attention. Most people just sweep it under the rug so to speak because it is such a personal issue. There are countless women with bacterial vaginosis that are afraid to even mention it to their family physician.

It is time to speak out. Vaginal odor from bacterial vaginosis is a medical problem, not a hygiene problem. Even if you nearly scrubbed the skin off, the intense cleansing would not make it go away.

Therefore it is a problem that can not be simply wished away or ignored. You can not afford to risk your health and happiness over this imbalance when it can be treated.

Bacterial vaginosis is actually an infection with inflammation in the vagina. It is caused by an overabundance of certain bacteria.

The vagina normally contains a lot of “good” bacteria, called lactobacilli. This ‘good’ bacteria is what causes the vagina to maintain the proper acidic balance.

The other bacteria sometimes called the ‘bad’ bacteria, named anaerobes are not really bad unless there are excessive amounts of them.

So as you can see, it is caused by a disruption in the normal chemical balance of the vagina. The symptoms of BV is cramps, pain, itching, discharge, and odor.

The best way to make sure that you have bacterial vaginosis instead of a yeast infection or another type of infection is to check the discharge. If you have bacterial vaginosis the discharge will be thin, milky white or gray, usually with a foul or fishy smell.

While it’s more common in women who are sexually active, it also occurs in women who are not sexually active. It is usually unnecessary for your sexual partner to be treated.

Vaginal odor is usually the most intense, and extremely noticable when a couple is intimate. This is probably due to the increased temperature, an alkalinity based hormonal release, and extra moisture during this time.

Immediately following sexual intercourse the fishy smell is the strongest because of the alkalinity of the seminal vesicle secretion.

If the infection isn’t treated, the bacteria may spread into the uterus or the fallopian tubes and cause more serious infections leading to pelvic inflammatory disease.

In the most severe cases, this infection can cause pregnancy complications, sterility, and greater risk for HIV. Treating bacterial vaginosis lowers this risk.

It is important that this disease be treated on the inside (medication), and on the outside (cream or gel) as soon as possible.

7 Tips That Can Help Prevent Bacterial Vaginosis:

1. Wear cotton underwear instead of synthetic fabrics.
2. Wear thigh-highs instead of pantyhose.
3. Avoid tight pants.
4. Wipe from front to back after a bowel movement.
5. Dry yourself well after a shower.
6. Refrain from using oils in the bath(trapping bacteria).
7. Douche only once a month with mild douche.

Also, here is a simple douche to help restore a well balanced pH level in the vagina. Add one teaspoon of boric acid or a half-cup of hydrogen peroxide to two quarts of warm water.

A good practice when douching is to always use gentle formulas instead of strong vinegar based ones. Over cleansing can kill to many of the good bacteria.

Hopefully you are sufficiently encouraged now to get the attention you need. Do not ever be too embarrassed to seek a solution for bacterial vaginosis, and vaginal odor.

You deserve to live your life to the fullest, to have a social life without worry, and to completely and totally enjoy an intimate relationship with your partner. [http://www.alternativehealthreporter.com]Alternative Health [http://www.alternativehealthreporter.com/vaginalodor.html]End Vaginal Odor

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