Natural Cures for Bacterial Vaginosis: An Alternative to Antibiotic Treatment

What is Bacterial Vaginosis?

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a condition in which bacteria overgrows in a women’s vagina due to a disruption of the normal vaginal flora. In the past it was thought that a specific bacterium (Gardnerella) was responsible for BV. However, today it is known that many types of bacteria may cause this poorly understood vaginosis. Not much is known about its cause, but anything that may disrupt the natural bacterial ecology of the woman’s vagina may cause BV.

BV is very common. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, bacterial vaginosis is the most common form of vaginitis in women, especially in pregnant women. It has been estimated that 1,080,000 pregnant women in the United States suffer from bacterial vaginosis. BV main symptoms are: an abnormal vaginal discharge with a strong fish-like odor, usually white or gray. Burning and itching may be present. But it is also possible to have BV without many of these symptoms.

How is Bacterial Vaginosis Treated?

Bacterial vaginosis is treated with specific antibiotics that kill those overgrown bacterial populations. At present, BV is treated with the metronidazole or clindamycin antibiotics. These can be administered vaginally or orally.

Natural Cures for Bacterial Vaginosis

Traditional antibiotic therapy for treating bacterial vaginosis may be very effective but may come with some undesirable side effects such as nausea and vomiting. Sometimes these antibiotics fail to cure BV and recurrence of BV after antibiotic treatment is usually high.

The use of probiotics (living organisms which may have positive effects on health) have been found successful in treating bacterial vaginosis. Researchers have found that taking lactobacillus, either orally or with intra-vaginal tablets, was effective for bacterial vaginosis. Lactobacillus is the microorganism used to produce yogurt so, in theory, taking yogurt either orally or intra-vaginally may have some positive effect on treating BV. The reason why lactobacillus is effective in treating BV has to do with restoring the normal bacterial composition of the vagina.

One of the reasons of why BV occurs is said to be related to a change in the pH of the vagina. Thus, any effort in restoring the natural pH will have a positive effect in treating BV. An often natural home remedy recommended for BV is to use apple cider vinegar in the water bath. By putting a cup of apple cider vinegar in the water bath and soaking for 20 minutes symptoms of BV may disappear.

Teat tree oil is another natural alternative remedy for BV. Tea tree oil can be used either as suppositories or by diluting tea tree oil in water. Tea tree oil must always be diluted before using it to avoid allergic reactions.

Treatment for bacterial vaginosis at home without expensive and dangerous antibiotics is possible. They may offer a cheap and natural alternative treatment for BV. However, always ask your doctor before starting any natural cures for bacterial vaginosis.

Sources:

The new Harvard guide to women’s health. 2004. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674012828

Natural remedies: nondrug healing strategies that work best. 1999. Prevention Health Books Staff. Rodale Press

https://www.cdc.gov/std/BV/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm

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