Maintain Hygiene And Get Rid Of Vaginal Infections!

Being one of the most important parts of a female body, vagina needs special care, cleanliness, and hygiene. This very fact should be clear to each woman those who suffer and also those who don’t suffer from vaginal infections.

Vagina has its entity and self mechanisms by which it can clean up itself. Certain friendly bacteria are present in the vagina which helps maintain the ph balance and a sound environment by killing or eliminating other non-friendly bacteria’s, viruses, fungi etc.

Acidity of the vagina should be maintained in order to keep it safe from the other germs which may come into play and cause vaginal infections. Vaginal infections include signs or symptoms like itchiness, white discharge with odor or a yellowish color, irritation, etc. These are common and are found in almost every parts of the globe. Vaginal infection is also known as vaginitis.

There are basically three types of vaginal infections that can be categorized. They are:

Bacterial vaginosis

This is a type of vaginal infection in which multiplication of a specific type of bacteria occurs. This bacterium is necessarily not harmful and is normal bacteria which overgrowths in the vagina. Vaginal discharge with a typical foul smell and a grey to whitish coloration is observed in this case. It is believed that having multiple sex partners or having sex with the same gender or homosexuality is the cause of bacterial vaginosis.

Vaginal yeast infection

This type is associated with the attack of certain yeast or fungi in the vagina. When the friendly bacteria’s in the vagina are not in a proper ratio, the uncontrolled multiplication of a fungus called Candida albicans takes place which causes yeast infections.

Trichomoniasis

This type of vaginal infection is caused through sexually transmitted disease caused by a parasite, mainly a protozoa (flagellated microscopic parasite), named Trichomonas vaginalis found in the vagina or the tissues of urethra. It is curable.

What are the causes?

When the normal or the friendly bacteria inside the vagina are not present in the desired amount or is not balanced it causes vaginal infection. This is caused due to certain hormonal changes, stressed condition, etc. Using cleansers like perfumed soap in the genital area causes an up down in the PH by not maintaining the desired amount of acidity; this causes overgrowth of these normal bacteria’s. This basically causes a vaginal infection.

If you use tampon to soak the menstrual fluid during your periods it may cause a vaginal infection by overgrowing the bacteria’s present in the vagina. It causes toxic shock syndrome, which includes signs of fever, diarrhea, etc. When you undertake sexual intercourse without protection you may have an elevated chance of suffering vaginal infections.

This may even give rise by body contact. Women those who have diabetes that is high sugar level are more prone to vaginal infection. Frequent douching that is washing your vaginal area with heavy stream of water often increases the chance of vaginal infection.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of vaginal infections are basically inflammation of the area outside the vagina; it may cause redness, itching and irritation in the vagina. A very specific symptom is vaginal discharge, which in low amount is fine but when the amount is more than usual and will have a characteristic foul odor with grayish to whitish or yellowish color, you should contact your health service provider. Pain during intercourse and thereafter bleeding after sex is a symptom of infection. You may even suffer an unusual pain in the abdominal area, accompanied with sores, blisters and even ulcer in the anal region.

How can it be diagnosed?

Diagnosis should be strictly followed or done with the help of a medical practitioner and never self diagnosis should be encouraged. Self diagnosis often done by many of us misleads us to a great extent and wrong tests along with the intake of wrong medicine are practiced. This should be first of all barred.

Secondly, your health provider may ask to collect the discharge and the doctor will culture that discharge in the laboratory to find out the actual reason of the infection. Finding out the proper source is very important as you may even have more than one type of infection.

Your doctor or nurse may look through the passage of the vagina using a speculum which helps to carefully observe, and take a swab of the cells in the vagina, with the help of cotton. These are then cultured and diagnosed. The acidity, consistency, color, odor, etc are the key factors to detect the infection. Sometimes your doctor may ask to collect a sample of your urine.

Treatment through medication

The thrush or the white velvety lesion can be treated with the help of various medicines or drugs and these help in completely clearing the infection in some women. Certain anti fungal creams that break the cycle of the growth of fungus are used, such as Canesten, a medicine which is chemically an imidazole cream, or Diflucan also a medicine available in pharmacies. Bacterial vaginosis can be treated with anti biotic creams but also the use of tablets is common provided by your physician.

When you are affected with trichomoniasis you should opt for a sex clinic and also get your male sex partner treated because he might be unaware of the infection he has. Often use of antibiotics are also prescribed.  In case of Chlamydia or gonorrhea which is the same kind of disease giving you uncomfortable itching resulting in infection by bacteria is treated by almost similar way, by the use of anti biotic.

Treatment via home remedies

Eating yoghurt has proved to be of help because it contains acidophilus cultures. Though the scientific use of yoghurts in treating vaginal infection is not found to be that effective by practitioners. You may even use vinegar to douche your vagina, but again in every step you take to treat the disease a doctor should be consulted.

Preventive measures

You should keep your vaginal area clean, dry and tidy. You should always change your panty daily, and wear cotton light fitted underwear. Avoid wearing extremely tight pants or denims. Once any symptoms appear going to a doctor should be the first step.