When it comes to talking about our nether regions most of us find it difficult speaking with close friends let alone a doctor, leading many women to look for alternative home remedies for conditions such as BV. We’ve run through some of the most common home-treatments to assess whether these can provide some relief or whether they may in fact be damaging to your body.
In all cases, we always recommend visiting a doctor in the first instance.
Applying Yoghurt To The Affected Region
One of the oldest remedies out there which focusses on applying lactobacillus directly into the vagina with the medium of yoghurt. Some ladies advise coating a tampon with yoghurt and inserting it in the vagina overnight. Lactobacillus is a key component of maintaining vaginal health, but not all yoghurts contain these bacteria. The other factor to think about is that yoghurts are made as a food stuff and are likely to include other ingredients such as sugar. Some of these ingredients may actually worsen symptoms, so it’s worth finding treatments which are designed for this purpose.
Steam Baths:
Very hot baths and vaginal steaming are not recommended to treat BV. Aside from the very real danger of scalding and burns, this treatment can completely eradicate healthy bacteria such as lactobacillus, which helps to fight infections by harmful organisms and is your front line of defence against infections. Harming these and altercating your body’s natural balance mechanism in the pursuit of a ‘clean’ vagina can do negatively impact on your health. It is really best not to attempt this at home under any circumstances
Hydrogen Peroxide:
Hydrogen peroxide solution is readily available online and in stores and many women apply this chemical to the affected area using a douche. There are several issues which can arise from this solution – hydrogen peroxide is effectively a caustic agent and may reduce the levels of good bacteria in your vagina as well as the bacteria causing the ailment. Whilst you may temporarily get rid of BV, it is also likely to leave your vagina open to infection. Secondly, hydrogen peroxide is unlikely to tackle any of the bacteria that have created a ‘biofilm’ to adhere to vaginal walls and are not floating freely in the vagina. It is therefore much better to encourage your own body’s lactobacillus to do the job it’s meant to and fight BV.
Tea Tree Oil:
The antiseptic effect of Tea Tree oil can kill the bacteria which is the cause of BV, however it also damages the good bacteria in the region. This is likely to upset the delicate balance in the vagina causing further issues. Tea tree oil may also cause irritation as this is a delicate part of the body.
Taking Probiotics:
Probiotics can be very effective for boosting the natural levels of bacteria that your gut needs to stay in top shape if this becomes out of balance. However, it’s unlikely that orally consumed probiotics will resolve the upset environment in your vagina, therefore it’s better to use a treatment which has been designed for this purpose.
For consistent results, you may want to try an acidifying cream such as Balance Activ, which contains active ingredients such as glycogen to encourage healthy lactobacillus without leaving your vagina under threat of infection or irritation.
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This Bacterial Vaginosis – How Effective Are Home Remedies For
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