Just like all prescription drugs will not work the same for everyone, the same holds true for herbal applications. Your results may differ from others.

If you seem to have a strong odor this does not mean anything is wrong with you or that you need correcting or perfumes or deodorants.

When something is wrong or has changed that is when the odor can become extremely strong or unusual in nature. If you notice a shift or change from the norm with your body then it should be looked into.

When we confine our bodies to tight, restrictive clothing and non-natural fibers it isn’t unusual for an odor to build up due to sweating and other normal body functions. Usually a simple shower or bath using regular soap works fine.

There is no need to go overboard constantly using anti-bacterials, heavily perfumed products and feminine deodorants. These products can actually be the culprits in triggering BV.

Stockings that do not have a cotton or breathable crotch can be a big problem since they are very confining and do not allow air to circulate.

BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS (general outline)

Bacterial Vaginosis is not an infection. The term "vagin-osis" denotes a changing condition within the vagina. You will see me use the term "infection" throughout this report because the word is easy to use to convey the message.

Whether or not Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is a sexually transmitted disease is a debatable topic even among professionals. BV is the most common vaginal ailment affecting 1 out of every 5 women of reproductive age. BV is thought to be caused by an overgrowth of "bad" bacteria normally found in the vagina (Specifically Gardnerella Vaginalis, and others).

Since other vaginal infections (such as a yeast infection) can have some of the same symptoms it is possible to confuse your self-diagnosis with the wrong ailment.

There is no single trigger for BV but more than likely it is a combination of factors that lead to the unfortunate overgrowth.

Bacterial Vaginosis is caused by an overgrowth in your vagina of anaerobic bacteria (anaerobic - meaning the bacteria don't need any oxygen to survive or grow) and an organism called Gardnerella. Small amounts of these anaerobic bacteria and Gardnerella can normally be found in your vagina.

Bacterial Vaginosis occurs when the balance of organisms in your vagina is upset and the anaerobic bacteria and Gardnerella overgrow or multiply to an unhealthy state.

The good, protective bacteria Lactobacilli that also normally live within your vagina, is then outnumbered and is not able to do its regular job of keeping the bad bacteria in check. The friendly bacteria produce a natural disinfectant (like hydrogen peroxide) which help keep organisms at the normal, healthy balance in your vagina.

The friendly bacteria also produce small quantities of lactic acid. This lactic acid also serves another beneficial purpose by keeping the general environment of your vagina in a slightly acidic state.

This acidic environment does a couple of things. First is, the lactobacilli prefer to live in a slightly acidic home (which is why this bacteria also thrive in your stomach and are very beneficial in protecting you there also). Second, the unfriendly bacteria do not thrive as well in this acidic environment.

The main, good bacteria that live in the vagina are called lactobacilli.

The exact reasons that bacteria overgrow are not known. BV is not a true sexually transmitted disease, but it is more common in women with multiple sexual partners. Many times, BV develops after sexual intercourse with a new partner. However, women who are not sexually active can also get BV including virgins who have never had sex.

A healthy vagina normally contains both good and bad bacteria, with the good bacteria existing in the majority. This good bacterium helps to actually keep the bad bacteria in check.

Here is what is important about the information in the box.

• Women that did NOT have BV only had a few types of bacterial species and lactobacillus was the dominant species.
• Women that had BV had a large variety of bacteria, along with a reduction in the amounts of lactobacillus.

Improper douching may contribute to the destruction of lactobacilli in the vagina, and while some studies have shown that women who douche at least monthly double their risk of Vaginosis there are also indications that "proper" douching does not bring on bouts of BV.

Perfumed douches or douches that contain extra or other chemicals are not recommend and are more likely to upset the natural balance of your vagina.

• Antibiotics - these are a common culprit because they are so widely prescribed and used in our society and antibiotics tend to kill all bacteria, even the good ones that we need to stay healthy.
• Do not use antibacterial wipes or alcohol wipes on your vagina when simply cleaning up.
• Spermicides
• Vaginal hygiene products – deodorants, perfumes, douches, scented tampons, etc.
• Detergents
• Fabric softeners
• New sex partner, multiple sex partners
• E. Coli, which is a normal inhabitant of the rectum, can cause BV if it is spread to the vaginal area.
• IntraUterine Device (IUD) for birth control
• Unclean sex toys or sex enhancement products that contain sugar or chemicals.
• It appears that the presence of a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) increases the risk of BV; up to 64% of women with STDs also have BV, compared with 10-20% of all women.
• The act of getting piercings or tattoos in the vaginal area could also contribute.
• Other factors, which may contribute, include hot weather, tight clothing, poor general health, and poor hygiene.

While we have discussed mainly products and objects that can potentially trigger BV lets talk about something else that may trigger it but is certainly harder to control.

Hormonal changes are thought to play a large role in why BV occurs.

What are some of the more common hormonal culprits that may be causing your BV?

• Stress
• Menstruation
• Pregnancy (about 10% to 30% of pregnant women develop BV)
• Birth Control pills

All of these situations can induce hormonal changes than can influence the vaginal environment.

Again, what causes BV is unclear and scientist are still struggling to try and pinpoint more exact causes.

It is normal for women to have discharge or "leakage" from the vagina. You should not try to stop, control or clean it constantly. Use it as a natural guide. If you notice a change in your discharge then this means something (positive or negative) has changed within you.

Most girls notice a yellow or white stain on their underwear after they go through puberty. This is a normal fluid that helps clean and moisten your vagina. You are completely healthy and normal if your discharge is cloudy white has no odor or has a slightly salty/acidic odor, increases and become "stringy" (like egg whites) during the middle of your menstrual cycle when you are ovulating

If you find that your normal discharge is annoying, you can wear non-chemically treated (non-perfumed) panty liners/shields on your underwear. Also, to keep your vaginal discharge under control, make sure you wear cotton underwear (which absorbs moisture and lets air circulate). Take daily showers or baths and make sure that you wash outside your vaginal area every day with only water or mild soap, and then rinse and dry yourself.

Avoid washing inside your vaginal area and avoid anti-bacterial soaps that will also kill the good bacteria.

Don't use deodorized panty liners or deodorant sprays in your vaginal area. These chemical deodorants and perfumes are exactly the kinds of irritants that can possibly trigger Bacterial Vaginosis.

Use the following guide to see whether your discharge indicates a potential problem:

DISCHARGE: thin, milk-like; white or grayish in color; has a foul, fishy odor

INFECTION: Bacterial vaginosis

DISCHARGE: heavy, foam-like; yellowish-to-green; foul odor

INFECTION: Trichomoniasis

DISCHARGE: thick, cottage cheese-like; white; no odor

INFECTION: Yeast

 Keeping it Clean

As mentioned above douching may cause infections by changing the normal balance of organisms in your vagina.

Douching can also make an infection worse if you already have one, pushing the infection up into your reproductive area, or hiding symptoms of a vaginal infection so it is harder to diagnose and treat it. Other things that may cause vaginal infections are scented tampons, deodorant spray, and harsh soaps.

Why do women douche?

Women douche because they mistakenly believe it gives many benefits. In reality, douching may do more harm than good.

Common reasons women give for using douches include:

• clean the vagina
• rinse away blood after monthly periods
• get rid of odors from the vagina
• avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• prevent pregnancy

How common is douching?

Douching is common among women in the United States. It is estimated that 20 to 40 percent of American women aged 15 to 44 years douche regularly. About half of these women douche every week.

You do not need any of these things to clean your vagina. Your vagina cleans itself best when you don't use any of these types of products.

Mother Nature built in her own natural self-cleaning mechanisms and to use an old phrase, "you shouldn’t mess with Mother Nature". All the "Not So Fresh Feeling" advertisements have probably done more harm to women than good by promoting the fact that women are unclean or smell bad even when nothing is wrong, by making women feel bad about themselves and their perfectly normal and natural scent.

Something most people never think about that can cause harm is toilet paper. In the national obsession to make everything smell nice there are now many toilet-paper products that are scented or contain unneeded chemicals or 'lotions" for added comfort and softness.

Avoid these toilet papers as they can contribute chemicals to your vaginal area that can upset the bacterial balance.

Up to 50% of women diagnosed with Bacterial Vaginosis do not have symptoms.

Some women never know they even have Bacterial Vaginosis because the annoying symptoms (listed below) never occur. But obviously you had some sort of noticeable symptom that led you to believe you have Bacterial Vaginosis.

The outward signs of Bacterial Vaginosis may include a strong foul, fishy or musty odor and a milky-white to gray vaginal discharge. The discharge may be light or heavy and it also can tend to cling or adhere to the vaginal wall.

The odor may get worse around the time of menstruation or after unprotected sexual intercourse. When semen (male sperm) mixes with vaginal secretions, the odor becomes stronger. Less likely to occur is the vagina may also be itchy and/or may burn.

• Normal vaginal secretions may change to a watery, pearly gray discharge. Profuse, thin gray-white, non-clumping discharge. (NOTE: If the discharge is thick and has a curd-like or cottage cheese like consistency then you probably have a Yeast Infection)
• There may be a strong odor from the vagina, and the smell may be worse after unprotected sex or close to or during menstruation.

While the most commonly reported odor is fishy or musty many women report other odors like, onion, chemical, metallic or bleach emanating from their vagina. While there may be something else wrong if you smell another odor the most likely explanation is simply the interpretation of the smell.

 Picture of Bacterial Vaginosis

I am including a picture although it probably won’t help much because there is nothing really definitive to see.

The picture below is of a vagina that has Bacterial Vaginosis. The one thing you can see is the color and type of discharge. Though this can also vary slightly from woman to woman.

 Smell is Worse after Sex

The reason the odor is often stronger after (*unprotected) intercourse has to do with the pH balance or the alkaline/acid balance of your vagina. (*Unprotected – When the man does not use a condom to keep semen from coming into contact with the vagina.)

The vagina normally has a slightly acid environment and this is part of the natural defense mechanism. The bad bacteria don’t grow as well in this acid environment and the good bacterial (mentioned earlier) called Lactobacilli actually prefer the acid environment.

While normal vaginal secretions have a pH of about 4, the pH of vaginal secretions during Bacterial Vaginosis is greater than 4.7.

Semen, on the other hand, has a neutral pH of around 7. When semen is introduced into a vagina that has Bacterial Vaginosis the bad bacteria suddenly have a playground that is better for it to thrive in.

The odor, which is often described as "fishy," is caused by amines released by anaerobic flora (the bad bacteria). Release of the amine odor (fishy odor) is increased with alkaline pH, semen can increase the alkaline pH, and in this environment the anaerobic bacteria release more amines.

The same holds true for blood, which leans toward a neutral or slightly alkaline pH. Which is why the fishy odor may also increase around or during menstruation.

IMPORTANT: Just because the fishy odor may disappear does not mean that your BV has gone away also.

Other symptoms of BV might include:

• Itching around the vagina.
• Burning pain after urinating. It is actually rare for this to occur and may be an indication of another problem.

Both of these two symptoms (itching and burning) may not occur as often with Bacterial Vaginosis and if you have them may indicate another or additional problem.

It may also mean that the condition has persisted enough to inflame the vulva.

One of the more disturbing aspects of BV is that the infection frequently returns after prescription antibiotic treatment. About 30 percent of women have a recurrence within six months of treatment.

Example: If 100 women go to a doctor and get a prescription medicine to treat their BV then about 30 women will see their BV return within 6 months.

If Bacterial Vaginosis is left untreated, it can cause more serious symptoms and even lead to infertility or a potentially serious condition called Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is an infection of a woman's uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries. It is caused by bacteria that travel from a woman's vagina and cervix up into her reproductive organs.

If you someday expect to get pregnant it is best not to let Bacterial Vaginosis go untreated. If left untreated, PID can cause fertility problems making it difficult to become pregnant. PID also boosts a woman's chances of ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also reported that having Bacterial Vaginosis can:

• Increase a woman's chance of developing HIV.
• Increase the chance that an HIV-positive woman can pass it to her partner.
• Increase the chance of developing pelvic inflammatory disease.
• Increase the chance of pre-term delivery of a baby.
• Increase the chance for getting other STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases).

If you have Bacterial Vaginosis and become pregnant or are pregnant and develop it, this common vaginal infection can cause early rupture of the membranes or premature labor.

Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis (non-herbal)

Although BV can sometimes clear up without treatment, all women with symptoms of BV should be treated to avoid such complications as PID. Male partners do not need to be treated. However, BV may spread between female sex partners.

Treatment is especially important for pregnant women. All pregnant women who have ever had a premature delivery or low birth weight baby should be considered for a BV examination, regardless of symptoms, and should be treated if they have BV. All pregnant women who have symptoms of BV should be checked and treated. It is common for doctors to check for BV when working with pregnant women.

Some physicians recommend that all women undergoing a hysterectomy or abortion be treated for BV prior to the procedure, regardless of symptoms, to reduce their risk of developing PID.

BV is treatable with antibiotics but as mentioned earlier antibiotics also kill even the good bacteria and many women often will develop BV again.

Two different antibiotics are recommended as treatment for BV: metronidazole or clindamycin. Either can be used with non-pregnant or pregnant women, but the recommended dosages differ. Women with BV who are HIV-positive should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.

Clindamycin is available under the brand name Cleocin, both as a 7-day vaginal cream and as a 3-night vaginal suppository (Cleocin vaginal ovules) which has been approved as an equivalent treatment to the 7-day cream. Most recently, a single-dose clindamycin vaginal cream under the name Clindesse has also been released as an equivalent treatment. Clindamycin should not prescribed orally for BV because of the drug's potential side effect of producing very serious diarrhea diseases and possibly even a life-threatening intestinal infection caused by Clostridium.

Metronidazole is available by prescription either in tablet form or as a topical gel for insertion vaginally. The oral formulation of generic metronidazole or the brand name, Flagyl, is most commonly prescribed at a dose of 500 milligrams twice a day for 7 days.

People are strongly cautioned that they may experience severe nausea and vomiting if they attempt to consume alcohol while taking Metronidazole and it can also have a very bitter metallic taste that can linger.

While the initial success rates (5 out of 6 women will be "cured") are pretty good for these antibiotics there is approximately a 30% chance the BV will reoccur within 4 weeks to 6 months. Actually putting the success rate somewhere around 50%-65%.

Here are some general prices you could expect to pay for common prescription antibiotics.

Doctor visit can easily cost $100.00

Flagyl 250mg 30 capsules $74.07

MetroCream .75% (1) 45gm tube $160.86

Clindesse cream 2% (1) 5.8gm tube $160.86

Cleocin 150mg 30 capsules $92.34

All brands mentioned are name brands (generics are available) and these are the smallest amounts you can get.

The Amazing $5 Treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis

Plus, learn what you should do to never have to deal with Bacterial Vaginosis again.

If you would like to read PART 2 and the 25 additional pages concerning how to easily eliminate BV naturally using home remedy herbal and kitchen ingredients and to keep BV from recurring then please visit the link below.

Many women will get BV again and again even after using prescription antibiotics and other products. You need to learn how to prevent it from occurring in the first place and to quickly eliminate it naturally should another bout flare up.

Discover a powerful all-natural $5 home remedy using the power of Mother Nature!

The simple 3 Step Plan you must follow to ensure success!

Multiple herbal ingredients for getting rid of Bacterial Vaginosis.

The Steps to take to prevent Bacterial Vaginosis in the first place.

Myths and facts about such treatments as, can yogurt be used to get rid of BV?

Experience rapid relief from some of the symptoms!

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