I bet some of you have clicked onto this post in horror, or simply
cringed towards the title. But why should this be a taboo subject? Talking
about vaginal health shouldn’t be an embarrassment, I mean, it often only centres
around good and bad bacteria and a change in pH levels. It is estimated that 1
in 3 women in the UK will experience Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), that’s 8.9
million women in the UK alone so it’s very common. Something as simple as
going to gym to do a workout can trigger it. So, what is BV, how
can you get it, and how can you diagnose it.
When you think of an issue down below the chances of anyone
confiding in someone else or talking to a doctor is often slim. Most women
straight away diagnose vaginal irritation as ‘thrush’ but an incorrect
diagnosis may be the cause of ongoing symptoms. BV is the most common vaginal
condition for women, in fact, it’s twice as common as thrush. Whilst there are
some differences in symptoms between thrush and BV, namely a distinctive odour
with BV that is not present with thrush, yet most women still reach out for a
tube of thrush cream.
So, a healthy vagina is all about balance: it is home to
millions of micro-organisms and is normally good at keeping them stable. Lactobacillus is a ‘good’ bacteria that helps
to stop other more harmful micro-organisms from growing, and maintains the pH (acid-alkaline)
balance of your vagina. When this
balance gets disrupted, you’ll start to notice that things aren’t quite right and you
could be developing BV.
What can trigger BV in your day to day life? It is a common misconception that having BV
means that you are not clean. In fact, scented soap, shower washes and
even douches can upset your natural bacterial balance, which makes you more
likely to develop BV. So, if you are feeling a little irritable down below,
perhaps reassess the options that you have available in your shower. If you
think you have BV check out the symptoms chart below or the online symptom
checker on Balance Activ.
BV may need to be treated. Not just because of the uncomfortable symptoms, but BV has been linked to more serious health implications. If you think you have BV and you are pregnant you should talk to your doctor or midwife as here may be different bacterium involved which can cause complications. There are a variety of effective treatment options available, including antibiotics and over the counter vaginal gels, pessaries and alternative remedies. Over the counter remedies are a good option to treat BV in the first instance, like Balance Activ which contains a unique combination of lactic acid and glycogen. The lactic acid helps to combat BV and the glycogen provides nutrients to help the good bacteria regrow, maintain and restore your natural balance. Some women say that it has an instant effect, calming the vagina and relieving symptoms.
So there we go guys, an irritable vagina does not mean that you are unhygienic in any way, but it is just down to the pH levels which are going a little chaotic. This post was a little different for me so please give me a tweet if you enjoyed it.
Did you find this post useful? Drop me a tweet over at @eltoria_
Much Love
Eltoria x
*This post contains sponsored content but all opinions are my own
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Eltoria- South West Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger and South West YouTuber
