For some women, bacterial vaginosis (BV) clears up without any treatment, while others must address their symptoms with a doctor-approved method. Antibiotic treatments taken orally or vaginally are seen as the most effective methods for fighting BV. While bacterial vaginosis usually clears up in 2 to 3 days with antibiotics, you must continue treatment for the full 7 days. This will also decrease your chances of suffering a recurrence of the condition.
Effective Treatments for Bacterial Vaginosis
A doctor may choose from a handful of antibiotics to treat your BV symptoms, which include:
• Metronidazole – in oral pill form (Flagyl) or with a vaginal metronidazole gel (Metrogel)
• Clindamycin – as a vaginal cream (Cleocin)
• Tinidazole – in tablet form (Tindamax)
To balance vaginal pH associated with bacterial vaginosis, using products that acidify the body, such as Aci-Jel, has proven to prevent and treat BV on a limited basis.
It is important to note that despite the use of antibiotics to treat bacterial vaginosis, the condition can recur at any time [1].
Importance of Treatment for Pregnant Women
Not all women should wait for a case of bacterial vaginosis to clear up on its own. Pregnant women who have experienced a premature delivery or have given birth to a baby with low birth weight should consider a BV examination for future pregnancies – regardless of symptoms. Immediate screening and treatment is recommended to avoid the potential complications that can affect an expectant mother. Bacterial vaginosis can cause early labor, miscarriages, other infections, and additional problems for mother and baby.
Pregnant women can be treated with metronidazole or clindamycin, but the recommended dosages and forms will differ. For example, a doctor will avoid prescribing a vaginal treatment for a pregnant woman.
Other Treatment Factors
Women who are undergoing a hysterectomy or abortion should also be treated for bacterial vaginosis prior to their procedure (regardless of symptoms) to reduce the risk of developing a post-surgery infection.
Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment Concerns
If you use antibiotics to treat your bacterial vaginosis, there is a range of medical concerns and side effects that you should become aware of, such as:
a) Interaction with Alcohol:
If you are taking metronidazole or tinidazole to treat BV, you should know that mixing alcohol with the drugs can cause severe nausea and vomiting. This also includes taking other over-the-counter medications that contain alcohol, such as NyQuil. Even the small amount of alcohol found in many cough syrups can cause nausea and vomiting if you are prescribed metronidazole [2].
b) Birth Control Use:
Physical methods of birth control, such as condoms and diaphragms, can become compromised if you use a vaginal treatment for bacterial vaginosis. For example, the oil in clindamycin cream and ovules (capsules) can weaken latex. As a result, your risk increases for contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or becoming pregnant.
c) Side Effects:
There is always the potential of experiencing side effects when taking an antibiotic for bacterial vaginosis. For instance, the oral form of metronidazole (seen as one of the most effective lines of treatment) is known to produce a few minor yet unpleasant side effects, such as diarrhea or constipation, dizziness, and nausea. Tinidazole (Tindamax) is a bacterial vaginosis antibiotic that seems to produce fewer side effects than metronidazole.
d) Yeast Infection:
Some antibiotics have a reputation for causing a vaginal yeast infection that brings on itching, redness, and a lumpy, white discharge [3]. Gel treatments for BV do not typically cause side effects, but some women report yeast vaginitis as a side effect of the medication.
Resources
[1] http://www.cdc.gov/std/bv/stdfact-bacterial-vaginosis.htm
[2] http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/vaginal/234.html
[3] http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/tc/bacterial-vaginosis-topic-overview?page=2
