Thrush - Bacterial Vaginosis & Maintaining A Healthy Vagina
Did you know your vagina has a number of good bacteria that help keep you healthy?
For many women it can be a very awkward topic, you might even seldom think about the health of your vagina. However it is an important aspect of female health, and it’s a common topic in my clinic. Did you to know that you’ve got up to 50 different strains of bacteria (good guys) in your vagina? And that when you’re exposed to a new sexual partner this can change the bacterial make up in your vagina?
In this post I want to spend some time going through some of the most common issues we run into when it comes to our lady bits.
Firstly the host of good bacteria I’ve mentioned above actually help to protect you against some of the nasty microbes that cause things like:
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)
Yeast infections- Thrush
STI’s like gonorrhoea and Chlamydia
Urinary tract infections (UTI’s)
From a naturopathic stand point this is why it’s important to support the entire ecosystem and health as opposed to simply trying to kill the bad microbes. For example in recurrent or stubborn infections it may be necessary to implement vaginal probiotics, and pre-biotics as well as herbal medicine to support your own immunity and help the good bugs flourish.
How can I tell if I have an abnormal bacterial overgrowth or thrush?
There are several symptoms you can look out for but keep in mind you can have one, all or none of these symptoms and still have an imbalance:
Fishy odour
White discharge
Itching
Heat/ Inflammation/ Discomfort
Pain during sex
Abnormal vaginal pH level
Some of the factors that can lead to a disrupted vaginal balance?
Antibiotic use
Hormonal contraception
Birth control methods including condoms
Sexual activity- Including new sexual partners, as well as new sexual activities
Lubricants
Douches
Poor immune system function
Genetics and physiology of you as an individual
Recent digestive upsets/ Gastro bugs
Change in hormonal levels especially oestrogen- like in the transition to menopause.
During my consultations with my clients who are suffering from recurrent thrush or bacterial vaginosis we spend some time addressing the potential contributing factors because to see long term improvements we need to try and remove or decrease the cause. This is where many naturopaths invest time in helping to get to the cause and not simply treating symptoms.
In the case of thrush it may be that both partners need to be supported to help reduce future recurrence. If only one person is treated and you’re having sexual intercourse while your partner is infected you may simply be reinfecting each other.
Request a vaginal swab be taken so you know what you’re dealing with!
This can be easily done through your GP and if you’ve been struggling for some time and haven’t had the appropriate diagnosis then testing is key. I’ve come across several clients who have assumed their issue is thrush and upon further testing it turned out to be something else.
Why you shouldn’t ignore bacterial vaginosis!
This is the most common vaginal condition among young women and can be caused by several different bacteria including gardnerella and E.Coli.
While it’s true that most cases of BV will self resolve, with symptoms clearing up within a number of days in some cases this infection can progress to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
This is where the infection and inflammation moves up into the uterus and Fallopian tubes and can result in scar damage and in worse cases infertility or removal of reproductive organs.
This is why it’s important if you have BV that you have it checked and tested, and address the infection. Please note conventional treatment may include antibiotics. If you are going down this route studies have shown that the application of certain probiotics can increase the effectiveness of antibiotics and decrease the reoccurrence of the BV which can be as high as 35%.
Antibiotics don’t just kill the bad bacteria, unfortunately they also decrease numbers of the good guys which will protect you from recurrent infections. So organise an appointment with your naturopath and make sure you’re implementing a holistic strategy for your vaginal health.
Checking vaginal pH
A healthy vaginal pH is 3.5-4.5 so slightly acidic, if for the above mentioned reasons your vaginal pH increases then this can lead to an increase in your susceptibility of BV and thrush. This is why you may find symptoms increase during your period when pH can go up to 7.
Checking your own pH level is very easily done at home with strips from the chemist, just keep in mind that these won’t confirm infections but can be handy for you to know and track as a health parameter.
How can a naturopath help with thrush or BV?
Removing the cause or aggravating factors- We’ll spend some time discussing changes in lifestyle and other habits in order to decrease your incidence of developing an overgrowth.
Dietary factors- Addressing things like sugar intake and fibre have been shown to have significant affects on promoting a healthier vaginal microbiome, and helping to keep the bad guys in check.
Probiotic use- Using different strains and rotating them to ensure you get a variety of species both orally and vaginally. There is ample research that has shown this significantly improves outcomes in both thrush and BV.
Herbal medicine- Where applicable I can use several different herbal medicines to help disrupt the overgrowth of bad bacteria and help promote the growth of good bacteria.
Don’t suffer in silence! I’ve had clients that have struggled with both BV and thrush for years before seeking naturopathic support.
Just know that you don’t have to simply live with it, get your health team on board to ensure you maintain a healthy vagina.
To find out more about organising a one to one session head across to this page. Alternatively fill out the form below and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
For more information on HPV- human papilloma virus head across to this post here.