Treating Bacterial Vaginosis with Naturopathic Medicine
Bacterial vaginosis is a condition I see in my female patients frequently in my NW Calgary Naturopathic Medicine practice. It is a condition that is uncomfortable and can be embarrassing for a patient, thus significantly impacting her quality of life.
An imbalance between good/healthy bacteria and bad/unhealthy bacteria is the cause for the inflammation that causes this condition. Several factors can make a female more prone to its development such as: Diabetes, pregnancy, smoking, antibiotic use, have multiple sexual partners or a new sexual partner, douching, or a weakened immune system.
Symptoms of Bacterial vaginosis include: burning,itching, swelling and/or redness of the vulva, a white or grey odorous discharge (which is typically worse after sexual intercourse), and pain with urination.
This condition is diagnosed by a vaginal swab to inspect the discharge. Treatment involves antibiotics. Patients can be prone to this condition returning, and so it is important to look at the underlying causes that may make a patient more susceptible to developing this condition. So what options does Naturopathic Medicine have to offer? Keep reading below.
Diet and Nutrition
Making some healthy diet changes could be very beneficial in the treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis. Reducing refined sugars (sugar, juice, sweets) and refined carbohydrates (such as white rice, bread, pasta, baked goods) can support the immune system. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables can support the bodies nutrition as well.
Vitamins and Supplements
There are lots of options here to reduce inflammation and to support the immune system, but we definitely want to look at supplementing with some professional grade probiotics to rebalance the vaginal flora. It is important to speak to your Naturopathic Doctor to make sure there are no interactions for you and that they are safe for your individual health history. You can read more about professional grade supplements here.
Herbs
This is a great option for reducing inflammation and supporting your immune system. You can read more about herbs here.
Lifestyle Counseling
A lot of factors could help here, such as reducing smoking, taking care not to douche, wearing cotton underwear, and abstaining from sexual intercourse until you are healed.
As you can see there are quite a few options that Naturopathic Medicine has to offer patients suffering from Bacterial Vaginosis, Don’t hesitate to contact me at my NW Calgary Naturopathic Medicine practice to see if any of these options could be helpful to you
Naturopathic Vitality Acupuncture and Wellness Clinic
205-5403 Crowchild Trail NW, Calgary, AB
(403) 719-2594
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