Bacterial vaginosis, otherwise known as BV is an inflammation of the vaginal region. What causes bacterial vaginosis is a combination of different strains of bacteria in the vagina. Because the condition is caused by a number of bacteria it is more difficult to diagnose and treat bacterial vaginosis than infections caused by a single strain of bacteria. The vagina naturally hosts multiple bacteria so the presence of more than one type of bacteria is not in and of itself the cause of bacterial vaginosis. There are both good and bad bacteria in the vagina and what causes bacterial vaginosis is when the bad bacteria outnumber the amount of good bacteria presence in the vagina at the time.

What Causes Bacterial Vaginosis

Any discussion about what causes bacterial vaginosis must include improper wiping after using the toilet. Although not a common cause, it is worthy of mention.  Sometimes, fecal bacteria are transferred from the rectal area to the vagina and this increases the likelihood of a vaginal infection. For this reason it is very important that proper hygiene be observed. When you use the bathroom it is important that you clean yourself from front to back in order to avoid the transference of fecal bacteria to the vaginal area. Failure to do this will result in a buildup of bad bacteria in the vagina, which is exactly what causes bacterial vaginosis if it outnumbers the bad bacteria.

In addition to not cleaning yourself in the proper way after using the bathroom, what causes bacterial vaginosis can be wearing tight garments such as tight jeans and underwear like thongs. These garments not only irritate the vaginal area but also help to transfer bacteria from the anus to the vagina much like improper cleaning up after a bowel movement.

While bacterial vaginosis is not considered to be a sexually transmitted disease, it is believed that having multiple sexual partners can contribute to bacterial vaginosis. This is said to be particularly so in alternative sexual situations such as anal intercourse in a heterosexual relationship or lesbian sexual interactions.

Having determined what could be causing BV, it is important to also consider the possible treatment options for bacterial vaginosis available to you. Although bacterial vaginosis is generally thought to only affect women in their child-bearing age which is the time between their first period and menopause, it sometimes can affects pre-pubescent girls. It usually presents itself as a mild infection which may be treated with simple medications. Some bacterial vaginosis however are much worse and causes a great deal of discomfort, particularly in older women. In these instances it is of great importance that you visit your doctor for a thorough check up. The doctor after carrying out a complete check up will more than likely prescribe you an antibiotic to help relieve the symptoms of the infection. While prescription antibiotics are effective at clearing up bacterial vaginosis, they are reputedly ineffective at preventing recurrences and are even believed to possibly cause them. For this reason natural home remedies are often used as an alternative treatment method for bacterial vaginosis infections.

When looking at what causes bacterial vaginosis, it is important to understand that it is possible to eliminate most of the common causes and this in itself can help to prevent repeated outbreaks.

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