How to treat vaginal conditions comprehensively?
The importance of establishing the correct diagnosis cannot be overstated. Without an accurate diagnosis, treatment recommendations and prognoses may lack precision.
Adhere to the current protocol for antimicrobial therapy. Following established guidelines ensures optimal treatment outcomes. Furthermore, consider incorporating probiotics alongside antimicrobial treatment. The use of scientifically designed, clinically researched and vaginally applied probiotics can have the following beneficial effects:
- Compensate for antimicrobial resistance
- Reduce antimicrobial overuse
- Competitively displace the pathogenic species
- Re-stablish acidic environment
- Rupture pathogenic biofilms and prevent their adherence to vaginal wall cells
- Support immunological response
Prevention and Advise
Consider minimizing the risk factors that can negatively influence the vaginal health:
- Avoid vaginal douching, scented vaginal lubricants and cosmetic products
- 5 or more sexual partners per year has been connected with increased risk of vaginal infections (Bradshaw, 2013).
- Consider treatment of your sexual partner.
- Anal sex followed by vaginal penetrative sex is a high risk of introducing pathogenic species into vagina (Bradshaw, 2005). Oral sex carries a risk of introducing Candida organisms into vagina.
- Diet high in sugars and saturated fat is a risk factor for destroying vaginal microbiome. Include in your diet food with enough content of vitamin C and folic acid and minerals such as calcium (Mizgier, 2020).
Follow up
It is recommended to organise a follow up meeting 3 months after treatment and evaluate the composition of the vaginal microbiome. This assessment helps determine treatment success and provides insights into the vaginal microbiome even in the absence of symptoms.
References:
Bradshaw et al. Prevalent and incident bacterial vaginosis are associated with sexual and contraceptive behaviours in young Australian women. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e57688. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057688.
Bradshaw et al. Higher-risk behavioral practices associated with bacterial vaginosis compared with vaginal candidiasis. Obstet Gynecol. 2005 Jul;106(1):105-14. doi: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000163247.78533.7b.
Mizgier et al. The role of diet and probiotics in prevention and treatment of bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis in adolescent girls and non-pregnant women. Ginekol Pol. 2020;91(7):412-416. doi: 10.5603/GP.2020.0070.
