Medicinal treatment options for bacterial vaginosis (BV) include oral antibiotics and vaginal gels. Normally BV clears up completely without complications after treatment, and no follow-up is required if symptoms are no longer present. But because identifying the exact cause of the condition has been difficult, it is a challenge to treat bacterial vaginosis successfully.

The treatment for bacterial vaginosis primarily aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms and restoring the normal vaginal flora. The standard bacterial vaginosis treatment is antibiotics. The antibiotic routinely prescribed is metronidazole, which are available in the form of tablets or vaginal gel. Both are effective bacterial vaginosis treatments. Another antibiotic that are commonly used is vaginal clindamycin cream.

The oral metronidazole is thus far considered the most effective drug treatment for BV. However, it can cause some minor but horrible side effects. The vaginal gels are usually free of antibiotic-related side effects, but there is a chance of triggering a secondary yeast infection. The internationally recommended treatments for bacterial vaginosis include 7 days of oral metronidazole (400 mg twice daily) or vaginal clindamycin (1 g at night).

Tinidazole is a newer antibiotic that has been shown to cause fewer side effects than metronidazole. It is also effective for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis may appear to be successfully cleared up with antibiotic, but there is still a chance for recurrence. More than half of women treated with antibiotics have recurring bacterial vaginosis within a year. In fact, recent medical studies found that two thirds of BV patients failed standard antibiotic treatment for BV and have multiple episodes of recurrent BV. If 30% of the US adult population has BV, then there would be at least 20 million women suffering from recurring bacterial vaginosis.

It remains to be elucidated as to why recurrent bacterial vaginosis happens. When a recurring episode hits, usually another course of antibiotics will be prescribed to relieve the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. However, standard antibiotic treatment for bacterial vaginosis usually only provides short-term symptom relief in a large propotion of BV patients. This is quite well aware among doctors and even patients themselves. A second episode of bacterial vaginosis can return any time and make a vengeance. This is why natural remedies and homeopathic treatments for bacterial vaginosis are becoming more widely used to avoid the side effects of long-term antibiotic treatment.

If you prefer fast natural cures for bacterial vaginosis symptoms, the 3-step attack plan in 3 Days to Permanent Bacterial Vaginosis Relief guide may be a good one to start with.

Serena is a freelance health writer, who has written for major pharmaceutical and international medical communication companies.
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