Why would BV keep coming back?
When vaginal pH is too highthat is, too basic or alkalineit may encourage the growth of bacteria associated with BV. As a result, maintaining a vaginal pH that’s slightly acidic may help prevent reinfection. One way to prevent your vaginal pH from becoming too alkaline is by using gels that contain lactic acid.
Why do I get BV every time?
BV develops when the pH balance or level of acidity in your vagina is upset. This change allows the “bad” bacteria to increase 100 to 1,000 times more than normal. At the same time, the “good” bacteria are destroyed. Women who are sexually active are much more likely to get BV.
How can I stop recurring BV?
Steps that may be taken to help reduce the risk of recurrent bacterial vaginosis include: Limit the number of sex partners. Avoid douching. Use all of the medication prescribed for treatment of bacterial vaginosis, even after the signs and symptoms are gone.
Why wont my BV go away?
Around a third of women who take antibiotic treatment for bacterial vaginosis (BV) find that the problem recurs within the next two to three months. Some strains of BV organisms may have resistance to some antibiotics. You should return to your healthcare provider and describe the problems you are having.
Does stress cause BV?
Any change in your immune healthlike stresscan impact your vaginal pH level, making a yeast infection and/or bacterial vaginosis more common.
Why does my partner throw off my pH balance?
Unprotected penetrative sex with a man changes the pH of your vagina because semen has a pH of between 7.1 and 8. During sex, the pH of your vagina rises in order to create a more alkaline environment to protect the sperm and encourage fertilization. This can also encourage the growth of certain bacteria.
What causes recurrent bacterial infections?
In adults, recurrent infections are usually due to an anatomic lesion, a functional disorder, or to a secondary cause of immunosuppression.
Why do I keep getting BV with one partner?
If you’re in a long-term relationship with the same partner you may be on the pill or not using barrier contraceptives so sex is very likely to trigger your BV. Don’t be tempted to use intimate washes, perfumes or sprays to mask the symptoms as these can affect your balance as well and actually make things worse.
What happens if you have BV for too long?
Most often, BV does not cause other health problems. However, if left untreated, BV may increase your risk for: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV. Pelvic inflammatory disease where BV bacteria infect the uterus or fallopian tubes.
What foods to avoid when you have BV?
Avoid refined sugar, and limit your intake of high glycaemic index fruits such as bananas and citrus fruits. Foods that dehydrate the body, including alcohol and caffeine, and highly processed and junk foods, should be avoided.
Can BV come back after 2 weeks?
Living with bacterial vaginosis Medicine can clear up the infection, but it returns again after a few weeks. Some women report that bacterial vaginosis returns after their period each month. Or it can return after they have sex. Talk to your doctor if you have chronic bacterial vaginosis.
Can BV come back right after treatment?
There are effective treatments available for women with BV, and the NHS currently recommends a course of antibiotics to clear it, which works well. But recurring BV can be persistent and it is estimated to come back in more than half of women within three months of treatment with antibiotics.
Why do I keep getting BV from the same partner?
If you’re in a long-term relationship with the same partner you may be on the pill or not using barrier contraceptives so sex is very likely to trigger your BV. Don’t be tempted to use intimate washes, perfumes or sprays to mask the symptoms as these can affect your balance as well and actually make things worse.