Natural Ways To Balance Your Hormones
Most natural remedies for hormonal imbalance in females can be found in widely available supplements. Many people also experience relief from certain lifestyle changes, including:
- Managing weight
- Getting enough sleep
Hormones have a great role in many processes in our bodies. As weve seen, disruptions of these hormones can cause a variety of symptoms. Sometimes, a hormonal imbalance can have several serious effects. If you seek treatment as soon as possible, youll have the best chance of managing any complications.
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How To Treat Bacterial Vaginosis
The best course of treatment for BV is oral and transvaginal antibiotics, which include traditional drugs metronidazole and clindamycin, says Dr. Pai. Alternative treatment regimens include the antibiotics tinidazole or secnidazole.
“For refractory cases or cases that don’t resolve with traditional antibiotics, boric acid has been shown to have some benefit. Boric acid suppositories, like Love Wellness’ The Killer , can safely alter the bacterial mucus in the vagina, thus removing the disease-causing organisms that antibiotics have a hard time getting rid of,” says Dr. Pai.
Growing research also shows that taking probiotic supplements containing lactobacilli can be effective in preventing and treating vaginal imbalances that can lead to BV. “These treatments work by providing delivery of lactobacilli to the vagina. It’s important that supplements have the specific lactobacilli that colonize the vagina and not the intestinal tract,” says Dr. Phillips. For example, Jarro-Dophilus for Women probiotic has specific lactobacilli strains for the vagina.
According to a 2019 systematic review in An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, which evaluated 22 vaginal probiotics with Lactobacillus strains for BV, probiotics showed some promise for curing and preventing BVbut the probiotic strains didn’t last beyond their dosing period, suggesting that the bacteria didn’t colonize the vagina.
A Daily Battle With The Bathroom Scale Can Cause Shame Judgment Suffering And Obsession With Weightcontributing Further To Weight Loss Resistance
Even worse, the drill-sergeant approach of restricted eating and harsh exercise can escalate hormonal and emotional problems. A daily battle with the bathroom scale can cause shame, judgment, suffering, and obsession with weightcontributing further to weight loss resistance. When meals are accompanied by guilt, suffering, or anxiety about our food or our bodies a physiologic stress response is activated, triggering a fight-or-flight reaction and raising cortisol.
How do you reset your hormones, or jump-start your metabolism? Can you do it through diet alone?
The best way to get your hormones back on track and reinstate a healthy weight is to correct hormonal misfires with changes to the way you eat, move, think, and supplement. Start with diet: In my experience, 80 percent of weight loss is determined by the hormone/food interaction, so you want to eat in a way that optimizes your hormones. Heres my priority list:
CHANGE THE WAY YOU EAT AND DRINK. Remove processed foods, refined carbohydrates, sugars and sugar substitutes from your diet. Eliminate alcohol for 21 days .
TAKE SUPPLEMENTS TO IMPROVE YOUR HORMONE LEVELS. Here are a few of my favorites:
What causes hormones to go haywire? Is it the natural aging process, stress, having babiesis there a primary culprit?
The main culprits of haywire hormones are:
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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Bv
According to data collected by the CDC, about 85% of the women suffering from BV do not show any symptoms. However, for the rest of the women, BV symptoms can be a total nightmare.
How Is Vaginitis Diagnosed
Your doctor will take down a detailed medical history, conduct an exam, and send a sample of vaginal discharge for lab testing to get an accurate diagnosis. Treatments options vary depending on the cause of the infection or irritation. Antibiotics, as well as anti-fungal creams and pills, can quickly resolve some forms of vaginitis. In other cases, hormone pills may be needed. Your doctor may also recommend modifying vaginal hygiene habits so that potential irritants like fragrances, douching, or deodorants are taken out of the picture.
Pathologists can diagnose the causes of vaginitis, both non-infectious and infectious, by visually examining a Pap Test slide under the microscope. The morphologic differences in the size, shape and staining pattern of cervicovaginal cells allow a well-trained pathologist to identify atrophy. A background of acute or chronic inflammatory cells will signify an inflammatory component. These are the hallmarks of noninfectious or atrophic vaginitis. Additionally, pathologists can identify infectious causes of vaginitis by examining a Pap test. Organisms that may be identified visually in a Pap test include fungal forms consistent with Candida species , Trichomonas vaginalis , and an abundance or overgrowth of abnormal bacteria .
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How Do I Protect Myself
You can reduce your risk of spreading bacteria related to BV or other STIs by following a few steps:
- Wear a condom or use protection during vaginal or anal sex. Use a dental dam during oral sex to keep bacteria from getting in your mouth. Learn how to properly use condoms.
- Limit the number of sexual partners you have at one time.
- Keep your penis and genital area cleanto keep bacteria from overgrowing. Make sure you clean the skin beneath your foreskin regularly, too.
- Wear loose, breathable cotton underwear to ventilate your genital area, especially when exercising or doing other things that make you sweat.
Is Bacterial Vaginosis Contagious
Although bacterial vaginosis is not considered to be a contagious condition, the role of transmissibility of bacteria among individuals is not fully understood. Since having multiple or new sexual partners increases a woman’s risk of developing bacterial vaginosis, this suggests that spread of bacteria among individuals may alter the balance of bacteria in the vagina and potentially predispose to development of bacterial vaginosis. However, since bacterial vaginosis also occurs in celibate women, other causative factors must also play a role in its development.
It is not possible to contract bacterial vaginosis from toilet seats, swimming pools, or hot tubs, or from touching contaminated objects.
- new or multiple sexual partners , and
- a history of sexually-transmitted infections .
In addition to these questions, the doctor will perform a pelvic exam. During the exam, the doctor notes the appearance of the vaginal lining and cervix. The doctor will also perform a manual exam of the ovaries and uterus. The cervix is examined for tenderness, which might indicate a more serious infection. The doctor may collect samples to check for Chlamydia or gonorrhea infection.
During the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis, the doctor may perform a “whiff test” with potassium hydroxide liquid. When a drop of KOH testing liquid used in the “whiff test” contacts a drop of the discharge from a woman with bacterial vaginosis, a certain fishy odor can result.
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Is There Actually A Connection Between Bv And Iuds
Plenty of evidence points to the connection between the IUDs and bacterial vaginosis and in particular, the copper IUD . A 2017 study found that the rate of BV in women with the copper IUD increased from 27% at baseline to 44% six months after insertion .
Its not just the copper IUD that causes issues though. Another study followed women for six months after they began different forms of birth control to track the differences in BV rates . In women using oral contraceptives, rings, and patches, the rate of BV was just over 19% but among all IUD users, it was 37%.
What Causes Painful Sex
The cause of most uncomfortable sex can sometimes be easy to figure out and easy to treat.
Fortunately, the cause of uncomfortable sex can sometimes be easy to figure out, says Shari Lawson, M.D., division director, General Obstetrics and Gynecology, at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Painful sex can be caused by an infection or a hormonal imbalance, she says. The good news is that these things are easy to treat.
So dont take it lying down there are ways to make sex something to enjoy again.
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While The Iud Is An Incredible Form Of Birth Control That Has Changed Many Womens Lives Like Any Contraception It Comes With Its Drawbacks
Search for BV IUD on Reddit and youll find thousands of stories from women whove struggled with bacterial vaginosis after getting their IUD inserted. Their stories ring with the same frustration: I would treat it and it would go away only to come back.
For most, it was totally unexpected. Theyd never been warned that the IUD could cause a bacterial disruption resulting in chronic, unpleasant symptoms, like fishy-smelling odor, burning urination, and intense vaginal itching .
Evidence is growing that different types of IUDs may increase the risk of bacterial vaginosis.
Changes During The Menopause
Changes to the vagina and vulva are common during the perimenopause , and are due to yes, you guessed it! your changing hormone levels.
Women in midlife typically experience a dramatic reduction in oestrogen levels, which can affect the vaginal and vulval tissues, making them thinner, less elastic and more prone to damage and pain.
The overall amount of vaginal discharge and natural lubrication also often decreases after the menopause. And while this change is normal, it can lead to symptoms of vulval dryness, irritation and painful sex.
The good news is, these symptoms can be successfully treated with vaginal moisturisers, lubricants or topical hormonal creams, so you don’t have to put up with them see your trusted GP to discuss your management options.
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Statistical Methods And Ethical Approval
Frequencies and 95% confidence intervals of baseline demographic, clinical, and behavioral data were analyzed using Stata software 12.0 . The rate per 100 person-years of BV recurrence for selected variables was calculated along with Poisson 95% CIs. Cox regression estimated hazard ratios for the risk of BV recurrence associated with baseline and longitudinal characteristics. Characteristics/exposures that changed during the study period were reconstructed based on questionnaire data from each study interval and examined in a number of ways including present or absent and current/recent or not recent exposure. Multivariate cox regression models were used to assess whether these characteristics were predictors of BV as time-dependent covariates. Models were built sequentially starting with the characteristic most strongly associated with BV by univariate analysis and continued until no other variable reached significance. Univariate and multivariate analyses were stratified for treatment group. As condom use and frequency of sex were moderately correlated, we built 3 multivariate models: 2 containing one of the correlated variables, the third with both. Sensitivity analyses were performed adjusting for treatment group, and with and without age. A level of P< .05 was considered statistically significant.
What Happens If I Dont Get Treated
BV can cause some serious health risks, including:
- Increasing your chance of getting HIV if you have sex with someone who is infected with HIV
- If you are HIV positive, increasing your chance of passing HIV to your sex partner
- Making it more likely that you will deliver your baby too early if you have BV while pregnant
- Increasing your chance of getting other STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. These bacteria can sometimes cause pelvic inflammatory disease , which can make it difficult or impossible for you to have children.
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When A Disease Is Rare
You can think about it like this. Imagine you have a population where a disease is very rare. It affects only one in every thousand people. If a test is very good at finding the disease, it will always find that person.
However, if its not perfect at detecting people who dont have the disease, then several people will test positive who dont have it. Since theres only one truly infected person, there are more false positives than true positives.
Vaginal Microbial Community Dynamics Across Distinct Phases Of Womens Reproductive Cycle And Stages Of Menopause
Given the observed variations in the composition of vaginal microbial communities and the importance of vaginal diversity in maintenance of vaginal homoeostasis , it becomes imperative to understand the pattern of microbial diversity in each of the datasets. Alpha-diversity metrics serve as an indirect measure of the functioning and stability aspects of a microbial community. These metrics provide a high-level snapshot of microbial community dynamics, i.e., how diversity changes over space and time . However, the question of why such ecological changes have occurred requires a close look into the respective physiological/metabolic context. Understanding the why aspect has practical implications with respect to not only improving the monitoring and prediction of community-level changes, but also devising potential mechanisms for modulating microbial communities toward desirable states or outcomes.
In the above context, all sample groups in the compiled data corpus were evaluated in terms of the three measures of alpha-diversity, namely, richness, evenness, and proportional diversity. Chao, Simpson, and Shannon indices were used as respective metrics for quantifying the said measures. The computed trends are depicted in form of box-plots and results of statistical comparisons done between alpha-diversity values computed from sample groups corresponding to various reproductive and menopausal sub are provided in Supplementary Figures S4S6.
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Can Vaginitis Be Prevented Or Avoided
Vaginitis is very common and can be hard to prevent. But there are actions you can take to reduce your risk of getting it:
- Avoid clothes that hold in heat and moisture. This includes tight pants and non-cotton underwear.
- Do not douche. This introduces a foreign substance into your vagina. It could disrupt the natural balance of bacteria or yeast and cause infection.
- Limit your number of sexual partners. This can reduce exposure to new sources of germs that can cause vaginitis.
- Use condoms. When you have sex, use condoms. They can reduce the amount of new bacteria or other germs that can enter your vagina.
- Keep sex toys clean. Clean any sex toys immediately after use. Never share sex toys with other people.
- See your doctor. If you are showing signs of vaginitis, see your doctor.
Can Bacterial Vaginosis Be Treated And Cured With Home Remedies
There are no home remedies or natural remedies for bacterial vaginosis. Antibiotics are the only treatment. It is important to note that douching will not help with BV, and there is no proven medical benefit of douching. In fact, douching may flush bacteria farther up the genital tract into the uterus or Fallopian tubes, potentially worsening the condition.
Studies of yogurt/lactobacilli probiotic preparations , which are designed to help reestablish the lactobacilli population in the vagina, have not shown consistent results in treating bacterial vaginosis.
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Bacterial Vaginosis Risk Factors
Any woman can get BV, but your risks are higher if you:
-
Smoke
-
Are sexually active
-
Douche
Douching upsets the natural balance of bacteria. So can scented soaps, bubble baths, and vaginal deodorants.
A new sex partner, or having more than one, makes it more likely that you’ll get BV. It isnât clear why, but women who have female partners are most at risk. You can get BV from oral and anal sex.
The IUD birth control device, which fits inside your uterus, has been linked to BV, especially if you have irregular bleeding. But it isnât clear whether itâs a direct cause.
You canât get vaginal infections like BV from swimming pools or public toilet seats.
Other Sexually Transmitted Infections
Other STIs can cause your cervical cells to become inflamed, making them look abnormal. Chlamydia or gonorrhea are both very common in these cases.
Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STI, with nearly one and a half million cases reported annually. Young women are particularly affected, with around seven percent of sexually active young women infected. Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported STI, with over 300,000 cases reported annually. Luckily, these STIs are treatable with antibiotics, so if this is the reason why you have an abnormal Pap, hit those pills! And you can protect yourself from them in the future by using condoms.
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How To Get Rid Of Bv
Most commonly, bacterial vaginosis is easily diagnosed and treated with a round of antibiotics prescribed by your healthcare professional. These antibiotics are given either orally or as a suppository inserted vaginally. Common antibiotics given for bacterial vaginosis include metronidazole, clindamycin, and tinidazole.
Can Contraceptive Pills Cause Bv
There is no evidence that hormonal birth control causes these infections, but for some women, it can alter the pH balance of the vaginal area and make them more prone to yeast growth or bacteria growth. Dryness, irritation, and itching can result from both of these factors.
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Common Reasons For Painful Sex
Usually, women with painful sex have a clear-cut reason for experiencing discomfort, Lawson says. Common reasons for painful sex include:
- Sexually transmitted diseases : Roughly 20 million STIs occur every year in the United States. Common STDs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can cause vaginal irritation, which can create pain during sex.
- Genital herpes: Blisters and sores caused by herpes can lead to pain on penetration.
- Vaginitis: Vaginitis refers to any vaginal inflammation. In particular, bacterial or yeast overgrowth in the vagina can cause irritation, discharge, tenderness and itching.
- Previous injuries: Women who have given birth to large infants might have small tears in the vagina, which will heal over time. This is more common if the baby was delivered with forceps.
- Lower levels of estrogen: Postmenopausal women in particular might experience a dip in estrogen, which makes the vaginal lining thinner and less able to stretch. Its like trying to stretch a rubber band thats lost its elasticity, says Lawson. In this case, sex can often cause microscopic cuts, which can lead to burning and irritation.
- Lichen sclerosus: Postmenopausal women might also suffer from lichen sclerosus, a condition in which the skin on the genitals becomes scaly and inflamed.
- Previous sexual abuse or injury: Women who have experienced sexual trauma might associate sex with pain, leading to tense muscles.