Many medical studies have been conducted to examine the cure rates of bacterial vaginosis (BV) treatments with antibiotics. Generally, 80-90% of women showed good initial response to the treatments. However, about 15-30% of these women experienced recurring bacterial vaginosis within 3 months after treatment.

A long-term medical study found that more than half of women who were treated with antibiotics would be hit by at least another episode of BV. Most recurrence cases happened in the first year, and one of the most obvious risk factors was having new sexual partners.

For women who are prone to recurring bacterial vaginosis, making some lifestyle changes, including stopping douching and replacing IUD with another method of contraception, will greatly help to prevent another episode.

By now, it is known that bacterial vaginosis is not an infection that can be acquired through sexual activity, because women still experience recurring bacterial vaginosis despite their male sexual partners were being treated for BV. Current medical evidence is more supportive of the relapsing theory, which explains that the disruption of vaginal flora are actually triggered by some factors, and that causes bacterial vaginosis symptoms.

The exact mechanism of recurring bacterial vaginosis remains a mystery – whether a reduction in lactobacilli happens first, or an increase in the vaginal pH or an overgrowth of BV-causing bacteria takes place first. Fortunately, there are therapeutic options available to treat recurrent bacterial vaginosis.

Bacteria replacement therapy (or known as bacteriotherapy)

This method uses harmless bacteria to replace BV-causing bacteria with lactobacilli, and is considered natural and safe. Lactobacilli bacteria are used, either given orally or applied vaginally. However, scientists found that not all lactobacilli strains can stick on well to the vaginal lining.

The lactobacilli group found in yogurt doesn’t seem to stick very well to the vaginal wall. The L crispatus and L jensenii showed better ability to adhere compared with other lactobacilli strains. A medical study reported that normal flora vagina can be regained following a combination of oral and vaginal lactobacilli replacement therapy for 60 days. There are now studies to examine the effectiveness of vaginal pessaries containing L crispatus in repopulating the vagina with lactobacilli.

Vaginal maintenance treatment

Before the normal vaginal microflora balance is restored and able to naturally maintain the vaginal pH themselves, using external aid to adjust the vaginal pH is important to prevent overgrowth of BV-causing pathogens. One study demonstrated that about 88 out of 100 women who used intravaginal lactate gel had their BV completely cured, versus only 10 out of 100 women cured when no vaginal maintenance therapy was employed.

Preventing overgrowth of BV-causing organisms

Bacterial vaginosis recurrences most often take place within the first 7 days of the menstrual cycle, and frequently followed a Candida infection. Experts advise the use of oral or intravaginal metronidazole for 3 days at the onset of menstruation for 3-6 months, and add anti-fungal treatment if the woman has had candidiasis before.

Using one of the above therapeutic options may help some women to end recurring bacterial vaginosis, but may not cure all cases. A combined approach appears to work better for most women. For example, in a study where women took a single dose of oral metronidazole followed by vaginal lactate tablets, there was an improved rate of normal vaginal flora in 94% of women, compared to only 71% of women if no vaginal maintenance treatment was used.

It seems that the ideal way of managing recurring bacterial vaginosis would be to tackle all aspects of this vaginal disorder by replenishing the lactobacilli, at the same time maintaining the vaginal pH at 4.5, and if necessary also adding complementary treatment to control bacteria overgrowth. In fact, many natural cures for bacterial vaginosis practiced today are in line with these medical evidence, and many women are turning to natural remedies as a resort to their BV woes.

Recurrent bacterial vaginosis is a condition that causes discomfort as much as once per month, for some women. Whether you experience the troublesome symptoms of recurrent bacterial vaginosis once a month or three or four times a year, there are ways that you can head the symptoms off, and keep your body as healthy as it can be.

Symptoms and Traditional Cures

The symptoms of bacterial vaginosis are similar to that of a yeast infection, but are caused by an imbalance of the good and bad bacteria in the vagina, whereas a yeast infection is an abundance of the Candida fungus. As the anaerobic bacteria in the vagina grow in number, the good bacteria are diminished and symptoms worsen.

The most commonly used type of treatment for bacterial vaginosis is a combination of oral and topical antibiotic treatments. You may also use the oral or topical treatments on their own, which is especially common in women who do not tolerate the oral version of the antibiotic treatment well. There are also some ways that you can prevent the bacterial vaginosis from recurring, using simple methods such as taking on oral antibiotic a week to keep the bacteria count in the vagina down.

Prevention of Bacterial Vaginosis

While doctors are not sure why some women suffer from recurring bacterial vaginosis, and some do not, there are some common, simple ways that you can prevent the condition in the future. For example, wearing looser cotton clothing around the groin area is highly recommended for women who suffer from bacterial vaginosis. You can also cut out smoking, and add a daily multi-vitamin that contains folic acid to your daily routine.

Eating foods that contain active cultures, like yogurt, can also be helpful for maintaining the pH balance of your body. You can add a small amount of plain yogurt to your daily breakfast for prevention, or you can eat yogurt to help cure a recurrence. Avoiding sugars is also highly recommended, because sugar is known to support the growth of yeasts in the body.

Finding Help

Whether you are looking for a traditional or a homeopathic cure for your bacterial vaginosis, there is help available. You can talk to your doctor to find out ways to help aid in the prevention of the condition, or you can do your own research and find ways that are easy for you to incorporate into your daily life. Talking to a gynecologist can help you find out which cures are myths, such as douching, and which can really help prevent recurrent bacterial vaginosis.

There are also many different online resources for helping to find ways to cure recurring bacterial vaginosis, including forums for women who suffer from this condition. Finding the tips and advice to help you is easy, but make sure that you talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, since some treatments are not safe for unborn babies.