Feb 26 2008
Bacterial Vaginosis Diagnosis - Find Your Way To The Cure
Bacterial vaginosis is one of the most common causes of vaginitis among women. It causes painful inflammation of the vagina, and can produce a vaginal discharge that is usually caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina. In recent years it’s changed its name from Gardnerella vaginitis to bacterial vaginosis because of the number of species of bacteria that live in the vagina naturally and may grow to excess. When these different types of bacteria become imbalanced it can cause a discharge from the vagina that has a foul odor. There are however a few different ways to find a bacterial vaginosis diagnosis.
If you feel like you are suffering from bacterial vaginosis, you may want to consult your doctor for a bacterial vaginosis diagnosis. A diagnosis can be made by a physical examination. Your doctor may be able to make a diagnosis just with his or her naked eye and nose or in some cases they may ask you to undergo a pelvic examination.
In other cases your doctor may take a sample of the vaginal discharge for laboratory tests. These tests are used to determine: Absence of lactobacilli, change in pH of vaginal fluid, decreased acidity, the presence of Gardnerella bacteria and to see if the vaginal cells have the classic appearance of ‘clue cells’. These are cells that can be coated with bacterial vaginosis organisms that are from the vaginal lining.
These tests are performed to be able to distinguish bacterial vaginosis from other infections such as a yeast infection and trichomonas. Another test a doctor may use as well is called the ‘whiff test’. Sounds weird right? Well with this test your doctor will most likely take a sample of the vaginal discharge and put it in contact with potassium hydroxide. When these two are put in contact a fishy odor can be the result to determine if you are suffering from bacterial vaginosis.
After a bacterial vaginosis diagnosis has been determined your doctor will most likely prescribe you some type of antibiotic to fight off the infection. Another type of treatment that maybe prescribed to you by your doctor are creams or gels that can be put right into the vagina to help clear up the infection. If you are prescribed some type of medication from your doctor, be sure to use that medication exactly as your doctor informs you for the best possible and fastest treatment.