Inflammatory processes in the vagina doctors call vaginitis. They can occur due to bacteria from the intestines or as a result of a decrease in the concentration of estrogen during menopause.
Characteristics of the disease
Before finding out how vaginitis is treated, it is necessary to understand what kind of disease it is, how it manifests itself and what it can lead to. The main symptoms are profuse discharge, itching and pain. Women also complain:
- to change the color and smell of natural secretions, a noticeable increase in their number;
- feeling of irritation, itching, pain;
- discomfort during intimacy;
- pain when urinating;
- spotting or even vaginal bleeding.
The disease itself is not terrible, but it can cause other problems. In addition, hardly anyone can like to live with a feeling of constant discomfort in the vagina. Therefore, treatment is indispensable. It is also necessary to be more careful about contraception, because with this disease there ishigher risk of contracting infections that are transmitted during sexual intercourse.
Types of vaginitis
Experts identify several types of disease. Depending on the established diagnosis, a decision will be made on how to treat vaginitis in women. So, doctors distinguish the following types:
- bacterial;
- fungal;
- viral;
- atrophic;
- vaginitis, which developed against the background of trichomoniasis.
Often, only one clinical manifestation can determine what exactly a woman is suffering from. You also need to understand that understanding how vaginitis is treated is only after the test results come in and a specific type of disease is established.
The most common types are: bacterial vaginosis, vaginal candidiasis and a disease caused by trichomoniasis. These types account for almost 90% of all diseases.
Features of bacterial vaginitis
If you started to worry about pain, discomfort, strange discharge and the appearance of an unpleasant odor, then it is better to go to the gynecologist. During the examination, the doctor can see the reddened and swollen walls of the vagina, evaluate the discharge and take the necessary tests.
Among all vaginosis bacterial occur in almost 50% of cases. They arise due to an imbalance in the microflora and occur even in sexually inactive people, although one of the ways of transmission is sexual. The most susceptible to infection are those women who have a new partner orwho are intimate with several men at the same time. It also increases the chance of developing vaginitis in pregnant women and in those who use intrauterine contraceptives.
With this type of disease, a white-gray discharge with an unpleasant fishy odor appears. It becomes more distinct after intimacy.
Tactics to get rid of bacterial problems
Before you figure out how to treat bacterial vaginitis, you need to accurately establish the diagnosis. So, if the reproduction of pathogenic microflora and the disappearance of lactobacilli have been clinically confirmed, then local remedies are prescribed that can restore the natural environment in the vagina. Treatment is usually carried out at home. For these purposes, local remedies such as Metrogil, Clindamycin, Ornidazole, Tinidazole are used. Also, if necessary, Fluomizin vaginal tablets are prescribed.
Separately, it is worth noting how to treat acute vaginitis. This can be done on an outpatient basis. Your doctor may recommend one of the following treatments:
- irrigate the vaginal mucosa with a strong infusion of chamomile, a solution of lactic or boric acid;
- make vaginal baths from Protargol (3-5% concentration is used), from silver nitrate (2% solution is used);
- put tampons with synthomycin emulsion.
Do not forget that a man can transmit vaginitis. How to treat a partner, you can ask your gynecologist. But it is desirable that a man consult a urologistor a venereologist.
Infectious problems
In about 15-20% of cases, the cause of vaginitis is Trichomonas. Both women and men suffer from the disease. It appears acutely. In women, the mucous membrane of the vagina and cervix becomes inflamed, irritation and ulcers appear. This is accompanied by fetid foamy secretions, and the skin of the perineum also suffers. In men, microorganisms are located in the prostate gland and seminal vesicles.
In this case, it is necessary to deal not with what vaginitis is treated with, but with how to get rid of a sexually transmitted disease. It is impossible to neutralize these problems with folk remedies without special medicines. Treatment is carried out with the help of "Trichopol". It is taken orally twice a day for 7 or 10 days. Topical treatment with a solution or balls from Oktilin is also recommended.
Fungal infections
Approximately 20-25% of cases of vaginitis are caused by microorganisms known as candida albicans. The growth of a colony of fungal microorganisms can begin:
- due to taking antibacterial or steroid drugs;
- first sexual intercourse at an early age;
- uncontrolled diabetes;
- hormonal changes associated with contraceptives, pregnancy or menopause;
- immunodeficiency virus.
This disease is also known as thrush. It can occur in acute or chronic form. Problems are aggravated on hot days, after visiting baths,saunas, hot baths.
Treatment of fungal vaginitis
Given that in each case it is necessary to approach treatment individually, it is important to identify in time what exactly caused the problems. If the results of the tests show that fungi of the genus Candida caused vaginitis, then the treatment should be appropriate.
The vagina is treated with a 3% solution of sodium tetraborate (more commonly known as borax). Drugs such as Nystatin and Levorin are considered effective in the treatment of fungal vaginitis. Also use "Clotrimazole".
Do not forget about folk remedies. Douching with chamomile infusion gives a good effect.
Problems of expectant mothers
If vaginitis has started in a pregnant woman, it is necessary to consult a doctor. This disease can cause premature birth and the birth of a small baby. Only with a doctor you need to find out how to treat vaginitis during pregnancy.
As with other women, it is important to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis in a timely manner and determine what led to this disease. Based on this, a treatment regimen is selected. But at the same time, it is important to remember that many drugs are prohibited for expectant mothers, so the emphasis can be placed on the use of local folk remedies.
It is worth considering that during pregnancy, trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis are considered the most dangerous. Not only do these conditions lead to preterm labor and low birth weight babies, they can also cause postpartum endometritis.
Girls have problems
Sometimes this disease also develops in children. In this case, parents should not disregard complaints of itching in the perineal area, unusual vaginal discharge and discomfort when wearing habitual underwear.
In this case, together with a pediatric gynecologist, it is necessary to find out how to treat vaginitis in girls. Often it develops from improper hygiene procedures. It is important not only to keep clean, but also to properly wash the external genitalia. All movements should be directed from front to back. Otherwise, there is a risk of transferring opportunistic microorganisms from the intestines to the vagina.
Children in girls can be provoked by chemicals contained in soap, gel or wipes. In this case, nonspecific vaginitis can even be accompanied by the appearance of spotting. This disease also develops when infected with staphylococci, streptococci, candida and even pinworms. In each case, it is necessary to individually understand why a child has vaginitis. What to treat should be decided not by parents, but by a competent doctor.
Atrophic vaginitis
In the period of postmenopausal women's problems in terms of gynecology do not end there. Some may develop what is known as atrophic vaginitis. This problem is caused by low estrogen levels.
An experienced gynecologist can easily explain how to treat atrophic vaginitis. To do this, it is necessary to artificially saturate the body with the missing hormone - estrogen. This can be done with a special cream, rings or tablets. For example, Estriol suppositories can be prescribed.
Atrophic vaginitis is characterized by the following symptoms:
- dryness and burning sensation in the vagina;
- minor bleeding after intercourse;
- pain during sex.
You can alleviate the condition by douching with lactic acid diluted 1:1 with water, inserting tampons with synthomycin emulsion, or using estrogen oil solutions.
Chronic problems
If left untreated, the disease does not go away. It just becomes chronic. At the same time, during periods of calm, patients have practically no complaints, so it seems to them that they got rid of the problem. But with the use of alcohol, fatty foods, during pregnancy and on the eve of menstruation, the situation may worsen again. In this case, we must already find out how to treat chronic vaginitis.
This form is difficult to treat. In this case, antibiotics are often prescribed. But before using them, it is advisable to pass a special analysis - bacteriological culture. According to its results, it is already necessary to select medicines. Therapy can be carried out with the help of such means as "Cefazolin", "Pimafucin", "Metrogil", "Metronidazole". It is necessary to focus on recommendations on how to treat bacterial vaginitis. But at the same time, you need to be prepared that you may need several courses to get rid ofproblems.
If the cause is a fungal infection, then the drugs Mycosyst, Flucostat, Futsis can be prescribed. You can alleviate the condition and relieve itching with the help of candles "Iodoxide", "Betadine". Recommended douching and baths with solutions of soda, potassium permanganate, boric acid, hydrogen peroxide.
Folk treatments
In addition to traditional prescriptions, doctors often recommend some proven alternative treatment options. So, gynecologists, telling how they treat vaginitis, can mention douching with a strong infusion of chamomile. Strained broth of St. John's wort is also used for these purposes.
Hot baths can be done with pine branches. To do this, they are brewed in water and boiled for half an hour. After that, the broth is infused for another hour and filtered.
Walnut leaves can also be used for douching. The procedure is carried out twice a day. To prepare a decoction, you need 50 g of leaves and a liter of water. Instead of walnut leaves, you can use pharmacy sage, nettle, calendula or mallow.
Also, many people advise to prepare a phytocollection of chamomile, oak bark and thyme. They are mixed in a ratio of 5:5:3. The mixture is poured with boiling water and infused for at least 20 minutes. Use the infusion to impregnate tampons inserted into the vagina, or to irrigate it.
No less popular is a mixture of oak bark, yarrow, sage and rosemary. They are taken in a ratio of 2:1:1:1. The mixture is boiled for 5 minutes under a closed lid,on low fire. After straining, the indicated decoction can be used for douching.
If you decide to treat vaginitis at home without the use of medication, remember that with the help of folk methods you can only temporarily alleviate your condition. Douching with decoctions of herbs alone will not remove the cause of the problems.
