What is bacterial vaginosis?

Bacterial Vaginosis occurs when there's a pH imbalance in the vagina. In this video, Kevin Windom, MD, explains how this condition relates to a yeast infection and the treatment options available for restoring a healthy pH balance.

Transcript

00:00

Bacterial vaginosis is exactly what it says-- bacteria in the vagina. And it's just an overgrowth of normal bacteria in the vagina.

00:09

What happens with bacterial vaginosis is, there's a change in your body chemistry, and the pH rises, and bacteria overgrows.

00:22

The pH of the vagina usually sits at 4.2. And at 4.2, there's yeast and bacteria kind of at a stalemate.

00:29

If the pH of the vagina rises, bacteria can overgrow. The pH decreases, yeast overgrows. So they're very different.

00:40

Bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections are oftentimes considered the same thing. And patients will call and feel itching, discomfort,

00:48

and the patients may be triaged over the phone to just take some medicine for a yeast infection. But oftentimes, it could be bacterial vaginosis.

01:00

The key to the treatment of bacterial vaginosis is to bring the pH back to normal and to decrease the overgrowth of the normal bacteria.

01:07

The best way to do it is with a vaginal antibiotic, but some people will take an oral antibiotic.

01:14

Sometimes, you can bring the pH of the vagina back down to normal just by using a vinegar-and-water douche. It has a mild acid that will bring the pH back

01:21

down to normal, as well as the process will help wash out the vagina. Talk to your doctor about the best treatment for you.