Bacterial vaginosis is an overgrowth of the Candida bacteria, which is a bad bacteria overpowering the good bacteria of your vagina. Drinking water can help get rid of BV because it flushes out the toxins from the body and helps maintain the natural pH of your vagina. Water also helps hydrate your vagina, which is helpful because a dry one causes more irritation and further BV. It also helps in flushing out excess carbohydrates and sugar, which promotes the growth of BV. While water is a good remedy, other home remedies can help too. If your BV gets worse, then visit your doctor immediately.
Bacterial vaginosis or vaginal yeast infection can irritate those suffering from it.
Almost 21.2 million American women from age 14 to 49 are affected by it, and at this rate, it has become a common condition.
Affecting a woman at least once in her lifetime, BV can be contacted through various means and is particularly common amongst sexually active people.
As easy as it’s contacted, the easier it’s to get rid of this infection if you’re not suffering from other health conditions.
By making a few changes in your lifestyle, you can get rid of BV, and one of those is drinking lots of water.
So, how can drinking lots of water help you get rid of BV? Does it really help? Let’s find out how water can play a crucial role in getting rid of this bad bacteria for good.
Drinking water flushes out BV
The importance of water has been told since long ago.
Drinking lots of water is helpful to us in quite many ways. Not just does it keep our skin hydrated and body healthy by providing the required minerals, but it also helps flush out the toxins from our body.
Drinking sufficient amounts of water in a day and making it a part of your lifestyle has the power to aid in the recovery process from this yeast infection.
You’ll urinate more with a higher water intake, which helps flush out sugars that promote BV.
You’re more prone to BV because you might have a diet rich in carbohydrates and excess sugar, influencing blood sugar and insulin levels.
This, in turn, triggers inflammation and affects our vaginal health aiding in the growth of this infection.
Drinking more water can flush out excess sugar in your body along with the toxins of the infection.
It also helps maintain your vagina’s pH level, which is messed up during BV. A normal pH level is achieved as the infections start going away.
On average, women should drink 2.75 liters of water throughout the day.
Not consuming enough water can directly imbalance the vaginal bacteria. You’ll see your skin around the vagina become dry, which can trigger irritation and itchiness, and this can further exaggerate your infection.
All in all, the vagina is a sensitive part of our body that requires proper hydration and a nutritious, balanced diet to maintain its health.
We seriously don’t need fancy soaps to keep it smelling good or maintain its health.
The vagina has its own cleaning process, and just by drinking enough water, it can maintain its natural pH.
If this pH level is imbalanced somehow, it’s a direct invitation toward bacterial vaginosis infection and other kinds of health issues.
Keeping ourselves hydrated can help the vagina slowly remove toxins and remove bacterial vaginosis.
Best home remedies for getting rid of BV
Bacterial vaginosis is a nasty vaginal infection caused by an overgrowth of bacteria.
It also means that the good bacteria is a minimum while the harmful bacteria is at an excess, completely disturbing the natural pH of the vagina.
Another irritating aspect of BV is how it can be recurring and come back repeatedly, and it’s this cycle that needs to be broken.
There’re different ways you can get rid of BV, even if it’s recurring.
While drinking plenty of water can flush out toxins from the body and aid in maintaining a healthy vagina with an average pH.
But it’s not the only thing that can get rid of BV, and so there’re a few home remedies coupled with lifestyle changes that can be beneficial.
1. Yogurt
Probiotics help fight harmful bacteria causing the infection and introduce healthy bacteria back into the body that keeps the vagina healthy.
Yogurt is one such food item that can help you with this. Including it in your diet daily can help maintain a healthy vagina by producing good bacteria for it.
But yogurt isn’t the only source of probiotics. There are several other items such as fermented foods, cottage cheese, and kefir which can be equally helpful in producing good bacteria.
You can even take probiotic supplements, which come in various forms. But keeping it natural with the help of food items is a much better and long-term solution.
2. Garlic
Garlic is a food item with antibacterial properties and is a popular remedy for treating bacterial vaginosis.
Garlic is known to positively affect your immune system and slow down the growth of the Candida fungus that causes yeast infections.
Garlic is known to have antifungal properties too. Instead of eating raw garlic, which tastes horrible, try making dishes that can incorporate garlic in them.
And yes, there are some amazing dishes you can make using garlic which tastes amazing. You can also try taking garlic supplements.
Don’t apply garlic directly to the vagina, and it’ll only end up causing irritation. Consume garlic orally.
3. Apple cider vinegar
Some people claim that apple cider vinegar also helps get rid of BV.
It’s because apple cider vinegar has antimicrobial effects; proponents of natural healing suggest that rinsing the vulva with a solution of apple cider vinegar with water can help alleviate symptoms.
This home remedy is a bit dicey, and not much proof is there that it works. Since it says you have to use it directly on the vulva, some people might not find it suited to them.
4. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil contains antibacterial and antifungal properties, which help treat BV.
The use of tea tree oil isn’t direct but by diluting it in coconut, almond, or olive oil.
Mixing 5 to 10 drops of tea tree oil in one ounce of preferred oil does the trick.
Make sure you mix it with oil because using it directly can burn the skin, and you might even be allergic to it.
The better option is to use a small amount on your hand before directly using it on your vagina. When you see no reaction in a day or two, then it’s safe to use.
There’re also other ways, such as soaking a tampon in the solution and inserting it. If there’s any irritation, then remove it immediately.
You can also depend on suppositories of tea tree oil.
Other things which can help in reducing the overgrowth of bacteria responsible for causing BV includes:
- Boric acid capsules
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Balance your meals
- Avoid excess carbohydrates and sugar intake
- Vitamin C with rose hips
Ways to prevent bacterial vaginosis
For those who get BV, the common symptoms include thin, watery, gray, or white discharge.
There’s also a fishy odor, and it could also result in a burning sensation when it becomes severe.
There is a list of home remedies you can use to get rid of BV and break the cycle of recurring BV. But many risk factors could promote BV that you don’t even know about.
- BV is common amongst sexually active people as it disrupts the natural pH balance. You should avoid a few things, including transitioning from anal to vaginal sex, using barrier protection, and urinating just after sex. If you’ve BV, avoid getting intimate with your sexual partner altogether until it completely goes away.
- Don’t use scented pads, soap, or any other hygiene product that contains some kind of perfume, for it only irritates your condition and further disbalances vaginal health.
- Don’t take long baths or stay in a situation where the vagina remains moist for a long time. It spreads more quickly if the area remains moist for a long time.
- Wipe carefully after pooping. If there’s any dirt left behind, it can only cause more irritation and worsen the already bad situation.
- Wear breathable cotton underwear. Your vagina needs to breathe, which might not be possible for it if you’ve been wearing all kinds of underwear other than cotton material.
- Clean your hands before and after touching your vagina.
- Don’t douche, as it can also disrupt the natural balance of your vagina and worsen the current situation.
- Don’t use anything other than warm water to wash your vagina. There will be an abnormal vaginal discharge but use water only to clean it as often as you urinate. There’s absolutely no need to use any kind of soap. The vagina is self-cleansing, and this is how you maintain natural pH.
When to call doctor
Using home remedies and treatment is a great way to handle the situation, but only until the problem doesn’t worsen.
When you see the signs and symptoms of BV, you have about until a week before it might worsen.
You can try home remedies such as drinking plenty of water, including probiotics in your meal, and some other remedies.
Even after a week, if your situation hasn’t improved, then it’s only suitable to visit your doctor and seek proper medical treatment.
They’ll prescribe antibiotics, and you’ve to complete the entire course. Many women don’t follow the whole course and end up with a recurring BV.
Another essential thing to note if you’re experiencing recurring BV is it could be if you’re currently on an IUD. Especially a copper IUD does have chances of recurring BV.
Discuss this too with your gynecologist.
FAQs
How much water should I drink to flush out bacteria?
You should be drinking about 2.5 liters of water in a day to keep your body hydrated enough and flush out any toxins from the body.
Drinking plenty of water every day can aid in getting rid of BV. Though it depends on many other factors, you can use this remedy to help get rid of it if your BV has just started.
You’ll be peeing very often, and that’s helpful in flushing out the toxins. Also, wear breathable cotton underwear to help get rid of BV.
Should you drink lots of water while taking antibiotics?
If you’re taking antibiotics, the vital thing to remember is to take them with water every time.
Taking antibiotics with any other form of liquid such as milk, juice, coffee, or tea can create any reaction in the body.
It’s also mentioned that you should take it with water on the antibiotics.
Drinking lots of water while on medication is only helpful to keep you hydrated and get rid of toxins from the body.
Can BV go away on its own?
Bacterial vaginosis is usually a small problem that should go away on its own, and it helps if you start taking care of the situation as early as possible. Several home remedies can aid in getting rid of it.
But if you ignore the issue and do things that aggravate the situation, your BV can worsen, and you’ll be in an endless cycle of infections.
You’ll have to see a doctor and take an antibiotic course to get rid of your BV at this point.
What happens if you don’t treat BV?
Bacterial vaginosis should go away on its own by taking care of the situation at home. But if it doesn’t because you’re doing things to aggravate it, then it can worsen your case in many ways.
It can increase your risk of getting STI, such as HIV, chlamydia, or gonorrhea. If you’re pregnant, it can increase the risk of an early delivery.
If left untreated, BV can also result in pelvic inflammatory disease.
How do you stop BV from smelling?
When you contact bacterial vaginosis, it can smell awful, and it’s usually a fishy smell. There’s an abnormal vaginal discharge too.
No one likes to go through something like this, and under this impression, people make mistakes of using a bunch of products to stop the smell even before their BV has been adequately treated.
Using products while having BV can worsen the situation as they irritate your vagina. The best way is to stop using fancy products and just use plain water to wash the area as many times as you urinate daily.
Wearing breathable cotton underwear, maintaining a balanced diet, and drinking plenty of water can aid in removing BV in its early stage. If your situation has worsened, then immediately refer to a doctor.
To summarize
Bacterial vaginosis can hinder our day-to-day activities when contacted, and it can disrupt our life in various ways. Getting rid of it as quickly as possible is the only way to feel better.
So, when you do recognize this bacterial vaginosis infection, there are plenty of home remedies you can try to get rid of it all by yourself. ]
Drinking plenty of water is helpful in many ways for your vagina and restoring its former healthy self.
While drinking water does help get rid of BV, it’s not the only solution for it, and so you should try other remedies too. If you cannot get rid of your BV within the first week, it’s better to seek proper medical care from your gynecologist.
