How long can you go with BV?

While the infection may go away on its own, most doctors use antibiotics to treat it. You may have been prescribed pills or vaginal cream. With treatment, bacterial vaginosis usually clears up in 5 to 7 days.

What happens if you have BV for a long time?

Most often, BV does not cause other health problems. However, if left untreated, BV may increase your risk for: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV. Pelvic inflammatory disease where BV bacteria infect the uterus or fallopian tubes.

How long can BV last without treatment?

Bacterial vaginosis is an infection of the vagina that may cause a fishy-smelling discharge. It's usually a mild problem that may go away on its own in a few days.

Can BV go on for months?

For people who initially improve after initial BV treatment, approximately 1 in 3 will have a recurrence of BV symptoms within three months, and more than half will have a recurrence of symptoms within 12 months. Symptoms may return because of a new infection or relapse (return) of the prior infection.

Can you have BV for years and not know?

A lot of people with BV don't have any symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, if you do develop signs of the condition, you might notice the following: A thin white or gray vaginal discharge. Pain, itching, or burning in your vagina.

Understanding Bacterial Vaginosis

What does untreated BV feel like?

Thin, gray, white or green vaginal discharge. Foul-smelling "fishy" vaginal odor. Vaginal itching. Burning during urination.

What happens if my BV won't go away?

If you have persistent BV (ie it does not settle down with the first treatment you try) then your doctor may want to take further vaginal swabs to check whether there is another cause of the discharge. They will usually suggest that you use the seven-day course of metronidazole if you have not had this before.

Can BV last for months if untreated?

Once you start treatment with a simple course of antibiotics, the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis (BV) usually go away within two to three days. While in some cases it can resolve on its own without treatment, it can take longer to clear up and it can come back.

How do you treat long lasting BV?

Why am I getting BV all the time?

BV is a result of an imbalance of “good” and “harmful” bacteria in a vagina. Douching, not using condoms, and having new or multiple sex partners can upset the normal balance of vaginal bacteria, increasing your risk for getting BV. We also do not know how sex causes BV.

Why do I get BV every time I sleep with my boyfriend?

Bacterial vaginosis isn't technically a sexually transmitted infection, but rates of this infection are higher in people who have sexual intercourse. If you are experiencing repeated infections with the same partner, talk to your healthcare provider and partner about STI testing and safe sex options.

Can BV be serious?

The condition is not usually serious, but you'll need to be treated with antibiotics if you do have it. It's also important to seek treatment if you're pregnant as there's a small chance it can cause complications with pregnancy.

Why won't my BV go away with antibiotics?

Within a month, antibiotics clear up to 85% of bacterial vaginosis cases, yet for over half of these patients, BV will return within 6 months. This is thought to be in part because the antibiotics don't fully eradicate the pathogenic microbes, leaving BV-associated bacteria to regrow in the vagina following treatment.

What does BV discharge look like?

The main symptom of BV is lots of thin vaginal discharge that has a strong fishy smell. The discharge may be white, dull gray, greenish, and/or foamy. The fishy smell is often more noticeable after vaginal sex.

Can you get permanent BV?

Recurrent bacterial vaginosis is an imbalance of the vaginal bacteria normally present in the vagina. Bacterial vaginosis is a common condition and treatment is available; however, in some women the condition may recur or even become chronic, requiring multiple and sometimes long-term treatments.

Is BV caused by poor hygiene?

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is caused by the overgrowth of the natural vaginal bacteria. BV is a common infection, especially among pregnant women. The cause of BV is not fully understood; it is not caused by poor hygiene.

Should I be worried about BV?

Most of the time, BV goes away without any problems when properly treated. BV that's not treated can increase a girl's chances of having health problems such as: STDs like herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or HIV. problems during pregnancy, like giving birth too early or having a baby that is too small.

Does stress cause BV?

Any change in your immune health—like stress—can impact your vaginal pH level, making a yeast infection and/or bacterial vaginosis more common.

Does cranberry juice help with BV?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that cranberry juice may help remedy symptoms. Complete prevention of BV is not possible, however, there are a number of factors to be considered when attempting to reduce the risk of BV.

Why does my partner throw off my pH balance?

Unprotected penetrative sex with a man changes the pH of your vagina because semen has a pH of between 7.1 and 8. During sex, the pH of your vagina rises in order to create a more alkaline environment to protect the sperm and encourage fertilization.

Can a man with multiple partners cause BV?

But having sex with multiple partners or the regular use of douches that upsets the healthy vaginal flora may be responsible. Sex with both males and females can increase the risk of BV to spread.

What to do if metronidazole doesn t work?

Metronidazole doesn't work for everyone. Tinidazole, Solosec, Cleocin, Vancocin, and Alinia are some metronidazole alternatives.