If you are a sufferer from recurrent BV episodes, you may be wondering about taking antibiotics.
Indeed, you may well be one of the thousands of women who have already taken numerous courses and wondering if there is any alternative.
The most commonly prescribed antibiotic for bacterial vaginosis is Metronidazole which is available in tablet form or as a cream or gel.
The problem with taking any antibiotics for this condition is the fact that although there is no doubt that antibiotics will kill off bacterial growth, there is so much more to successful treatment for BV other than just killing off bacteria-and antibiotics deal with just this one aspect of treatment.
There are a number of common causes of BV, including smoking, a change of sexual partner, douching, overwashing and even just being "under the weather", to name but a few.
The condition is characterized by a foul, fishy smelling vaginal discharge which is watery and gray or white in color.
Some women also have a burning sensation around the delicate vaginal tissues.
Successful treatment needs to closely examine the possible causes and then eliminate them.
In addition, it should also provide symptomatic relief whilst killing the harmful bacteria.
Plus, it should also provide strategies for strengthening and enhancing the levels of beneficial bacterial within the vagina to ensure that harmful bacteria just cannot survive.
Now this is a tall order for any treatment, and you can perhaps begin to realize why using an antibiotic for bacterial vaginosis is simply not enough as it can only deal with one aspect, which is killing off harmful bacteria.
Even then, antibiotics cannot distinguish between good and bad bacteria so will kill off any remaining protective bacteria which are left within the vagina, meaning that the body has an uphill job to replenish the vagina's beneficial bacteria.
This is why you should look at the alternatives and why taking an antibiotic for bacterial vaginosis in isolation is rarely the best option.