Violation of the vaginal microflora has bothered every woman at least once in her life. Girls who have never been sexually active also face this disease. The disease is asymptomatic, but can cause the most severe consequences, accompanied by an inflammatory process. Gynecologists call the pathology dysbiosis or dysbacteriosis.
What is dysbiosis?
Dysbiosis is defined as a violation of the microflora of the vaginal environment. If left untreated, the disease will progress, causing a number of very negative consequences.
Violation of the vaginal microflora does not manifest itself in any way at the first stage. The secretions change only slightly. In a normal state, a woman does not have them, and if they do, they are in small quantities. With a healthy microflora, there are no stings, pain, odor, burning sensation, dryness during sexual intercourse or discomfort.
An unpleasant odor and an increase in quantity indicate the presence of a pathology such as a violation of the vaginal microflora. Why is this happening? This will be discussed further.
Normal microflora consists of 90% lactobacilli and 9% bifidobacteria. The remaining 1% are those that rarely provoke any disease. A woman’s body can easily tolerate minor changes, especially with good immunity. In case of serious disorders, where the number decreases and the percentage of opportunistic microorganisms increases, the reproductive system may fail. As a result, harmful bacteria such as fungus, gardnerella, streptococcus, proteus, E. coli, chlamydia, etc. multiply. Vaginal dysbiosis occurs and, as a result, an inflammatory process. The immune system continues to fight pathogenic bacteria, but without treatment, the body’s protective functions no longer provide the desired effect.
The most common types of disease include:
- bacterial vaginosis;
- candidiasis;
- thrush
If dysbiosis occurs in a latent form, then pronounced symptoms are rarely observed. Without tests and a doctor’s examination, it can be difficult to recognize a disease of this type. Therefore, women are recommended to visit a gynecologist twice a year.
Causes of vaginal microflora disturbances
There are many factors influencing the appearance of dysbiosis:
- Single and constant hypothermia, which reduces immunity and contributes to the development of dysbacteriosis.
- Change in hormonal background. Unsystematic sexual life, menopause, pregnancy, childbirth, abortion, menstrual irregularities, etc.
- Change of climatic zones.
- Stressful situations.
- Chaotic sex life. Frequent change of sexual partners. Ignoring contraceptive methods.
- Inflammatory and pelvic.
- Infections acquired after sexual intercourse.
- Long-term treatment with antibiotics.
- Intestinal diseases.
- Improper insertion and use of menstrual tampons.
All these and other reasons cause disruption of the vaginal microflora.
Symptoms of the disease
The symptoms of the disease will help to recognize a violation of the vaginal microflora in time. Although in many cases, especially at the initial stage of the disease, they are simply absent. If bacteriosis begins to progress, the following may occur:
- white and yellow discharge;
- bad smell;
- discomfort in the genital area;
- dryness during sex;
- burning, itching and pain in the genital area.
These are the main signs of a violation of the vaginal microflora. If dysbiosis is not treated, endometritis, inflammation of the appendages, cervix or vaginal walls may occur. If the infectious process affects the genitourinary organs and urethra, then, as a rule, cystitis or urethritis develops.
Disorders of the vaginal microflora during pregnancy and after childbirth
Pregnancy and hormonal changes can provoke an acute stage of vaginal dysbiosis. During pregnancy, the symptoms of the disease worsen. There is an abundance of discharge, an unpleasant odor, itching and burning in the genital area, and pain occurs during sex.
Many drugs are contraindicated for women during pregnancy, so it is not possible to carry out full treatment here. All actions are aimed only at temporary elimination of symptoms, and the necessary treatment with antibiotics is carried out after delivery.
A microflora disorder may occur. How to treat a patient in this situation? This issue can only be decided by a doctor. Often, young mothers are diagnosed with thrush, which is caused by yeast. This process is influenced by hormonal changes in the body, as well as a number of medications that the woman giving birth was forced to take.
In this case, therapy is carried out with antifungal agents in combination with probiotics, which have a positive effect on the vaginal microflora and prevent the secondary appearance of the disease.
Vaginal dysbiosis and sexual partner
Often, an imbalance in the vaginal microflora does not affect a woman’s sex life and does not cause any special problems for her sexual partner. The exception is the advanced stage of dysbiosis. In this case, the man may develop signs of balanoposthitis or nonspecific urethritis, and then only if the stronger sex has a predisposition to the disease.
As a rule, diseases of the sexual partner do not affect the woman’s vaginal environment; of course, we are not talking about sexually transmitted diseases.
Treatment of vaginal dysbiosis is carried out only in women, without the involvement of a partner, unless the pathology is caused by a sexually transmitted infection.
If STDs occur, they are accompanied by severe dysbiosis. Cause an imbalance in the vaginal environment. They provoke the appearance of an inflammatory process and disrupt the microflora of the vagina. However, there are no situations where the causative agent is only a sexually transmitted infection. The disease is always accompanied by negative changes in the body. This should be taken into account in the fight against the disease. Here, taking antibiotics alone is unlikely to help, since it will not restore the normal level of microflora.
The course of treatment should always end with pribiotics that restore the vaginal environment. Serious problems caused by chlamydia and trichomonas are solved through antibacterial therapy, after which it is necessary to restore the microflora. These courses must be divided and taken one after the other.
In situations where the disease is mild, a urogenital diagnosis should be performed. And the necessary background can be restored simultaneously with the elimination of sexually transmitted infections.
Dysbacteriosis in girls
Violation of the vaginal microflora occurs even in girls who have never had sexual intercourse. A variety of factors come into play here. These include hormonal changes in the body during puberty, the structure of the hymen, non-compliance with hygiene rules (including improper washing of the genitals), and the use of antibiotics and other drugs. The reasons in this case are similar to the factors contributing to the development of dysbiosis in women who are sexually active. But there are also nuances.
Unlike women, girls rarely experience heavy discharge, since the hymen does not allow it to come out of the vagina in full. A certain part of them accumulates in the pelvis, which causes an inflammatory process. Also, at the beginning of the development of sexual activity in girls, a lot of bacteria enter the urethra from the vagina, which can cause “honeymoon cystitis.”
Therapy for dysbiosis in virgins is quite complicated, since the hymen does not allow for thorough treatment of the vagina. In some cases, even a hymenectomy is indicated, in which the hymen is broken.
Development of dysbiosis and intestinal environment
Often, some diseases of the stomach and intestines lead to disruption of the microflora both in the intestinal walls and in the vagina.
The rectum is in close contact with the vaginal cavity, as a result, bacteria easily pass through the walls of the organs. When intestinal dysbiosis develops and progresses, bacteria (Escherichia coli, enterococci, etc.) that cause this disease easily penetrate the walls of the vagina, where they also disturb the background. What to do in such a situation? Of course, contact a specialist, in no case resorting to “amateur” and the help of folk remedies.
Treatment of vaginal microflora disorders in this case is a complex process, since the likelihood of a new infection is quite high. Here simultaneous therapy of both the vagina and intestines should be carried out. This is the most severe form of dysbiosis.
Diagnosis of dysbacteriosis
In order for treatment to produce results, the disease must be correctly diagnosed. First of all, a gynecological examination of the patient is performed. Then tests are ordered. Typically this is:
- PCR diagnostics, which allows you to verify the absence or presence of sexually transmitted infections;
- a smear on the flora, indicating the state of the vaginal microflora;
- culture of vaginal discharge;
- The patient's sensitivity to antibiotics is determined.
The laboratory data obtained allows us to establish the cause of the disease and the degree of its complexity.
Treatment of dysbiosis
Therapeutic measures to restore vaginal microflora are divided into several stages:
- Destroying pathogenic bacteria that caused this disease.
- Restoration of vaginal microflora.
- Immunity boost.
If dysbiosis occurs due to sexually transmitted infections, then the causative agent of the disease is first eliminated by prescribing a course of antibiotics. If a violation of the vaginal microflora is caused by another reason, then antibiotics may not be used. And if such therapy is prescribed, it is for a period of no more than five days.
It is very important to carry out external procedures in case of dysbiosis. These are various baths and tampons. Such measures inhibit the development of pathogenic microorganisms and restore immunity. Treatment of vaginal microflora disorders with antiseptics - in this case they are used topically - is much more effective than antibiotics, and their area of influence is much wider. Almost all bacteria are susceptible to their influence. Antiseptics also help develop the immunity of the vaginal walls and normalize its microflora. Inhibits the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.
An advanced form of dysbiosis is difficult to cure with immunomodulatory therapy alone; in addition, antibiotics are almost always prescribed.
Drugs for the treatment of dysbiosis
Violation of the vaginal microflora (drugs are usually prescribed in the form of ointments, suppositories, vaginal tablets and creams) is a rather complex disease that often requires an integrated approach.
Dalatsin cream, which is an antibiotic with a broad spectrum of action, is often used to treat dysbiosis. The active ingredient is clindamycin phosphate 2%. It intensively affects the vaginal microflora. Dalatsin suppositories also effectively restore the background in case of pathologies such as disturbances of the vaginal microflora. They contain up to 100 mg of antibiotic.
Flagyl suppositories provide good results for vaginal dysbiosis. The drug is used once a day, at night. Also, to treat the disease, doctors recommend using Hexicon - these are suppositories with chlorhexidine. They are inserted into the vaginal cavity once a day. Course - 10 days.
To treat vaginal dysbiosis, many today choose Betadine and Terzhinan suppositories. Metronidazole gel also gives a good effect.
If the disease is advanced, and only topical drugs cannot be used, then tablets are prescribed for oral administration. This:
- "Ornidazole".
- "Naxojin."
- "Meratin".
- "Tiberal".
- "Tinidazole."
- "Trichopol" or "Metronidazole".
- "Clindamycin."
Medicines are taken for a week. It should be remembered that when using oral medications, alcohol consumption is prohibited. This is especially true for Trichopolum.
In combination with other medications to normalize the microflora, the following are prescribed: “Linex”, “Probifor”, “Bifidumbacterin”, “Bifiform”, “Bifidin” or “Bifiliz”. To increase the number of lactobacilli in the vaginal environment, Acylact, Lactobacterin, Acepol, etc. are prescribed. It is recommended to take the medicine in a course, starting from the second day of taking antibacterial agents. They also prescribe drugs to maintain immunity - “Immunal”, “Cycloferon”, etc.
If the cause of microflora disturbance is sexual intercourse, then the sexual partner should also be examined and treated.
About preventive measures
Treatment of dysbiosis can take up to four weeks. In some cases, it can be difficult to prevent this disease, since the real cause of the disease is difficult to establish. The only thing a woman can do is strengthen her immune system and follow the necessary rules of hygiene.
After restoring the vaginal microflora, you should visit a gynecologist every three months for a year. This is necessary in order to detect a relapse in time and take appropriate measures. In the future, under normal circumstances, you can see a doctor once a year.