Candida Versus Gardnerella; What Are The Signs?
It can be easy to misdiagnose yourself when you have symptoms which include itching, burning, odor and unusual vaginal discharge. Listen up. If you’re unfamiliar with what Candida (yeast), Gardnerella (bacterial vaginosis) or STDs are, how they affect your body and what treatments work best, then it can be difficult to determine the best course of action to take and your life could be jeopardized. It can be confusing with all of the products to choose from that are available in pharmacies. Bacterial Vaginosis a.k.a BV has several different symptoms than a typical yeast infection and Trichomoniasis. Yeast infections produce a whitish, cottage cheese textured vaginal discharge that is sometimes thick.
BV is an inflammation of the vagina that produces a discharge that can be milky, white, gray or even yellow and can cause back/pelvic cramping. Sometimes there aren’t any symptoms of either and they are still present in the body. The signs or symptoms of a Trichomoniasis infection in women include a frothy, yellow-green malodorous discharge and in some cases, lower abdominal pain is present. Symptoms usually appear within 5-28 days of exposure in women. However, it is a parasitic condition, not a bacterial one. The symptoms are more common in women. In rare instances, yeast infections can also be acquired by men. BV can only be acquired by women. Some women with BV have described a fish like smell that grows stronger after having sexual relations.
Trichomoniasis is classified as an STD, just as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are and the CDC considers BV one also (although virgins have been known to contract BV.) When any symptoms arise, you should make an appointment with a gynecologist. By answering some very important questions as well as performing tests it doesn’t take much to find out what is wrong. Preventing these types of infections is extremely important. BV and yeast infections are based on a multi-cellular level, which means you have to treat the root cause with the right products. Over growth of anaerobic bacterial growth is the cause of both Candida and Gardnerella. Natural remedies include diet, hygiene and activity changes along with avoiding cigarette/alcohol consumption.
Some other remedies (especially for BV) include douching with specific pH balancing boric acid and calendula, eating yogurt with acidophilus cultures as well as more garlic, applying cool tea bags or cabbage leaves to the affected area and taking supplements. When a woman visits her gynecologist, after she discusses her symptoms, the doctor will take a slide of the discharge in order to determine whether it is yeast, BV or an STD. A pelvic exam can show small red ulcerations on the vaginal wall or cervix with Trichomoniasis. Pharmaceutical remedies for yeast infections (usually antifungal creams and suppositories used for one or more days) can be bought OTC or prescribed and Bacterial Vaginosis cures involve a 7-day treatment program which involves an oral or topical prescription medication, usually an antibiotic. Trichomoniasis is cured with prescription medication. A single oral dose of metronidazole or tinidazole can be taken to destroy it. Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are cured by oral prescription medication also.
Increasing numbers of chlamydia infections have made it the most widespread STD in the USA. In 1997 there were 537,904 reported diagnoses, corresponding to a rate of 205.5 per 100,000 population. However, by 2007 the annual total had more than doubled to 1,108,374 and the rate per 100,000 had risen to 370.2.