When it comes to diagnosing whether you have Bacterial Vaginosis you should see your Gynecologist right away.
This is certainly the case if you should have any suspiciois signs or symptoms like abnormal discharge which might indicate BV, but could also come from another infection or possible even an STD.
Only your Gynecologist or doctor can make the right diagnosis whether it is Bacterial Vaginosis or any other condition.
Do not start any treatment on your own before you consulted your gynecologist and before you got the right diagnosis.
The problem here is that conditions like STDs (eg. gonorrhoea) or trichomonas vaginalis can show the same symptoms, for example vaginal discharge. When it comes to your health you should not gamble and keep guessing and then possibly even apply the wrong treatments and medication unless you are 100% sure what condition you have and once the doctor confirmed that you have indeed Bacterial Vaginosis.
The gynecologist will usually look for the typical signs of bacterial vaginosis, he will examine the gray discharge and might also perform some further tests to rule out all the other possible causes.
How do those tests for bacterial vaginosis look like, how is it diagnosed?
The doctor can diagnose bacterial vaginosis using a soft, small, roundish cotton swab or a small plastic loop. With it he will collect samples from the cells from the walls of your vagina. This is a very simple and harmless procedure which does not cause pain, if anything it might cause a little discomfort but this is really all there is to it.
Those samples are then examined, he might check the ph level and do other tests with it. Depending on your gynecologist or doctor he might be able to come up and tell you the result right away. If they can not give you the results right away, due to lack of the required medical equipment in your doctor’s office maybe, they will send the samples to a lab and then it might take a few days until the results come back.
When you get the results back you will know whether you have Bacterial Vaginosis or whether it is another condition. Once you and your doctor know for sure you have Bacterial Vaginosis the doctor can start with treatment.
Alternatively, you can choose natural treatments on your own. The most important thing is that you know for sure that you do have Bacterial Vaginosis and not start any medical routine and treatment before you got the actual diagnosis.