Bacterial vaginosis is a type of infection of the vagina, which occurs because of improper balance between the good and bad bacteria present in the vagina. This imbalance occurs when the “bad” bacteria outnumber the “good” bacteria in the vagina causing bacterial imbalance and resulting in bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis is a common vaginal infection, which mostly affects women of childbearing age.
Top 20 Home Remedies for Bacterial Vaginosis
There are many simple home remedies, which can help in not only treating Bacterial Vaginosis, but also prevent it from coming back.
Given below are some of the Top 20 Home Remedies for Bacterial Vaginosis:
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Yoghurt
Yogurt is a common home remedy for treating bacterial vaginosis, as yogurt has beneficial bacteria known as lactobacillus, which helps in destroying the bad bacteria along with maintaining a healthy pH balance of the vagina.
- Take a tampon and dip it in plain yoghurt and the insert this in your vagina. This will helps in getting rid of bacterial vaginosis, as yoghurt contains natural bacteria that help in balancing the pH level of the vagina.
- Alternatively, plain yoghurt can also be consumed twice a day.
- A cotton pad, which has been dipped in yogurt, can also be used to clean the vagina.
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Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an extremely beneficial home remedy for treating bacterial vaginosis. Apple cider vinegar is acidic in nature, so it helps in increasing the vaginal acidity, which makes it difficult for the bad bacteria to survive and allows the good bacteria to thrive.
- Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to a tub full of water. Sit in this water to soak your vagina for around 20 minutes. This remedy will help in killing the bacteria and eliminating the infection.
- Alternatively, you can mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a cup of warm water and clean the vagina with this solution.
- Add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and some honey to a glass of warm water. Drink this concoction twice a day to eliminate bacterial vaginosis.
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Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is a very beneficial home remedy for treating bacterial vaginosis. Tea tree oil contains natural anti-bacterial properties and is very effective in eliminating bacterial vaginosis.
- Add a few drops of tea tree oil in warm water and use this solution to rinse the vagina. It also helps in combating the awful smell from the discharge in bacterial vaginosis.
- Alternatively, 4 drops of tea tree oil and 4 cups of white vinegar can be added to warm bath water and patient can soak in it for half an hour daily.
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Fenugreek
Fenugreek helps in maintaining the hormonal balance and also in regulation of menstrual cycle. Fenugreek also helps in maintaining the pH balance of the vagina and helps in getting rid of bacterial vaginosis.
- Take a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds. Soak them in some water and leave it overnight. The next morning, drink this water on an empty stomach.
- Drinking fenugreek tea also helps. This can be made by steeping a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in hot water for some minutes, then strain this, add some honey and drink this fenugreek tea twice a day.
- Take 1 teaspoon of fenugreek powder and mix it in a cup of yogurt. Eat this twice daily till the symptoms are gone.
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Garlic
Garlic again contains natural antibacterial properties and is very beneficial home remedy for treating bacterial vaginosis in women.
- Wrap garlic clove in a gauze; and place it in the vagina and remove it after a couple of hours.
- Daily consumption of raw garlic cloves also helps.
- Another garlic remedy is crushing about four to five cloves of garlic and applying this paste to the affected region. This paste should be washed off with lukewarm water after half-an-hour. Do this remedy once daily for 3 to 4 months.
- Take some drops of garlic oil and mix it in half-a-teaspoon of vitamin E and coconut oil. This mixture should be applied on the affected region twice a day for some days.
- Garlic capsules can also be taken after consulting with your doctor.
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Tea Bag
Tea bag soothes itching caused by bacterial vaginosis.
- Soak a tea bag in water then keep it in the refrigerator for some minutes. Place this tea bag in your vagina for around 10 to 15 minutes and remove it. Do this daily for some days.
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Milk
Milk has lactobacilli bacteria, which helps in naturally curing bacterial vaginosis. Milk also helps in strengthening the immune system, which in turn helps in fighting infections including bacterial vaginosis.
- Take a tampon and dip it in cold milk. Insert this tampon in your vagina. Remove it after couple of hours and do this daily till the symptoms subside.
- Take a glass of lukewarm milk and mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder in it and drink it daily until the symptoms subside are resolved.
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Turmeric
Turmeric is very popular for its antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties due to which it helps in decreasing the swelling and fighting infections. Turmeric is one of the best home remedies to get rid of bacterial vaginosis.
- Mix some turmeric powder in a glass of warm milk and drink this twice daily.
- Incorporate turmeric powder daily into your cooking.
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Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains natural antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties, which kill the germs responsible for causing bacterial vaginosis, and helps in preventing the recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.
- Take a tampon and soak it in organic coconut oil after which place this in the vagina. Remove the tampon after a couple of hours and rinse the area with lukewarm water.
- This should be done once daily for some weeks.
- Application of organic coconut oil to the affected region thrice a day can be done until the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis improve.
- Coconut oil should also be used in cooking as much as possible, as this will help in speeding the healing of bacterial vaginosis and strengthens the immune system.
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Margosa Leaves/Indian lilac/Neem
Margosa also contains natural antibiotic properties making it a useful home remedy for fighting bacterial infections and relieving itching and inflammation of bacterial vaginosis.
- Take a handful of margosa leaves and crush them in some water to form a paste. This margosa paste should be applied to the vagina and washed with lukewarm water after 30 minutes. Repeat this remedy twice daily till the symptoms subside.
- Heat a handful of margosa leaves in a pan without adding any water. After the leaves have cooled down, grind them into a fine powder and make a paste of this powder with a little water. Apply this paste in and around the vagina and rinse with lukewarm water after 30 minutes. This should be done two times a day till the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis subside.
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Black Walnut
Black Walnut consists of many health benefits including fighting inflammation. Black Walnut also has anti-parasitic and antiseptic properties. Application of black walnut tincture can be done to the affected area for treating bacterial vaginosis.
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Calendula
- Calendula is a herb that contains antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties which help in relieving the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis naturally at home.
Boil some calendula in water to make calendula tea. Dip clean cloth or a cotton bad in this tea and gently clean your vagina or you can place the cotton pad in the vagina. This remedy gives relief from the symptoms of inflammation seen in bacterial vaginosis.
- Calendula is a herb that contains antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties which help in relieving the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis naturally at home.
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Echinacea
Echinacea is quite a popular herb, which helps in boosting our immune system and helps in pain relief along with having antibacterial properties. Echinacea supplements can be taken to fight bacterial vaginosis.
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Goldenseal
Goldenseal is also a powerful home remedy for treating bacterial vaginosis. Application of tincture of Goldenseal can be done to the affected area to get rid of bacterial vaginosis.
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Boric Acid
Boric Acid contains antiseptic and antifungal properties and is very beneficial in alleviating discomfort, itching, pain and irritation from bacterial vaginosis. Boric acid also helps in maintaining the pH balance of the vagina along with cleansing the vagina.
- Boric acid suppositories can be inserted in the vagina for quick relief from symptoms of bacterial vaginosis. Boric acid suppositories can be made at home by taking 0 sized gel capsule and filling it with boric acid. Place this suppository in the vagina for a few hours or it can be kept overnight also. The next morning, clean your vagina with lukewarm water. This home remedy for getting rid of bacterial vaginosis should be done about twice a week.
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Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide acts as a natural disinfectant and eliminates the bad bacteria, which causes bacterial vaginosis. Hydrogen peroxide also helps in alleviating the pain, itching and inflammation from bacterial vaginosis. It is important to use only 3% of hydrogen peroxide in home remedies for fighting bacterial vaginosis.
- Take 3% hydrogen peroxide and mix it in equal amount of water. Use this solution as a douche.
- Take 3% hydrogen peroxide and mix it in equal amount of water. Clean your vagina with this solution and then clean it again with cold water.
- Take 3% hydrogen peroxide and mix it in equal amount of water. Insert a tampon in this solution and place it inside the vagina. Remove the tampon after half an hour.
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Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are abundant in vitamin C, which helps in strengthening the immune system along with fighting infections including bacterial vaginosis. It is important to eat fresh citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons daily and to drink their juice on a daily basis.
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Chamomile
Chamomile has been in use for ages for treating various conditions including bacterial vaginosis. Chamomile contains soothing properties, which help in alleviating itching, pain, swelling and burning sensation of bacterial vaginosis.
- Place a tea bag of chamomile in a glass of hot water and steep it for one minute. Then take the tea bag keep it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, after which place this cold teabag in the vagina. You can also press the teabag to release the chamomile tea water against the walls of the vagina that are inflamed. This should be done once or twice a day till the symptoms subside.
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Cold Compresses
Cold compresses are a very effective home remedy in relieving the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis such as pain, discomforts, itching and inflammation. Cold compresses act by numbing the affected region and helps in easing the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis immediately.
- Wrap some ice cubes in a piece of clean cloth and apply this cold compress to the vaginal area for a minute. Remove it after a minute and then reapply after a minute. Repeat this for a couple of times. This remedy can be used any time for fast relief of symptoms of bacterial vaginosis.
- Other than this, cold water can be used to cleanse the vagina a couple of time a day to alleviate the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis.
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Oregano Oil
Oregano oil also contains antifungal and antibacterial properties and is effective in fighting organisms responsible for bacterial vaginosis. Oregano oil also helps in preventing recurrence of bacterial vaginosis. It is important to use oregano oil, which does not contain alcohol for treatment of bacterial vaginosis.
- Take a glass of lukewarm water and mix three drops of oregano oil in it. Drink this solution twice a day for a couple of months.
- Take one tablespoon of olive oil and mix three drops of oregano oil in it. Apply this mixture to the affected region and leave it for a couple of hours daily until the symptoms subside.