Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment
Request antibiotic and antiseptic treatments to quickly and effectively deal with bacterial vaginosis.
Get 10% OFF with code: BVNEW10
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Treat BV with effective treatments which work for up to 90% of patients within 7 days of use.
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No face to face appointments required. Do everything quickly online.
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Free home delivery in unmarked, discreet packaging, or collect from your nearest Superdrug pharmacy in just 2 hours after doctor approval.
Bacterial vaginosis is a condition that causes symptoms like unusual vaginal discharge and a burning sensation when you pee. It’s caused by an imbalance in your normal, healthy vaginal bacteria. It’s very common, affecting around 23 to 29% of reproductive-age women globally, and, while it’s not an STI, sex is a risk factor for getting it.
If you’ve got symptoms of bacterial vaginosis, we can help you deal with it quickly and effectively. We provide the first in-line antibiotic and antiseptic tablets as creams, gels or vaginal tablets. These treatments are up to 90% effective in getting rid of BV within a full 7-day course of treatment. We can help you identify bacterial vaginosis and treat it without the need to speak to anyone face to face or go to a clinic.
You can order bacterial vaginosis treatment quickly and easily online using our discreet and confidential service. You’ll need to fill out a short medical questionnaire and one of our doctors will review your order and answers to make sure it is right for you. If approved, we can deliver your treatment rapidly to your door in plain, discreet packaging or you can collect it in just 2 hours from your nearest Superdrug pharmacy
So if you’re concerned about BV or need treatment, we can help deal with it today. Start your online consultation now, and we’ll take care of everything else.
Medically reviewed by
Dr. IkejiLast reviewed: 31 Jul 2024
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About Bacterial Vaginosis
What is bacterial vaginosis?
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common infection that’s caused by an imbalance in the normal bacteria in the vagina. There are lots of different types of bacteria present in the vagina which do not usually cause harm, but if levels of certain bacteria rise or fall, the balance of these bacteria can become disturbed – causing infections like bacterial vaginosis.
Bacterial vaginosis is common, affecting around 23 to 29% of reproductive-age women globally. It is most likely to affect women aged 18 to 50 who are sexually active. Although BV is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI), sex is the main risk factor.
What are the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis?
Common bacterial vaginosis symptoms include:
- unusual vaginal discharge
- a strong, fishy-smelling vaginal discharge
- vaginal discharge that changes colour or consistency
- burning sensation when going for a pee
- increased production of vaginal discharge during sex or your period
Some women have BV with no symptoms at all.
Bacterial vaginosis is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI) but it can be brought on by sex. For example, a woman can pass BV onto another woman during sexual contact or from sharing sex toys. If you have bacterial vaginosis, you are more likely to get an STI because the infection makes the vagina less acidic, lowering your natural defences against infection.
How do I know if I have BV?
Because bacterial vaginosis symptoms are similar to other common infections, it’s possible to mistake them for each other. Bacterial vaginosis is commonly mistaken for infections such as thrush and STIs, so it can be hard to tell if you have thrush or bacterial vaginosis.
BV vs thrush
Thrush is a type of yeast infection, commonly affecting the vagina. Thrush is often confused with bacterial vaginosis but they are not the same. The main differences between bacterial vaginosis and thrush are the causes and symptoms.
| Bacterial vaginosis | Thrush | |
| Cause | an imbalance in vaginal bacteria | growth of a fungus called candida |
| Symptoms |
|
|
BV vs STIs
Bacterial vaginosis can cause similar symptoms to some STIs but BV does not normally cause pain, irritation, or itchiness in or around your vagina.
BV can increase your risk of getting an STI though. This is because the vagina is naturally acidic, which allows:
- certain healthy bacteria to thrive, such as Lactobacilli
- some natural protection against infectious bacteria
However, BV makes the vagina less acidic, which reduces your protection against bacteria that can cause infections.
What causes bacterial vaginosis?
Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an imbalance in the normal, healthy vaginal bacteria. When BV occurs, there is a reduction in the most common type of bacteria in the vagina, Lactobacillus, and an increase in the total number of bacteria.
Bacterial vaginosis is more common in sexually active people but other things that can increase the risk of BV include:
- changing sexual partners
- having multiple sexual partners
- smoking
- douching
- using scented soaps to wash your vagina
- using vaginal washes or deodorant
- putting antiseptic liquids in the bath
- oral sex
- using strong washing detergents to wash underwear
- sex without condoms (where semen enters the vagina)
- intrauterine device (IUD) contraception, such as the coil
How to treat bacterial vaginosis
The usual treatment for bacterial vaginosis is a course of antibiotics or antiseptic treatment. BV treatment is available in several forms, including:
- oral tablets
- gels
- creams
- vaginal tablets (also called pessaries)
At Superdrug Online Doctor, we offer the following BV treatments:
- Metronidazole tablets: BV antibiotic tablets taken orally as a 1-day or 7-day course.
- Zidoval: A type of BV antibioticin a gel form that’s inserted directly into the vagina. It contains the active ingredient metronidazole.
- Dalacin Cream 2%: A BV antibiotic cream that’s applied inside the vagina. It contains the active ingredient clindamycin.
- Fluomizin: Vaginal tablets that are inserted into the vagina every night before bed for 6 days. Fluomizin contains dequalinium chloride and is as effective as the first-line BV treatment, metronidazole.
Can BV come back after treatment?
It is common for bacterial vaginosis to return, often within a few months. If you keep getting it, this is called recurrent bacterial vaginosis.
If you get bacterial vaginosis again, you’ll likely need more treatment. If you get it more than 4 times a year you may be given a different BV treatment, such as antibiotic gel. You might need to use the gel for a few months to stop bacterial vaginosis from coming back.
How can BV be prevented?
There are things you can do to prevent bacterial vaginosis from occurring or to help relieve your symptoms. You can:
- use plain, unscented soap and water to wash your genitals
- have showers instead of baths
- avoid using perfumed soaps, shower gels, shampoos, and bubble baths near your vagina
- avoid using strong detergents to wash your underwear
- give up smoking
- change tampons, pads, and liners regularly
- use condoms every time you have sex
- reduce stress levels
- use hormonal contraception if you can (rather than an IUD)
Sources
- Bacterial vaginosis, NHS [accessed 24 July 2024]
- Bacterial vaginosis, WHO [accessed 24 July 2024]
- Bacterial vaginosis, NIH [accessed 24 July 2024]
- Bacterial vaginosis (Beyond the basics), UpToDate [accessed 24 July 2024]
- Efficacy of Dequalinium Chloride vs Metronidazole for the Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial, JAMA [accessed 24 July 2024]
- Thrush in men and women, NHS [accessed 24 July 2024]
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