Can a vaginal bacterial infection clear up on its own?

Answer 1

One View:

No, bacterial vaginosis and all other bacterial infections need to be treated with antibiotics. You should see a doctor immediately so that the infection does not worsen or cause other complications.

Another View:

It is possible for vaginitis (vaginosis, candidiasis or trichomoniasis) to clear on its own. It may take a while but, it is possible. It is a symptom of a larger problem...yeast overgrowth/imbalance.

One possible cause for vaginitis is Birth Control pills. Despite what allopaths may say (modern western medicine doctors; opposite of naturopaths), birth control pills do not lower incidences of vaginitis. They create them. All birth control pills are synthetic because pharmaceutical companies can't patent natural hormones. Synthetic hormones are terrible for the human body and can create side effects such as the aforementioned vaginitis, PMS, blood clots, depression, gallstones, decreased libido, weight gain...

I have personal experience with birth control pills. I took them for seven years and had constant vaginitis. I would treat it with antibiotics and they would clear it up for a while. It would always come back. When I stopped taking the pills (1990), the infections ceased. I haven't had one since.

Another possible cause are the antibiotics that you use to treat the initial infection. Antibiotics kill all bacteria, good and bad, indiscriminately.

A third cause is candida albicans or a body-wide yeast infection. Over use of antibiotics, birth control pills and a poor diet can cause candidiasis:

Estrogen in and of itself doesn't cause vaginitis. Synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone (progestin) does.

If you are taking birth control pills, stop. If you are using antibiotics frequently, stop. If you have a poor diet, change it. I guarantee the vaginitis will stop, permanently. It did for me.

Answer 2

Bacterial vaginosis is likely to clear up on its own if a short-term problem caused the vaginal imbalance. If the symptoms continue, seeing your health care provider for treatment options makes sense. Treatment of bacterial vaginosis, however, is not an emergency if the patient has no pelvic pain or painful intercourse; taking time to see if you can get back into balance is a reasonable approach. Avoid douching, avoid the use of strong/fragranced/deodorant/antibacterial soaps in the vaginal area, don't use "wet wipes" after using the toilet (plain water is fine). Stop the use of thong underwear for a little while, using it only for the outfits that really require it. If you have any kind of anal sex play with a finger, sex toy, or penis, be sure it's washed well before it goes into your vagina. Avoid fragranced tampons or pads, as well as those that contain baking soda. Consider using condoms for a while, not because the problem is sexually transmitted, but because semen changes the pH of the vagina and may make it harder to get back into balance.

The answer below, which talks about bacterial vaginosis resulting from "yeast overgrowth" is not an accurate view of the vaginal flora. While both yeast and bacterial vaginosis can result in vaginal symptoms, they are different problems with different symptoms, natural histories, and etiologies. While either may result from a dearth of normal vaginal flora,

In addition, in contrast to the information below, antibiotics do not kill all bacteria indiscriminately. There are broad spectrum antibiotics that may affect the vaginal flora, and others with a more narrow spectrum that are less likely to increase the risk of vaginitis. Many women note an increased risk of yeast infections, for instance, after using amoxicillin. Nitrofurantoin, in contrast, is unlikely to cause such disturbances.

Some women have an increased risk of yeast infections when using hormonal contraception. Changing the mix of hormones to one with a different balance of progestin and estrogen may be helpful. There are effective nonhormonal methods available as well. If you feel that you have more vaginitis since starting hormonal birth control, talk with your health care provider about options that meet your needs.