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The single most common vaginal infection is bacterial vaginosis. Despite the fact that it holds the number one position as the most common vaginal infection for women there is quite a bit of confusion among women about bacterial vaginosis (BV).

There is also no exact trigger mechanism that is known to cause bacterial vaginosis although some general pieces of information have been assembled. It most commonly strikes the broad spectrum of women in the category of 15-44 year olds who are sexually active. Although a woman does not have to be sexually active to get BV nor does she even have to have had any kind of sex. It is well known that BV can even occur in women who are virgins.

So this helps to rule out the idea that bacterial vaginosis is a sexually transmitted disease even though it does occur more often among women who are sexually active. Women who are pregnant or who have a sexually transmitted disease tend to have higher rates or show greater risk of the occurrance of this infection. Men cannot get BV and so there has never been a need to treat the male partner.

Bacterial vaginosis simply seems to occur when some event or series of events set about to trigger a change in the normal chemical and biological makeup of the vagina. When the normal pH balance and the good bacteria that usually reside within is disrupted the onset of BV is more likely to follow.

Yeast infections seem to be more understood and a more recognizable ailment among women and there are literally dozens of products to help get rid of a yeast infection, no such arena exists for BV.

There are almost no over-the-counter products and while bacterial vaginosis can be treated and cured with antibiotics there is an incredibly high rate (30%) that the woman will get BV again within 3 to 6 months.

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A surprising number of women who buy over the counter medication for yeast infections dont really have a yeast infection. They do have symptoms commonly caused by the yeast Candida albicans, but the symptoms are caused by something other than yeast.

The most common symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection (yeast vaginitis) are:

Itching and burning in the vagina and vulva.

Soreness, swelling and pain around the vulva.

Pain during intercourse or urination.

Vaginal discharge. This discharge is not always present, but if there is a discharge it will be odorless or smell like bakers yeast, and usually has a whitish, thick appearance.

Unfortunately, these are also the common symptoms of other conditions, which can be caused by dermatitis, seborrhea, eczema, and by allergic reactions to chemicals found in soap, colored toilet paper, vaginal sprays, laundry detergent, and colored and scented bubble bath products.

In addition, very similar symptoms can be caused by bacteria, pubic lice, and scabies, plus the common sexually transmitted diseases caused by gonorrhea and Chlamydia.

And finally, similar symptoms may be caused by the common parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis.

While a yeast infection is not usually shared between sexual partners (although it can be, in some cases), some of these other conditions are transmitted sexually, and can cause serious damage to a womans reproductive organs. Often, the male partner will not have any symptoms at all, but must be treated for the infection in order to protect his health and to prevent the further spread of the disease.

The most common cause of a vaginal discharge accompanied by itching and an unpleasant odor is a bacterial infection called bacterial vaginosis.

This is not a sexually transmitted disease, even though it is most common among sexually active women. Bacterial vaginosis needs to be treated by antibiotics to prevent the bacteria from going into the uterus or fallopian tubes. This is particularly important if youre pregnant.

Since a douche can push the bacterial infections up into the uterus, you should never use a douche if you have a bacterial infection.

Yeast infections are very common during pregnancy, but a bacterial infection that looks like a yeast infection is actually more serious. An untreated bacterial infection can cause premature birth, intraamniotic infection, (infection of the amniotic fluid, membranes, placenta, and/or uterus), and postpartum infections of the uterus that send you back to the hospital after giving birth.

What that means, of course, is that you should never attempt to self-diagnose and treat a yeast infection when youre pregnant.

If you think you have a yeast infection, its wise to get a doctor to diagnose your symptoms even if you think its obvious. Natural yeast infection remedies and anti fungal medications meant for a vaginal yeast infection will not cure these other illnesses, even though the symptoms may go away.

Do you want to protect your health? Learn everything you need to know about vaginal yeast infections. All the facts in one place at http://www.YourYeastInfection.com

Cystitis is an inflammation of the urinary bladder. Here we will give information on this condition and what you can do to gain relief.

It usually begins with urethritis (inflammation of the urethrathe connective vessel between the bladder and the exit of the body. Doctors often refer to either cystitis and urethritis as Urinary Tract Infection, or UTI.

Sometimes the infection (if left untreated) the infection can reach the kidney and the result is a very unpleasant and dangerous illness called pyelonephritis.

Cystitis Statistics

Cystitis is common that half of all adult women will experience at least one bought of painful urination, called dysuria.

Most of these cases will be a bacterial UTI. Of all women that get UTI, at least 90% will suffer it again.

How Women Get Cystitis

Almost all of the cases of Cystitis begin as ascending infections. That means the disease agents will enter the body through the urethra and then travel upward to the bladder.

As the female urethra is very short, only 25 to 50 mm in length, this is a short trip for bacteria to get to the bladder.

The guilty culprits in UTI are overwhelmingly E.Coli (plentiful in the anus) but also many strains of Staphylococcus.

Causes of Cystitis

Poor personal hygiene. Bacteria from the anus or vaginal come in contact with the urethra.

Recurrent UTI. Once infected, women usually suffer other occurrences.

Multiple sexual partners. Women with more than one partner will contract UTI more frequently than those with only one partner.

A very short urethra

Diabetes

Chronic dehydration

Vaginitis (bacterial infections of the vagina, whose secretions reach the urethra)

Symptoms of Cystitis

The first symptoms of cystitis in women are pain with urination, or dysuria, with an urgency to urinate. Frequent urination is also present.

Other symptoms include fever, pain in the lower back and legs, chills with trembling and sometimes nausea. The worse the symptoms are, the more the chance the infection has reached the kidneys..

Medications

Todays treatment of cystitis includes the use of antibiotics, and some medications to alleviate the pain in urination. Some cases even require surgery.

The Mighty Cranberry

The aim is not to contract cystitis. To do this, you need to make the environment in the bladder hostile to the known invaders.

This is done mainly by drinking lots of water daily, and having a daily dose (or more) of unsweetened cranberry juice.

The natural composition of the cranberry makes the walls of the bladder very difficult for the bacteria to attach to, and thus they cannot grow.

When they are already there, the introduction of cranberry juice (having passed through the kidneys) disturbs the bacteria colonies and they tend to wash out with the urine.

Along with drinking cranberry juice, you can keep cystitis at bay by:

drinking large amounts of fluid

Urinating frequently, and especially after making love

Care in the regular cleansing of the urethra and adjoining areas

Wiping one way (from the vagina towards the anus) after urination and defecation.

Use the above tips to combat Cystitis. This article is for general advice so please make sure you seek medical advice on your condition.

MORE FREE INFO

On all aspects of health and more on womens issues visit our website for a huge resource of articles, features and downloads and at http://www.net-planet.org/index.html

While it may often be possible to diagnose many common illnesses yourself, sometimes making a mistake can result in delayed treatment, causing the problem to turn into something more serious.

That's what often happens with vaginal infections. "Far too many women are misdiagnosing themselves and inappropriately self-treating. They don't realize that mistreatment or delays in treating some infections like bacterial vaginosis (BV) can greatly increase a woman's chance of developing more serious obstetric and gyneco-logical conditions, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility," said Dr. Marie Savard, an internist, women's health expert and author.

Approximately 50 percent of women with symptoms of a vaginal infection self-treat with over-the-counter (OTC) medications designed to treat yeast infections.

The problem is that an estimated 70 to 80 percent of women do not have yeast infections, but may suffer from a potentially more serious form of infection such as BV, trichomoniasis (Trich) or a combination infection that requires a prescription treatment.

Fortunately, new self-diagnostic products are making it easier for women to properly diagnose the cause of their infection.

One new product getting favorable reviews from women is known as Fem-V, a product from publicly held Synova Healthcare. It's easy to use. Women presenting with symptoms of itching, abnormal discharge or odor simply wear a pantiliner (attached like a traditional pantiliner) until a vaginal discharge appears.

They then remove an indicator strip housed inside the liner and place it in a drying tray for 10 minutes.

If a blue-green color stain appears on the test, a doctor's visit is required to further evaluate a possible bacterial vaginosis infection, trichomoniasis or other concern.

If no blue-green color stain remains, the infection is likely due to the yeast and an OTC anti-fungal treatment may be considered.

According to Dr. Savard, the new test helps ensure faster and healthier outcomes by empowering women to test and treat themselves properly.

For more information, visit www.fem-v.com. A new test is helping women to avoid misdiagnosing a common but potentially serious health problem.