The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Essential Oils
Posted by Britta1223 (Nashville, Tn) on 08/03/2016
★★★★☆
So I have been suffering from BV for 4 months, and I have tried EVERYTHING you can think of. Every home remedy, vH essenitals suppositories (helped a little), ph-D boric acid suppositories (didn't really do anything), Flagyl (worked until I came on my cycle). I just so happen to do a sitz bath with grapefruit essential oil, lavender oil, and 1 cup of dead sea salt, and 7 cups of very warm water ( be careful not to burn yourself), and I soaked for 20 minutes...I also douched with this combination as well. In the douche bottle I do a pinch of sea salt, 5 drops each of grapefruit and lavender with water filled to the top at morning and at night. I made the mistake of doing it the first time with 20 drops of grapefruit oil, and lets that was a big mistake lol. I'm still doing it and it is working so far for roughly 5 days now...So hopefully this helps.
Essential Oils
Posted by Barbara (New York) on 03/12/2012
★★★★★
I'm recently dealing with BV and wanted to share the treatment that my MD, who is also a naturopath, prescribed: purchase a natural sea sponge from the health food store (I found them at whole foods being sold as "cosmetic" sponge), then cut it to tampon sized pieces. Get the highest quality you can find of Thyme and Frankincense essential oils and mix 2 drops Thyme oil 4 drops Frankincense oil in 10 drops Extra Virgin olive oil. Soak up the oil with the sea sponge (after you washed it thoroughly with antibacterial soap- the water also makes it very soft) then insert. Leave in for 2 hours, 2 x day. Repeat for 7 days.
I looked up the medicinal uses of these oils and they are for bacterial infections, inflammation, and regulating female hormonal system. I suspect that the hormone imbalance is the real root of the BV. It is working for me with 80% improvement after 4 days - though I think I will get the boric acid capsules and better probiotics tomorrow. I have also done a few days of alternating tea tree oil suppository and probiotic inserted at night but the oils are the only thing I have been doing consistently.
Folate vs Folic Acid
Posted by wse34685 (Seattle, WA) on 01/13/2022
★★★★★
I think it's important to clarify the difference between folate and folic acid. As in my case, I have the MTHFR gene, which makes it more difficult for the body to clear BV, trich, and certain STDs. People with the MTHFR gene need to be really careful to NOT take folic acid, only folate. Alot of times doctors won't test for MTHFR when you have a persistent case of BV. Folic acid is the synthesized version of folate, and people who have the MTHFR gene have a difficult time properly using folic acid.
Garlic
Posted by Nic (Biloxi, Mississippi ) on 08/11/2023
★★★★★
I've had bv for years. And I mean YEARS. It's hard to get rid of! It comes back after sex and my cycle. I've taken all types of antibiotics and creams— home remedies… Everything. IT. ALWAYS. COMES. BACK. But the ONLY THING that has worked is raw garlic.. a few women talked about this YEARS AGO and I was too scared to give it a try.. but I finally did and I'm so glad! I used to be self conscious about having sex because every single time I would have sex it would come back— it was really taking a toll on my sex life. All I can say is, I had sex the other day—- no smell and the smell still hasn't come back. If I have to eat raw garlic for the rest of my life, I'm fine with that. Its inexpensive and its literally an ingredient in a lot of the foods I eat anyway.. Thank you garlic! 🧄
Replied by Nic
(OS, Ms)
01/13/2024
Madelyn
(Idaho)
01/15/2024
Replied by NicNicole
(Biloxi, Ms)
06/26/2024
Garlic
Posted by M (New York, Ny) on 11/27/2018
★★★★★
I tried vinegar douches which only helped with smell, peroxide douches which helped with smell but caused burning, garlic bulb insert which made it worse just to name a few.
What worked for me was natural garlic pills which contained powder and at least 400mg. I took 3 pills every eight hours (3x a day) for a week. For the first time I didn't have to harm my body with flagyl.
Replied by Becky
(Boston, Massachusetts)
12/01/2018
★★★★★
Garlic
Posted by Tonia (Atlanta ) on 04/16/2018
★★★★★
Garlic that works for bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, smelly vagina. Just want to let all the women out there that here is a solution, I took garlic for my smelly vagina and THIS worked!! All I did was Take 1 bulb or clove of garlic peeled it, cut it in small pieces and got spoon and took with water the first day, 2nd and third day took with my cranapple cranberry juice.That's it!!!! I actually felt better after the first dose.
Replied by Joi
(Chicago, I'll)
08/28/2018
Garlic
Posted by K.k (Mobile, Al) on 02/28/2018
★★★★★
Inserts didn't offer me any relief, but if you take a garlic clove and crush it first, then mince it, then take a spoon and eat it like it's medicine you will begin to kill the itch. A few tips. Do on empty stomach first thing in morning. Watch a few youtube videos on eating raw garlic for infections. At my worst I ate a raw garlic clove every hour for few days. You can take Spearmint or peppermint oil with you to so you aren't too self consious. Garlic was and is my only savior with BV.
Garlic
Posted by Rhea (Catanduanes, Philippines) on 02/12/2018
★☆☆☆☆
I've tried garlic insertion for almost a week now, but the smell got worse. The smell is so horrible! It's sour-like smell accompanied by the garlic scent. I can literally smell it when I am sitting on a frog-style. What to do? I'm so sick and tired of this. Please help!
Replied by Mrs. Canadian
(Haverhill , Fl)
03/01/2018
Replied by Abcde
(Philippines)
03/10/2018
Garlic
Posted by Rachel (Philadelphia, Pa) on 07/29/2017
★★★★★
I've had problems with bacterial infections and have felt the same way at the doctors office. No new sexual partner, yes I wash my towels regularly, yes I wipe front to back lol... (Its embarrassing to go and deal with the idiot doctors. It really is.) I have found that eating RAW garlic will kill all the bacteria in your body. That means good AND bad bacteria... So, in order to compensate for the loss of the good bacteria you are to also consume yogart. I'm not a huge fan of consuming either but I will tell you... Eating raw garlic (as disgusting as it is... ) WILL absolutely solve the problem!!! Please try. I dont have any on hand and have tried tea tree oil this evening. I will see how that goes... But mince it up and swallow with water. One clove for like three days and its gone. You'll notice almost immediate results. Guarenteed!
Garlic
Posted by Gina (Nebraska) on 03/29/2017
★★★★★
For BV, wrap a whole peeled clove of garlic in gauze, insert at bedtime, and remove in the morning. Depending on how bad my case is one night will usually do the trick. If it's bad I will put a slit in the garlic and repeat for several days til better.
Garlic
Posted by Natasha (Boston, Ma) on 02/10/2016
★★★★★
I have been suffering from recurrent BV for almost 3 years now, I am 23 years old now so I started getting it at the age of 20, I've visited many doctors, gynecologist, urogynocologist and they have all tried to help w medications but my body is so sick of it that I just get BV the moment I'm off the medication. I've had the most 3 miserable years of my life, suffering, crying about it, asking God for help, seeking natural treatments, changing lifestyle.. Done it all, I've changed the soap (I use organic baby soap), tooken probiotics (50mil), I've done it all, and I decided to try what I always feared, garlic up my vagina.. Yup! So recently I was diagnosed w BV, took the meds blah blah, I got the symptoms again along w yeast, because my situation now seemed to have worsened from just BV to now BV and yeast.. Anywho, I decided to start using garlic cloves into my Vagina before bed and it's been 5 days and I only had discharge once (I'm sure cleansing it up) but aside from that, I've been feeling much better.. Still too soon to speak but I have faith that it will work.. It sucks there isn't a cure for this tragic life ruining condition..I hope garlic does the trick! Pray for me, I'll be back in the future and give more information about my journey beating BV's behind..
Replied by Joan
(Florida)
12/10/2016
Replied by Tiara
(Michigan)
03/14/2017
Replied by JP
(Baton Rouge, L.a)
05/08/2017
Garlic
Posted by Layla (Miami, Fl) on 01/03/2016
★★★★★
I'm 16 and even teens get BV too! Garlic cured me! Thank You God and Jesus because he healed me too! Here is my regimen that I did everyday for 2-3 weeks . Even on my period!
Chop up natural whole clove of garlic into tiny pieces
Get a big glass of water
Swallow the entire pieces of garlic like pills
Drink the full glass of water everyday
After wards (5 hours later ) after I step out the shower cleansing myself I would get a tampon covered in natural plain yogurt filled with natural probiotics and stick it in me leave it for 2 hours and remove and rinse myself with water. - once that is over I eat a 170 Gram probiotic yogurt to help balance my ph balance I've done this EVERYDAY for 2-3 weeks and bam! BV is gone!
I still take chopped garlic as pills but every other day because garlic is a natural disinfecting veggi . And making sure to take probiotic pills with rhetui that is found in the vagina strains to keep my ph balance healthy . I prayed to God and Jesus to heal me and please help me find a cure and I did I'm cured!
God is good all the time! Well time to eat some chopped up garlic :)
Replied by Tiffany
(New York)
04/21/2016
★★★★★
Replied by Kylee
(Az)
07/22/2016
Garlic
Posted by Mir (California, United States) on 08/04/2015
★★★★★
This may be TMI, but I've had a very touchy vaginal ph since I started puberty. Anything could give me BV and yeast infections. Wearing tight clothes, using laundry soap, bubble bath, my diet, any kind of soap, body wash, sexual lubricant, semen, and even condoms. I also always had a yeast infection without fail right before my period. Life (especially in a relationship) was miserable! I went to a few gynos who said there was nothing explicitly wrong at all, and reccomended I cut out sugar most of the way. I did. No changes for a year. I went back to my gyno and was basically told to just 'deal with it' and keep up my usual proper hygiene.
Then my boyfriend's mom told me to cut garlic into small pieces and swallow it with water before bed. Within a few weeks, my vagina was completely tamed, per se. No more BV or yeast infections at the drop of a hat. Life is so much easier now, and more pleasant. Garlic all the way.
Replied by Eve
(California)
07/07/2017
Garlic
Posted by Dani (Norfolk, Va.) on 05/31/2014
★★★★★
After searching the internet I decided that whole organic garlic cloves was the answer for BV and boy was I right! Of course I discovered the cure right in the middle of a raging yeast infection so I took drastic measures....insertion! I took a clove of organic garlic (the fresher the better you want it to be firm not rubbery) cut it in half and inserted it vaginally . Within minutes I noticed a strong garlic taste in my mouth but expected that from what I had read. Within hours I was noticing relief, the itching wasn't nearly as bad...but it did burn a little. Then when I went pee, I noticed a lot of white stuff floating in the water, like the yeast was draining out of me. I did this for two days and was completely cured...for a few months.
This cycle went on for about a year until it dawned on me that I wasn't being proactive! I started taking organic garlic capsules every day an have been yeast free for years now :) I have a friend that says she doesn't think the garlic capsules work so she just eats a clove or two every day and it works for her too! Hope this helps someone.
EC: Inserting a whole clove with no nicks or cuts will make it less likely to burn, but will still yield the same result.
Replied by Anonymous
(Bklyn, Ny)
06/22/2016
Eden
(ID)
04/12/2024
★★★★★
Replied by J
(Texas)
08/01/2016
Replied by Kenny
(San Diego)
11/21/2016
Replied by Esan
(Brooklyn)
12/24/2016
Garlic
Posted by Cherybark (Los Angeles, Ca) on 12/13/2013
Hi there, I too have battled BV infections for years. Countless times to the doctor's office. Only to have my symptoms back a few months later. I came across this website a few years ago.. I've tried everything listed here and still my symptoms came back.. So I did my own research and found out the reasons these home remedies only worked for a short time is because I didn't have the proper knowledge of how and why these home remedies work... The 1st thing I learned is too much Acidophilus is also bad. Too much good bacteria causes a condition known as Cyclotic Vaniitis, an over growth of too much good bacteria. The symptoms are EXACTLY the same as BV. 2nd Acidophilus produces Hydrogen Peroxide naturally. Too much naturally produced Peroxide = too much antiseptic, killing off the bad bacteria also. 3rd douching with Peroxide adds more antiseptic killing bad bacteria and creating good bacteria. So Douching and using Acidophilus together creates twice as much antiseptic.. When I read this I was at a loss. All the money I spent. All the knowledge I thought I had wasn't enough. So I decided to talk to someone who has the knowledge of Herbal and Natural remedies an Acupuncturist who also sells Chinese Medical Herbs and Homeopathic treatments... She told me the research I did was correct and that I needed to reboot my flora. Basically start from scratch. Insert 1 garlic clove 1-2 hours for 2 nights then 7 days of inserting Yogurt. We also went over my diet.. You need a good foundation in order to cure BV.. I'm on a fruit and vegetable powder supplement as well as an anti oxidant and enzyme supplement and I'm taking vitamin D. A vitamin deficiency will also cause BV infections. I was told to drink lemon water before drinking coffee. This will balance the Alkaline vs. Acidity imbalance that coffee can create. I will check back in 6 months and let you know if this works.
Replied by Cherybark
(Los Angeles, Ca)
12/18/2013
