While not as common as a typical vaginal yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis, cytolytic vaginosis is not rare; symptoms are similar to the aforementioned conditions. The diagnosis may be missed. The good news is that once the disease is recognized, the simple natural remedy for cytolytic vaginosis is baking soda.
What is Cytolytic Vaginosis?
Cytolytic vaginosis is an overgrowth of the bacteria lactobacilli. While lactobacilli strains are probiotic in nature, just as an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria causes problems, an overgrowth of “good” bacteria can cause a problem.
Typically with cytolytic vaginosis, the vaginal pH is between 3.5-4.5. (For a point of reference, with bacterial vaginosis, pH tends to be over 4.5.)
Symptoms of Cytolytic Vaginosis
Symptoms of cytolytic vaginosis can include vaginal itching and pain or difficulty with urination and/or intercourse. There may be a discharge. Unlike bacterial vaginosis or yeast, the discharge is usually odorless and tends to be thick and white.
Unfortunately, because cytolytic vaginosis symptoms are similar to those of a vaginal yeast infection, antifungals are frequently prescribed, and these tend to make cytolytic vaginosis worse!
Risk Factors for Cytolytic Vaginosis
Women with diabetes may be at greater risk of cytolytic vaginosis because of their higher glucose levels.
Women in the second half of their menstrual cycle (luteal phase) are also at higher risk.
Baking Soda for Cytolytic Vaginosis
The great news is that what is needed to cure cytolytic vaginosis is a less acidic environment in the vagina, which is usually easy to resolve with the alkaline remedy of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).
Baking soda can be used as a douche for cytolytic vaginosis.
- Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to 2 cups of warm water and use the solution as a douche. The douche should be used twice weekly.
Alternately, you can fill empty gelatin capsules with baking soda and insert them vaginally twice a week. You can even buy sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) tablets at Amazon for an easy way to treat this condition.
Baking soda sitz baths are another option for treating cytolytic vaginosis.
- Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to a sitz bath and soak for 20 minutes. For a baking soda bath instead, add 1 cup of baking soda to your bathwater.
Because vaginal infections can be difficult to differentiate, please also see the following Earth Clinic sections:
Bacterial Vaginosis
Yeast Infections
Trichomoniasis
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3168042/
Have you used a natural remedy for cytolytic vaginosis? Please send us some feedback! Continue reading below for feedback from an Earth Clinic reader who used baking soda to alleviate this condition fast.
