Summarize:

The best way to figure out what kind of vaginitis you have is to see a doctor. If you experience any abnormal discharge or vulvar symptoms, they should be checked by a physician.  You should also see the doctor if you’re sexually active and could have an STI, the discharge is malodorous, you have atrophic symptoms and are of perimenopausal or menopausal age, or if you have a sexual partner, either male or female, with trichomoniasis. When you go to the doctor, she will perform a pelvic exam to examine the vaginal vault and the vulva to check for inflammation and swelling and obtain a sample of discharge for examination. She will also examine your cervix to determine if there is any discharge coming from the cervix itself, indicating a cervicitis, which can be a STI such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. She may take swabs from the cervix or have you submit a urine specimen to double check for these STIs. BV is a disturbance of the natural balance of the vagina. It occurs when the bacterial flora become disrupted and the pH of your vaginal flora is higher than normal. This often develops in women who use douches, have multiple sexual partners, and who smoke. There is one main symptom of BV. You will have a white, milky discharge that has a fishy odor. The best way to diagnosis BV is through a test done by your doctor. She will take a sample of the discharge for microscopic examination in the office. Under microscopic exam, there is the presence of Clue cells, which are bacteria-coated cells. She might also perform a whiff test, which is where she will check for the characteristic fishy smell. Once you have been positively diagnosed with BV, you will receive treatment for it from your doctor. Treatment typically consists of oral metronidazole tablets such as Flagyl. You should take a 500 mg tablet twice daily for one week.  You can also use Flagyl Gel, which is a topical treatment. You use one applicator of gel a day at bedtime for one week. A similar but newer antibiotic, tinidazole, or Tindamax, may also be prescribed. You take one 2 mg pill once a day for a week. There are multiple natural remedies that you can try for BV. You can take probiotics to restore the natural balance of bacteria in the vaginal flora. These can come in the form of an oral probiotic you take twice a day for one week to intra-vaginal dosing for 30 days. Research has shown that the use of a lactobacillus supplement by women who have recurrent BV along with antibiotic therapy helps manage the disease.  You can also try eating yogurt with a probiotic every day. You should also avoid douching. Your natural vaginal secretions are intended to keep the vagina cleansed and it needs nothing more than external cleansing with soap and water to be cleaned properly.
Diagnose vaginitis. Learn about bacterial vaginosis (BV). Notice the symptoms of BV. Take medication for treatment. Try natural remedies to prevent recurrent BV.