There are a number of factors that combine to cause this ailment including imbalance of naturally occurring bacterial flora in the body.
It can also be caused by douching, use of antibiotics and having multiple or new sexual partners.
PH imbalance can also allow more resistant bacteria to multiply after they gain a foothold.
This ailment can affect women of all ages and is also common in pregnant women.
This condition can be diagnosed by obtaining a swab from inside the vagina.
This swab is tested for fishy odor, loss of acidity, presence of clue cells and pH level of the vaginal fluid.
If the results are positive, various methods can be used to treat the condition naturally at home.
The first proven safe and proven method is making dietary changes and lifestyle changes.
For instance, increasing your daily consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits and adding flax seeds helps in a big.
In addition, it is advisable to drink plenty of fresh water to flush out the unwanted bacteria from your system.
Eating foods with 'good' bacteria is also recommended to fight this ailment.
Taking yogurt helps to produce 'good' bacteria effective in treating this condition.
If you add kefir milk to your diet, it also produces helpful yeast that can fight this disease effectively.
Eating foods with acidophiles such as some soy products like temphe and miso can also be effective.
Use of boric acid suppositories has also been proven to treat this condition.
This is available in health food stores and some pharmacies.
When boric acid is applied in the vagina, it helps to absorb naturally occurring ammonia in the area.
This ammonia is the one that encourages the bacteria to thrive.
Using this product for approximately two weeks can help to fight chronic bacterial vaginosis effectively.
To ease the inflammation and itching that comes with BV, soak in a warm bath with a few drops of pure apple cider vinegar added to the water.
Using cold compress is also effective in fighting the itching and swelling that may sometimes be caused by this ailment.
The cold baths constrict the blood vessels and this reduces the redness and the swelling.
It is important to treat bacterial vaginosis as soon as it is diagnosed because if left untreated it could lead to complications.
It could for instance make a woman more susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, gonorrhea and herpes.
Infected pregnant women face the risk of premature births.
Today, there are various ways of how to cure BV at home using natural, non medical treatments.
These treatments are safe, reliable and inexpensive.