A healthy vagina depends on the normality of the micro-flora patterns that exist there. The significance of this is clear, because a disruption in the micro-flora environment can result in a number of vaginal symptoms. These symptoms include burning, itching, recurrent “bacterial” and or yeast infections, chronic discharge and odor. So it’s important to be able to restore the normal micro-flora pattern to get resolution of symptoms.
Vaginal Microflora
The lower female genital tract is colonized by 30+ types of microbes, both anaerobic and aerobic types. Lactobacillus species dominates under normal conditions. If the nutrients are there for them to flourish, they make lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide and a host of peroxidases that suppress the other potentially pathogenic bacteria keeping them in low concentrations so they do not cause harm. When the vagina experiences “vaginal insults” and the lactobacilli die off, then altered vaginal micro-flora patterns develop (learn more).
Reasons for Instability
The harmonious environment can be disrupted by natural factors and well as external agent all of which constitute vaginal insults. These include lower estrogen levels “seen by the vagina” due to lower average production by the ovaries, use of synthetic estrogen such as birth control pills, aggressive exercise, borderline weight, smoking, menopause, severe lifestyle stress, frequent douching, foreign body material in the vagina, and decline of estradiol receptor function in the vaginal mucosa, as well as certain medications, especially use of antibiotics, and certain medical conditions such as Lichen Planus. Any of these factors or a combination of them occurring in women with tissue susceptibilities prevents the good bacteria from dominating and caring out their protective function.
Restoring Stability
Correcting altered vaginal micro-flora, must begin by first determining the specific constituents that are out of balance, and the extent to which they have been depleted. This type of quantitative analysis is not provided with the traditional ‘wet preps’ used to analyze vaginal fluid.
However at Fowler Gyn International (FGI) located in Phoenix, AZ, they utilize an advanced diagnostic technique known as the Vaginal Fluid Analysis (VFA) test. VFA tests provide the quantitative answers that enable the doctors at FGI to design an effective treatment protocol.
FGI utilizes Vaginal Rejuvenate Therapy to turn around the abnormal micro-flora patterns.
Contact Dr. R. Stuart Fowler at FGI for more information about stabilizing altered vaginal microflora patterns. Please call 480-420-4001, or go online to www.fowlergyninternational.com/contact-us.