TOILET INFECTION? CARE OF THE VAGINA

[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: I am to speak on the topic,Vagina care
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: I am Chioma. A pharmacist by profession. I work at welnex pharmacy.
I have been in community practice for a while now and i am passionate about helping people live a healthier and happier life.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: The vagina is a very important structure in the female anatomy.
It marks the end of the urinary and reproductive system.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Since it serves this function,it has to be properly cared for.
Lack of proper care can lead to series of complications.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: The vagina has what is referred to as normal flora.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: The normal flora consists of a healthy mix of fungi and bacteria that reside there naturally.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Some of these practices include but not limited to the following;
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: This is mostly due to some unhealthy practices which we carry out intentionally or unintentionally
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Despite this protection conferred on the vagina by these organisms,some women still come down with vaginal infections
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: This means that they have been placed there from day 1 by the creator. This mix of micro organisms help in protecting the vagina from invasion by other foreign(bad) bacteria.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: *You can keep it clean by simply using plenty water alone while taking your bath or after using the rest room*
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: *please note that this vital organ(the Vagina) is self cleaning. You dont need to do so much with the bid to keep it clean*
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: *use of antiseptic soaps or toilet soap to wash the vagina during bath*
This is wrong. Most of these highly publicised antibacterial/germ killing soaps and liquid actually kills the good bacteria(referred earlier as normal flora) leaving the vaginal prone/open to opportunistic(bad) micro organisms that cause infection
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: *Inserting the fingers deep into the vagina with the intention of washing it very well*
By doing this,you are actually introducing foreign micro organisms into the vagina. This can cause more harm than good.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: No need for soap.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: The practice of sitz bath after your monthly flow is wrong also. I say this because the steam you feel is cleaning the vagina or killing germs or removing bad blood is actually harming both the vagina flora and softening/macerating the tissues of the vagina.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: I’ll explain further
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Another practice that can hamper the health of the vagina is douching.
Douching involves the use of certain pre packaged solutions to wash the vagina. It is usually done in a pump like fashion. These solutions alter the normal balance of the vaginal flora giving room for infections.
Please stop it,if you do use it
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: If you notice,i keep referring to the vagina flora because it is very essential to the well being of the vagina. Any distortion is what breeds an infection.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: A sitz bath usually consists of boiling water and salt.
Usually the female sits on a bowl or bucket containning this solution exposing the vagina to steam from the boiling water in the bucket/bowl.
Now imagine,what happens when you boil meat,or pour hot water on a chicken. It softens it right?
That is what happen when you continually expose your vagina to steam.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Apart from boiling the tender tissues of the vagina,you are also exposing the normal flora to unnecessary high temperatures and most might not survive it
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Another practice i have obsevered very recently is the use of yoni pearls.
My candid advise on this is to *please stay away from it*
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Yoni pearls have been marketed to do all manner of vaginal cleaning,detoxification,inprove fertility,clear the womb and so on.
Remember,the vagina is a self cleaning organ. You dont need to insert anything inside of you to clear out what is not there in the first place.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Along the menstural cycle of a woman,there are two times you discharge and is quite normal
1)during your ovulation. The colour and consistency of this discharge varies. It is however not smelly or deep coloured

2)A week/days to your mensturation. This is referred to as the yellow body. Just as the name sounds it is yellow in colour without odour. It tells you to prepare for your next flow
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Any offensive odour e.g fishy odour,rotten egg like odour,are signs of an infection and should be treated properly
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: I must state here that the vagina has a *normal odour* which is not offensive.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Frequent use of antibiotics and vaginal pessaries after mensturation in order to “cleanse” the vagina because of the “dirty blood” that has just finished flowing is a No No. If you do it,please stop it. You are making yourself prone to infection.
The menstural blood is not dirty.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: 3) Trichomonas vaginalis
This is also one of the common sexually transmitted diseases.
It is a protozoan infection.
Symptoms include
Foul fishy odour
Yellow/milky /green discharge
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Lets talk about the types of infections that can occur in the vagina.
1)candidiasis
This is a fungal infection. It is simply the over proliferation/over growth of the normal flora _Candida albicans_ in the vagina.
It is not sexually transmitted.
It occurs mostly when there is low immunity,elevated blood glucose levels,frequent/concurent use of antibiotics,stress,poor hygiene,and practicing some of those things mentioned earlier.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Symptoms of candida(yeast) infection include;
Itching(may be severe or mild)
Whitish discharge(may be clumped like raw garri or slimy)
No odour

Treatment will be done by your doctor/pharmacist after further evaluation.

I forgot to add that it can also be caused by poor diet and excess intake of refined flour foods,snacks,bread,fizzy drinks(soda) e.t.c
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: 2) Bacterial Vaginosis
This can be sexually transmitted.
It also occurs when there is a distortion in the vaginal flora.
It results to inflammation of the vagina.
While candida cannot hamper your chances of conception, bacterial vaginosis can.
Symptoms also include
Itching
Yellowish discharge which may/may not have odour
Inflammed /painful vaginal walls.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: We use that term a lot in this part of the world. Medically speaking,there is no infection you can get by being in the toilet.
The only way you can get an infection from using a toilet is if the water splashes on your vagina or anus.
This is because,the micro organisms that cause these infections are not airborne.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: I will start rounding up shortly ,in order to take questions
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: *I need to emphasize that there is no such thing as toilet infection*
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: If you are experience/or are experiencing any of the above,kindly see your pharmacist or doctor for proper analysis,lab investigations and then the right treatment
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: If you have multiple sex partners, or having unprotected intercourse,you are puting yourself at risk of having an STI
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Apart from bacterial and fungal infection,women are at risk of contracting HPV(Human Papilloma Virus). This predisposes any one who test positive to it,to cervical cancer.
To prevent this,women are advised to get screened at least once a year
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: I wouldnt have done justice to this topic without mentioning the almighty _staphylococcus aureus_ which has made so many spend people a lot “treating” it.
Staph is a normal skin commensal. This means it resides in the body naturally. It is part of the body’s normal flora so at almost every point in time,you take a test,you will find it.
The only thing that happens is that when there is an imbalance in the flora,it might become harmful. Stop wasting your money and time treating that stubborn staph. It is not going anywhere oo.

Dont mind those charlatans that are using it to rip people off their hard earned money.
Any sincere health professional will tell you the truth.
Ignore those people too that tell you that staph is the reason why you are not ovulating,why your mensturation ceased or isnt flowing well or why you havent gotten pregnant e.t.c
And will then try to sell one concotion or the other to you or place you on drips and injection to flush it out.

A whole lot of malpractices go on in our health system. You can however trust us at WELNEX PHARMACY to always give you sincere and candid medical counsel.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: So that you use a public toilet doesnt mean you will have an infection except the water in the toilet splashed on you. Then you _might_ be prone to having one.
[07/11, 8:29 pm] Rx Online Pharmacy-Welnex: Thanks to everyone for the opportunity to teach out to you all.

*I forgot to add a very important part.Foods and supplements that boost the vaginal health.Foods such as unsweetened youghurt is very rich in healthy flora for the vagina.*

*Supplements such as probiotics containning acidophilus can be taken daily to boost vaginal health.Available in store at WELNEX*

I hope we have learnt a thing or two from this teaching.
I am now going to take your questions and comments within the next 20-30 mins.
Thank you.

send your questions to
welnexrx@gmai.com