Can salt water treat vaginal infections?

A change in your vagina, be it itching or a burning sensation, can be enough for you to rush to the doctor. You may be dealing with a vaginal yeast infection, which is mostly seen in women who are still in their reproductive stage. A gynaecologist may prescribe medications for the infection. However, there are others who prefer to try out home remedies as well, before heading to the doctor. Many people use salt water for vagina, be it to treat infections or even for tightening. But is it safe to use salt water for vagina? Let’s find out.

What is a vaginal infection?

A vaginal infection, also known as vaginitis, is an inflammation of the vagina. This inflammation can be caused by various factors, including bacterial, fungal, or viral infections, or irritation from chemicals or foreign bodies. Gynacologist and obstetrician Dr Chetna Jain says if a woman has more than four episodes of infection in a year, it’s called recurrent vaginal infection. As for some of the most common organisms in vaginal infections, yeast and bacteria top the list. There are medications as well as home remedies such as salt water for vagina that women often swear by.

Salt water for vagina: Is it effective to treat infections?

You might have noticed that when salt water is warm, it gives a soothing effect on the vulva and outer vagina. Dr Jain says that it reduces itching and discomfort temporarily, but has no long-term effect. For those who use salt water for vagina, they tend to go for  epsom salt, which is magnesium sulphate. The expert explains that warm water with salt will generally increase blood supply to the vaginal area. It can reduce the vaginal infection as part of the natural healing process. But when it comes to infections, using salt for vagina might not help.

Hot salt water for vagina: Yay or nay?

When there is extreme irritation down there, some women tend to use hot salt water for vagina. The thing is the genital area is very sensitive. The expert says that temperatures above 37 degrees can cause stinging and burns. Adding salt to it, will only make it worse. It’s advisable to not use hot water with salt on your private parts. So, it’s best not to bathe with hot salt water or sit in it for vaginal infection treatment.

Salt water for vaginal tightening

We must not use hot salt water for vagina as it can lead to burns. It can also change or remove healthy bacteria from the vagina, and increase the chances of getting a vaginal infection. It’s also best to not try not to use salt for vaginal tightening. You can look for other methods like exercising.

Other home remedies for vaginal infections

While using salt water for vagina might not work, there are many other ways to get rid of vaginal infections. Vaginal infections have a variety of causes, and the treatment depends on the underlying cause. Dr Jain says that these are seen more now due to lifestyle changes like wearing tight synthetic clothes, altered sexual practices and use of soaps and scented items on private parts.

Some of the home remedies you can try are:

• Diluted apple cider vinegar
• Local application of coconut oil with or without tea tree oil
• Garlic paste application
• Use of probiotics like curd

Summary

While these home remedies might help reduce symptoms, it’s important to see your gynaecologist for proper examination and appropriate treatment. Home remedies might provide some relief immediately, but in the long-run it might not be the best thing to do. After all, self-treatment is something that’s not recommended by doctors. It can lead to infections and burns, and also remove healthy bacteria from your vagina.