How to treat and the causes of gardnerellosis

Gardnerella vaginalis is a representative of conditionally pathogenic microflora that lives on the mucous membrane of the vagina of women. In small quantities, bacteria are not dangerous, but if they multiply actively, microorganisms can lead to serious health complications, problems during pregnancy, and the addition of other infections. Gardnerellosis in men is a rare pathology that usually occurs during unprotected sexual contact with a girl whose vaginal microflora is disturbed, and the bacteria actively multiply.

Reasons for the development of gardnerellosis

Gardnerellosis in a man, the symptoms and treatment of which are well known to infectious disease specialists and venereologists, refers exclusively to diseases of an infectious nature. That is, if the ladies simply suffer from unpleasant symptoms, then for the representatives of the stronger sex, the disease poses a serious danger. Usually, the disease manifests itself in the form of other common pathologies of the genitourinary system: urethritis, cystitis, etc. The occurrence is accompanied by characteristic signs, so it is not difficult for a doctor to correctly establish a preliminary diagnosis.

IMPORTANT! Guys are not diagnosed with ” gardnerellosis “: the disease that he provoked is diagnosed, indicating the specific pathogen.

The reason for the occurrence in men is one – unprotected sexual contact with the carrier of the infection, if she suffers from an imbalance of microflora. Transmission of pathogenic microorganisms through hygiene or household items, kisses, hugs, touches, etc. impossible. The appearance of warning signs of the disease depends on the general health of the patient.

If a man is healthy, his immune defenses are strong, he leads a correct lifestyle, then leukocytes will very quickly destroy pathogenic bacteria, and after 72 hours they will be excreted from the body along with urine. During this time, the bacteria will not be able to cause significant damage, they will not lead to the appearance of serious consequences. If the defenses are weakened and the gardnerella lingers in the body of a man for more than five days, the risk of developing inflammatory processes increases to 95%. After a few days, the patient will notice unpleasant symptoms – harbingers of an acute infectious process.

The remaining 5% of men, whose immunity is not strong enough to cope with bacteria, but not too weak to allow the development of inflammation, will become carriers of gardnerella . That is, they themselves will not suffer from pathologies provoked by a harmful bacterium, but will be able to transmit a pathogenic microorganism to their sex partners.

Most of these virus carriers may not be aware of their dangerous condition for years: an ailment is detected by chance, during a preventive examination or testing when complaining of other diseases. But signs indicating the presence of an infection can occur in the presence of certain factors that contribute to the suppression of immune defenses.

So, the acute course of gardnerella inflammation can appear when:

• prolonged use of potent drugs: antibiotics, steroids, antidepressants, etc.;
• chronic course of diseases of the genitourinary system, infections of the urinary tract, reproductive organs;
• weakening of the immune system as a result of prolonged depression, stressful situations, physical overwork, psycho-emotional overload, malnutrition, hypothermia;
• the presence in the patient’s body of other representatives of pathogenic microflora that are in the phase of active reproduction (chlamydia, ureaplasma , fungi, gonococci, herpes virus, etc.): these microorganisms reduce local immunity, allowing other harmful bacteria to increase their colonies;
• conducting a promiscuous sexual life and neglecting barrier contraceptives;
• the presence of a sex partner with chronic vaginosis (vaginal dysbacteriosis), which even complex drug therapy is unable to cope with.

Manifestations of pathology

Signs of gardnerellosis in men have a specific course. The first alarming symptom is a slight discomfort in the urethra that occurs during a visit to the restroom. Also, discomfort can occur with intimacy. If the disease is not treated, after a few days, discomfort will begin to occur even at rest, intensify with movement.

The urge to visit the toilet increases, while the portions of excreted urine decrease, and sometimes a sharp urge turns into “squeezing out” two or three drops of urine. Simultaneously with these signs, the patient has pulling pains in the lower abdomen, and after sleep – discharge from the urethra, which has a greenish tint. The most striking sign of the presence of gardnerella in the body is an unpleasant specific smell from the genitals, which cannot be eliminated either by cosmetic hygiene products or by special antiseptic solutions.

It is the green color of the discharge and the characteristic “aroma” from the intimate area that become the main factors in establishing a preliminary diagnosis by the attending physician. With complaints of a deterioration in well-being, a man can turn to a urologist, venereologist or infectious disease specialist.

Diagnosis and complications

Before treating gardnerellosis in men, it is necessary to confirm the preliminary diagnosis and establish all the pathologies that he provoked. Diagnostics takes place in several stages. First, the doctor listens to the patient’s complaints, collects an anamnesis, that is, establishes the possibility of transmission of the infection, clarifies the presence of other chronic pathologies in the guy. Next, a visual examination of the genital organs and a smear from the urethra for microflora is carried out.

Separately, a man will need to pass clinical tests of urine and blood, according to the results of which a specialist will be able to assess the general state of health of the patient, a bacterial culture of urine, the task of which is to identify the causative agent of the infection and establish its sensitivity to antibiotic drugs. As a rule, these diagnostic methods are sufficient, but more serious examinations may be prescribed at the discretion of the doctor.

If treatment is not carried out or the disease is detected at a later stage, patients face serious health complications.

The most common complications of the long-term presence of bacteria in the body are

• Chronic prostatitis is an inflammatory process in the prostate gland, characterized by urination disorders, pain in the groin, deterioration of erectile function.
• Vesiculitis, often in an acute form, is an inflammation of the seminal vesicles that affects the reproductive function of a man.
• Urinary incontinence.
• Pyelonephritis is an inflammation of the kidneys, manifested by pain in the lower back, difficulty emptying the bladder, threatening to disrupt the functioning of the kidneys and develop intoxication of the body.
• Cystitis is an inflammatory process on the lining of the bladder. It is characterized by frequent visits to the restroom, small portions of urine, sharp cuts during urination.
• Urethral abscess occurs with a very weakened immune system, is the most serious consequence of the presence of gardnerella . If the abscess is not diagnosed in a timely manner and medical (usually surgical) care is not provided, the man may remain disabled or even die.

Methods of treatment

Features of treatment, medications and the scheme of their use are determined by the attending physician based on the results of the clinical examination of the patient. You can be treated at home, but strictly following the recommendations of the doctor, and regularly monitoring the course of the disease.

Complex therapy is prescribed, which includes the following parameters

• Proper, balanced nutrition. Sweets, fried foods, fatty foods are excluded from the patient’s diet. Since the treatment regimen for gardnerellosis in men involves the use of antibiotics, alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited. The menu should consist of fermented milk products, gifts of nature, nuts, cereals. All dishes must be cooked correctly, with minimal heat treatment.

IMPORTANT! To cope with the disease faster and make the immune defense stronger, it is worth giving up not only alcohol, but also cigarettes.

• Restriction of sexual contacts: for the duration of treatment, refrain from sexual intercourse or use condoms. You should also conduct an examination of the second half of the infected, and prescribe treatment for her. According to medical statistics, in 95% of the sexual partners of infected men also suffer from gradnerellosis .
• The use of antibiotics. Only these drugs are able to cope with pathogenic microorganisms. Their selection is carried out by the attending physician based on the results of bakposev . Depending on the course of the disease and the general health of the patient, antibiotic drugs can be prescribed in the form of oral agents (tablets, capsules) or injections. Topical medications (solutions, ointments, creams) applied directly to the opening of the urethra will help to supplement the treatment. The combination of several dosage forms of potent agents allows you to quickly stop the reproduction of pathogenic microflora and improve the health of a man.

Important! The most effective means for combating gardnerellosis are Metrogil ( Metronidazole ), Trichopolum, Dalacin ( gel for local use). If the course of the disease is complicated by other infections, medications of the tetracycline group will be required: Doxycycline (a semi-synthetic drug) and Tetracycline (a natural substance).

• Compliance with thorough hygiene of the intimate area. The treatment of the penis is recommended after each visit to the restroom. Underwear should be made of natural materials, spacious enough to provide sufficient ventilation to the genitals.
• The use of immunomodulators. It is possible to strengthen the body’s natural defenses with special vitamin-mineral complexes, means for stimulating the production of interferon, and special dietary supplements.
• Refusal to visit public places where you need to undress: swimming pool, bathhouse, sauna, gym.

Folk methods

Special attention deserves non-traditional drug therapy for gardnerellosis . Alternative methods cannot cope with the infection, but will complement the treatment. It is recommended to take decoctions of medicinal herbs to strengthen immunity, and genitals can be treated with infusions of natural antiseptics.

But abandoning pharmaceuticals in favor of folk recipes is strictly prohibited, as they can reduce the clinical manifestations of the disease, which will give a false sense of recovery. Bacteria will remain in the body and continue their destructive activity. The result of such treatment will be a recurrence of gardnerellosis in the form of serious complications.

At the end of therapy, the patient should take all the tests again to make sure that the infection has receded and there are no pathogenic microorganisms in the body.