UNIVERSITY
HEALTH SERVICE

Common symptoms of BV include: a foul or "fishy" vaginal odor, gray or milky-white vaginal discharge, and sometimes itching, burning, or irritation. Some women may have no symptoms at all.

Your healthcare provider will look at a sample of your vaginal discharge under a microscope to diagnose BV. It is difficult to distinguish BV from other vaginal infections, so only your healthcare provider can diagnose you with BV.

Unlike a yeast infection, which may be treated with over the counter (OTC) medications, BV only responds to prescription medications from your healthcare provider. Treatments for BV may be an oral pill, or a gel or cream that is applied to the vagina. OTC vaginal creams or suppositories will not work in the treatment of BV.