"For the past two years, the 29-year-old dancer from Ohio had been dealing with severe pelvic pain and vaginal odor. "It was like 8/10, horrible core pain," she says. "I couldn't lie down. I couldn't even work an office job. It was bad.""
"When she visited doctors, she told them what she thought the culprit was: an allergic reaction to soy oil in a vat of water she'd swam in during a pirate-themed dinner theater performance. But they didn't believe her. "They attempted to fix it with antibiotics," she says. "And they just did nothing.""
"She ordered a test from the company for $150, and it came back with a diagnosis: aerobic vaginitis (AV), a bacterial infection caused by an overgrowth of E. coli or streptococcus. She ordered supplements the company recommended, and she says the pain abated almost immediately. "I was just so glad to actually know what was wrong," she says."
"Farrah is one of a growing number of women who have used at-home tests to self-diagnose issues with the vaginal microbiome-an ecosystem of bacteria growing inside the vagina; the presence of "good" bacteria correlates with lower risk of STIs and other types of infections, according to numerous studies."
A dancer experienced severe pelvic pain and vaginal odor for two years and suspected an allergic reaction after swimming in soy oil. Doctors did not accept the suspected cause and tried antibiotics without improvement. She used an at-home vaginal microbiome testing kit from a vaginal health company, paid $150, and received a diagnosis of aerobic vaginitis linked to overgrowth of E. coli or streptococcus. She followed recommended supplements and reported rapid pain relief. More women are using at-home tests to self-diagnose vaginal microbiome issues, since the balance of “good” bacteria is associated with lower risk of STIs and other infections. Public figures have also shared microbiome test results online, emphasizing scores and dominance of Lactobacillus crispatus.
Read at WIRED
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