A douche is a small device, which introduces a stream of water into a body cavity that needs to be cleaned. In French, “douche” translates to bathe, soak or to clean out. When we use the word “douching”, we generally mean rinsing out or washing the vagina with water and a mixture of other fluids.
Several women use a vaginal douche quite often, because they believe it is hygienic. Studies indicate that about 25% to 40% of women in America, between the ages of 15 and 44, douche on a regular basis. Among these, over half of them douche as often as once a week. Most of them claim that a douche –
However, there are no scientific reports to prove that there are any benefits to be derived from a vaginal douche.
A commercial douche usually comprises of a bag and a long nozzle, with lateral holes at the end. The cleansing solution is in the douche bag, which needs to be squeezed, so that the liquid can irrigate the vagina. You can easily buy a douche at any pharmacy, over the counter. These douches come with a prepackaged solution, which could include ingredients like water, baking soda, iodine or vinegar. Some commercial douches could also contain antiseptic chemicals.
In case you are not comfortable using commercial douches for any reason, you can also prepare your own home made douche.
Preparing a homemade douche is no rocket science experiment and can be dome very easily. The easiest option for the device is the Fountain Syringe, for which you need –
Attach the pipe in a way that it allows the hot water from the bag to flow through it. Use some duct tape as prevention from the pipe slipping. You can then pour the cleansing solution in the bag.
You could also prepare a Bulb Syringe, using a clean (preferable unused) plastic ketchup bottle, one that you need to squeeze, so that the liquid inside can be pressured out. You can lengthen the nozzle on the ketchup bottle by buying a nozzle from a pharmacy, or using a bendable water pipe with an attached nozzle.
To save time, you could just buy a commercial douching bottle from the pharmacy and prepare the liquid at home, using a natural recipe. Given below are some common recipes for home make douching solution –
Another natural douche could be made by leaving a tea bag in the fridge overnight and applying it in the morning to the vagina to get rid of fungal and bacterial infections.Yet another popular natural douche recipe is the use of a fresh tampon soaked in yogurt. The tampon is placed in the vagina to let the live and active lactobacillus cultures in the yogurt reintroduce the bacterial ecology in the area. Probiotic capsules containing beneficial bacterial by the millions and probiotic dairy products can also be consumed to facilitate the colonization of the area with these bacteria.
A solution of boric acid is found to be effective as a douche against yeast infections. Dissolve a teaspoonful of boric acid in about half a liter of water and irrigate the vaginal area with the solution from a douche bottle. Yeast infections that come and go often can be distressing, and in such cases, using a suppository to deliver the right quantity of boric acid to the walls of the vagina is an option. A suppository delivers the medicine to the body when it melts under the body’s natural heat, when it is placed in a cavity like the vagina. Unlike oral tablets or douches with medicinal solutions added, suppositories are effective in delivering the medication at the site it is needed for treating the infection.
A douche with a lot of water or frequent douching can disturb the pH balance in your vaginal terrain, which leads to infections. However, you could reduce the risks of fungal or yeast infections and maintain the pH balance in your body, by adding some vinegar or boric acid to the water.
Speak with your doctor without any delay in case you notice any of these symptoms after using a douche –
Homemade douches or commercially available douches when used too often can interfere with the self-cleaning mechanism of the vagina. Douching can flush out the native flora inhabiting the region, depriving the vagina of protection that they offer against infections. Some of the possible side effects of using a douche regularly include –
It is absolutely essential that you stop douching completely, in case you are suffering from any of these problems. You can keep yourself clean by washing the vaginal area with warm water and some gentle soap when take a bath.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that women should avoid douching for various reasons. Therefore, if you plan on using a douche for any reason, it is important that you consult your doctor before doing so.