Douching comes from the French word "douche" which means washing. Douching essentially is the cleansing of the vagina with water or other douching solutions. It is also known as vaginal irrigation. Douching can also be done for other cavities or passages of the body. However, in common parlance, it usually refers to vaginal douching.
Douching is an age old practice. Many women believe that douching will get rid of vaginal infections, will help prevent STDs or Sexually Transmitted Diseases, will remove residual blood after menstruation, will prevent a pregnancy by washing off seminal fluid, will get rid of foul odor emanating from excessive vaginal discharge and from menstrual blood and basically will keep the vagina clean. It has been considered a hygienic practice for women. However, most doctors and healthcare providers will advise against this so-called hygienic practice.Douching solutions can be found in the local pharmacy and so can douching syringes, bags, bottles and other materials. Home remedies for douching include vinegar, calendula herbs, yogurt, tea and boric acid. Whatever be the home remedy for the douche, care must be taken to see to it that the products used are clean, safe and sterile. How to make a homemade douche? A homemade douche is relatively easy to make. One part of distilled vinegar and four parts of distilled water, that is, 20 ml of vinegar and 80 ml of water can be mixed together to make a home douche solution. Homemade douche with vinegar is most commonly used. Kosher salt mixed with distilled water which is very hot is another solution. A tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide added to a liter of distilled water is another typical homemade douche mix. A teaspoon of boric acid mixed with half a liter of water can also be used to douche the vagina. Calendula herb can be infused in boiling water for around thirty minutes. Strain this solution and once it is cooled, it can be used as another homemade douche solution. A cold tea bag that has been left in the refrigerator for around 8 to 10 hours can be applied to the vaginal area. Some women also believe that a fresh tampon soaked in yogurt can be inserted into the vagina to kill "unwanted" bacteria causing infections. Yogurt supposedly restores the bacterial balance in the vaginal area.
What about actually making the douching apparatus? This apparatus can either be bought at the medical store or can be made at home. How to make a homemade douche bag and bottle? A hot water bag, a flexible water pipe and clean bottle can be used to make the home made douche kit. A spray bottle with a large capacity and a nozzle ejected a powerful jet of the douche solution is another option. Care must be taken to ensure that these materials are sterile.
It is the same practice that is done by non pregnant women. However doctors strongly advise douching if the woman is pregnancy. Some research has been done on the correlation between douching and ectopic pregnancy, and douching and low birth weight babies. Although, the findings have not always been conclusive, prevention is always better than cure. Some also believe that douching can cause infections in the mother to be and the baby to be born. It may also lead to premature delivery and complications during labor according to some. Still others believe that douching may also cause problems in conception. An infection douching apparatus or douche solution can cause infection of the vagina which may spread to the uterus. This can cause fertility problems.Vaginal douches are not always advisable because it can cause the douching effect. What is the douching effect? It is when the chemical balance in the vagina gets upset. There are "good" bacteria in the vagina and douching can actually disrupt the balance and aggravate a bacterial infection or if an infection is absent may actually cause an infection. If the infection is then left untreated, it may cause an infection of the cervix, the uterus and other reproductive organs.
Let the vagina clean itself naturally. The vagina uses its natural cleansing mechanism with the help of vaginal mucus. Warm water and gentle soap is enough to clean the vagina and the surrounding areas. In case of irritation, itching, burning and abnormal discharge, it is best to consult your healthcare provider instead of self-treating the problem. Wearing clean cotton underwear and comfortable and not very tight clothes will also help. Avoiding multiple sexual partners is also important.Douches for men also exist. They mainly help to cleanse the anal passage with a specific douche kit and water. It is also referred to as enema.
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