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There's a lot going on down there.

It's amazing how little the general female population seems to know about their downstairs region. Is that smell weird? Why is it itchy? Is that discharge normal? Don't worry ladies because we are here to make things a lot easier for you. We've rounded up the myths you really need to stop believing and the facts you should listen to instead. 1. Bacterial Vaginosis is untreatable The most common form of vaginal infection in Irish women of childbearing age, Bacterial Vaginosis (more commonly known as BV) is caused by an imbalance in the normal bacteria in the vagina, resulting in an increased pH level. Symptoms include unpleasant odour, watery discharge, greyish white discharge and worsening of these symptoms after sex or during your period. Thankfully once it is diagnosed it's easily treated with an internal gel. 2. Thrush is rare Thrush is actually a very common yeast infection that causes itching, irritation and swelling of the vagina and surrounding area. It is fairly harmless but can be extremely uncomfortable. Thrush can be easily treated in most cases simply by taking a tablet and/or using an anti-thrush cream that you apply to the area. 3. BV and thrush are the same thing, right? Wrong! But it’s easy to mistake BV for thrush because awareness of BV is very is low, but in fact, the symptoms and causes are different. Thrush is a yeast infection, whereas BV is a bacterial infection. 4. You can only get cystitis from having sex Nope! Cystitis is an infection or inflammation of the bladder. It is most common in women who are sexually active, pregnant women or those who have just been through menopause and can be caused by many factors including; dehydration, tight clothes, going to the toilet irregularly, highly scented toiletries, sexual activity, or health conditions such as bladder or kidney stones or diabetes. 5. Vaginal dryness is something that only happens to older women. Yes, vaginal dryness is more common in women going through the menopause but it can also happen to women at any age. In fact, 1 in 3 women will experience it in their lifetime. Thankfully, you can buy over the counter lubricants to help ease the problem but you should also contact your GP. 6. Douching every day is good for you Overwashing your downstairs could actually lead to problems like BV, thrush and vaginal dryness, especially if you're using perfumed soaps and body washes as these can change the vagina's natural PH. 7. If you ignore BV it will usually go away Bad idea, do not ignore BV especially if you're pregnant as it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, increased risk of miscarriage and an increased risk or premature labour. If you’ve used a Canestest self-test kit (so simple, a simple swab and a colour change will indicate reliably whether the cause of your discomfort is Thrush or BV) or if you’ve been diagnosed by your doctor and you know you have bacterial vaginosis (BV), you can use an internal gel to treat the symptoms of the infection. Some products such as Canesbalance BV Gel work by helping to regulate the pH balance of your vagina. 8. Discharge always have a strong smell Vaginal discharge is quite normal and can change throughout the course of your menstrual cycle. Healthy discharge does not have a strong smell or colour, but if there are changes to this, you should contact your GP.