Discharge in women has a different nature and meaning. Many are very mistaken, trying to get rid of them with the help of various hygiene products. If you have begun to notice vaginal discharge, it is best not to put off going to the doctor. Since only a gynecologist will be able to tell you everything about the causes of their appearance and the safety of the phenomenon that has arisen. The causes of discharge in women can be very diverse, and they also manifest themselves in different ways. In the article, we will consider all possible selections and try to determine how safe certain manifestations are.
What is considered normal?
There are a number of secretions in the intimate area of women that are absolutely safe for her he alth:
- Clear, mucus-like discharge that appears before ovulation and can even be heavy.
- The first half of the menstrual cycle may be accompanied by various copious discharges that stop aftera few days.
- Creamy discharge may also appear in the second half of the cycle, but in very small amounts.
- Liquid discharge that has little to no color can occur within hours of intercourse.
- Blood streaks may also appear before ovulation, which is considered normal.
- If a woman has recently started taking hormonal contraceptives, slight brown discharge may appear in the first weeks.
- Many women develop white bumps during pregnancy that are odorless and cause little to no discomfort.
As you can see, a lot of this issue depends on the menstrual cycle. And the discharge can change its color, abundance, consistency and much more. However, all these changes are considered the norm for the formed female body. It is worth being alert if these manifestations begin to smell unpleasant and cause certain inconveniences.
There are several reasons for abnormal discharge in women:
- Initiated pregnancy.
- Recently had a birth.
- Menopause in a young woman.
- Some drugs can cause these side effects.
- Various diseases and inflammations in the genitals.
- STDs.
Transparent highlights
The most harmless secretions are considered transparent. Since often these are just dead cells of the vagina, lactic acid bacteria andother things that are normally found in the female body. They can appear at any time during the menstrual cycle or before ovulation. They usually do not have any odor, but sometimes a slightly sour smell may appear when lactic acid bacteria are released, which is considered normal.
There are several periods in a woman's life when transparent discharge can have a different character:
- At the age of 10 years and older, when the girl begins active puberty. Such discharge is a normal reaction of the body to the fact that its reproductive functions will soon begin to work.
- 1-2 days before ovulation, such manifestations can be very abundant, but disappear almost immediately.
- Thick and clear discharge may appear in the first half of the menstrual cycle.
- In the second half they become less abundant and very thick.
However, having noticed any kind of manifestations, you need to look at them. Since even transparent discharge can be a signal of a disease or an infection. You need to go to the doctor if, in addition to mucus, you begin to notice an unpleasant odor and itching in the perineum. And also a woman may be accompanied by pain during or after intercourse.
This can manifest itself in a variety of diseases, but among them there are four most common: endometritis, cervical disease, salpingo-oophoritis, dysbacteriosis or bacterial vaginosis.
Green highlights
Women's discharge color canchange and acquire a variety of shades. It all depends on the type of infection that has entered her body. Green discharge is a clear pathology. Most likely, some kind of infection has entered the body or an active inflammatory process has begun there. At this time, leukocytes enter the fight against the disease, which in large numbers enter the mucous secretion and give such a result.
Green and yellow discharge in women has several reasons worth mentioning:
- Bacterial vaginosis is a fairly common disease that can be caused by an infection during sexual intercourse, or it can be triggered by severe stress or pregnancy. May accompany itching of discharge in the intimate area.
- Trichomoniasis is one of the most dangerous sexually transmitted diseases. And it is so because of the difficulties in diagnosis, and green discharge is almost its only symptom. But the exact diagnosis can only be established after a special test.
- Thrush - rare, but in some cases, curdled discharge of this color may appear.
- Pregnancy - it is considered normal if such discharge is observed at the beginning of pregnancy. This is a kind of reaction of the body to all the changes that occur there. However, it is better not to postpone going to the doctor, as such manifestations can be a sign of previously hidden infections.
- Gonorrhea - included in the list of especially dangerous diseases and requires an immediate visit to a specialist.
- Inflammatory process - if you start inflammation,then the white discharge in women, with which it all begins, can take on shades of yellow and even green.
As you can see, the green color is a signal that a woman needs a gynecological examination. Moreover, if some infections are not so dangerous, then serious diseases from the field of venereology appear in a similar way.
Yellow highlights
In some cases, yellow discharge may be the norm, but you need to be able to distinguish between normal indicators and those that should be alarming. Yellow and white discharge in odorless women is a normal indicator. And also they should be watery and not contain any clots, and their amount is equivalent to one teaspoon per day.
But yellow discharge with a smell in women is most often a signal of he alth problems. This is how such diseases manifest themselves: adnexitis, gonorrhea, vaginitis, salpingitis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, as well as recent childbirth can have such consequences.
White highlights
As we have said, in most cases this color selection is considered the norm. However, some of the above diseases and infections begin in this way, and only then develop and acquire new shades of their manifestations. But, as it turned out, many other things can also affect the appearance of such a symptom, namely:
- This symptom can be caused by personal care products that have been chosen incorrectly.
- Hormonal drugs that the girl takes for a long time.
- Douching, which can wash out the flora of the vagina.
- A woman who neglects personal hygiene has these symptoms.
- Sedentary lifestyles can also cause white discharge in women.
If they do not bother you in any way, there is no smell and any other symptoms, then you should not worry. But if their number is too large, and even accompanied by other manifestations, then this is a signal that you need to immediately go to a specialist.
Bleeding
The most dangerous type of vaginal discharge in a woman is bloody. If a girl noticed this, then you need to observe their abundance, color and other accompanying symptoms. However, in any case, they do not carry anything good in themselves. Most often, the following diseases manifest themselves in this way: fibroma, endometritis, cervical erosion, cancer, various tumors, sarcoma and adenomyosis.
As you can see, all the above-mentioned diseases do not carry anything good and are often dangerous not only for he alth, but also for the life of a woman. However, it is not always necessary to panic in the presence of bloody discharge. There are other reasons for their appearance:
- This is how polyps and small sores that can appear on the genitals manifest themselves.
- Various infections that could get during intercourse.
- In women who are close to menopause, after intercourse, the vaginal mucosa may dry out, which causes a similar symptom.
- Often bleeding occurs after a recent abortion.
- Hormonal contraceptives that were chosen incorrectly have this side effect.
- At menopause, such manifestations may appear at different times. This is considered normal and will soon pass.
But it is strictly forbidden to ignore such selections. At the first detection, you need to contact a gynecologist who will help determine the cause and, if necessary, prescribe treatment.
Black highlights
Black discharge, rather, can be attributed to bloody. It's just that they are thicker and their color is too dark. In some periods, even they can be normal, but an examination by a gynecologist is mandatory. There are a number of reasons why they appear, and they are worth mentioning:
- Serious disorders in the endocrine system or metabolism.
- If a woman suddenly gained or, conversely, lost weight.
- If some inflammatory or infectious processes have been occurring in the girl's body for a long time.
- Women who have recently had chemotherapy.
- Frequent and severe stress.
- Hormonal disruptions that can be of a different nature.
- Endometriosis.
- A disease such as endometrial hyperplasia.
- If a woman has been taking hormonal contraceptives for a long time, which were chosen incorrectly, or she abruptly stopped taking them.
- The presence of polyps on the girl's genitals.
- Systemic diseases of the body that do not even concerngynecology.
Discharge with smell
We've already said that normal discharges have little to no color and should be sparse. However, another distinguishing feature is the smell. Normally, it should be completely absent. But smelly discharge in women is cause for concern.
Inflammations that were caused by foreign microorganisms entering the body greatly affect not only the amount of mucus, but also cause an unpleasant odor. And it can also have such a symptom of a violation of hormonal balance or metabolism. Moreover, both of these reasons can have a very different nature of origin.
If a woman violates the rules of personal hygiene, not only discharge may appear, but also their unpleasant smell. And also this is possible during pregnancy or due to a long course of antibiotic treatment. All the diseases that were listed in the previous paragraphs are accompanied by an unpleasant odor. As well as oncological diseases or already undergone chemotherapy.
These are the most common reasons, but the list is far from complete. Postponing a trip to the doctor is not recommended. The sooner you see a doctor, the easier it is to get rid of the cause of such a symptom.
Diagnosis and treatment
The reason for the discharge can be very different. That is why during a visit to the gynecologist you should tell about all the manifestations, about your chronic and acute diseases, about the medications you take. Forestablishing an accurate diagnosis, the doctor is obliged to conduct a complete diagnosis, which includes the delivery of a large number of tests that can establish the nature of itching, discharge in women in the intimate area.
- First of all, you need to pass a cytology.
- The doctor takes a swab for STDs during examination on the gynecological chair.
- Depending on what kind of discharge you observed, a blood test is taken.
- Cultural study in progress.
- PCR analysis.
- The acid environment of the vagina is being studied.
- After taking all these tests, their mycological study is carried out.
Based on the results of these tests, an accurate diagnosis can be made. Some diseases require additional studies, which are prescribed by a specialist, and only one or two tests are enough to determine individual infections. Treatment can be started only after the doctor is sure of the correctness of the diagnosis. Each disease should have its own set of drugs that will quickly relieve you of the problem.
Discharge during and after pregnancy
Pregnancy is a special period in every woman's life. During this period, the diagnosis can only be established by a specialist. Any self-medication should be excluded. There are several reasons why a woman has discharge during pregnancy:
- Starting from the 37th week, the doctor may conduct a routine examination of the woman on the gynecological chair, after which the patient may experience brown discharge. This is considered the norm, since during this period the fetus is consideredfully mature and the uterus is preparing for childbirth.
- When the cork comes off, a woman's underwear may develop mucous discharge, sometimes with small streaks of blood. This is considered the norm only in the later stages, when the child is already ready to be born. In other cases, you should immediately consult a doctor.
- Thrush. It is accompanied by itching and discharge in women (white in color with a curdled consistency). Treatment of thrush during this period should be de alt with, because during childbirth it can be transmitted to the baby.
- Bleeding manifestations in large quantities indicate placental abruption, which is very dangerous at any time.
- In the period before childbirth, amniotic fluid may drain, which is quite dangerous and cannot pass without the supervision of a specialist.
- Yellow and green discharge shows fetal hypoxia, as well as possible infections and sexually transmitted diseases that require immediate treatment.
Any new pregnancy symptoms should be checked by a gynecologist. A timely visit to the hospital can save both mother and child.
Discharge after abortion
Various, not too abundant discharge in women after a medical abortion is considered the norm. This is how the drug manifests itself, which provoked the rejection of the fetus. But if you had a surgical abortion and you observe any manifestations after it, then this may be a signal that you have been infected with some kind of infection.
In the first ten days after any abortion on linenyou can observe brown discharge, which is considered to be the norm. However, if they are accompanied by pain, and especially after or during intercourse, then most likely these are polyps.
Abortion can result in endometriosis and endometritis. The second is accompanied by pain in the period before the onset of menstruation. If this does not cause any particular inconvenience, then you can remain calm. Otherwise, consult a specialist, as endometritis can quickly develop into endometriosis.
During a surgical abortion, various bacteria can enter the vagina, which cause inflammation of the mucosa, and from there appear yellow and green discharge. And infection with various sexually transmitted diseases is not ruled out, the treatment of which is strictly prohibited to be postponed.
In the article, we examined almost all types of discharge in women. Based on this, we can conclude that copious discharge with itching and odor in women is not the norm. And if there is a smell without discharge in women, then this is most likely a common neglect of the rules of personal hygiene. Be attentive to your he alth and do not put off going to the doctor at the first sign of the above diseases.
