Vaginal discharge in women can be distinguished depending on its cause and duration. Specialists distinguish physiological, due to the stage of the menstrual cycle or age, as well as pathological, which arise due to the presence of certain diseases in the body of a woman. When diagnosing the appearance of vaginal discharge, only an unconfirmed diagnosis can be made. However, it is impossible to formulate an effective treatment only on this symptom. If you find strange sticky discharge, it is important for a woman to immediately go to the gynecologist.
Excretions in normal condition
Vaginal discharge, which is considered completely normal, is formed from mucus. It includes dead cells, the secret of Bartholin's glands, microbes. Such secretions also contain lactic acid, a substance released after the life of lactobacilli, and glycogen, a substance that ensures the preservation of normal microflora in a woman's vagina. During ovulation, the amount of glycogen in the secretions, when compared with other days of the menstrual cycle, increases significantly.
They should normally be slimy, almost transparent or slightly whitish formations of a uniform texture (in some cases they contain small lumps) in an amount of 5 to 10 g per day. There is almost no smell from such secretions.
Appearance of whiter
If a woman's vaginal discharge becomes too much or, on the contrary, they are scarce, and at the same time they emit an unpleasant odor or their consistency is disturbed, then they are usually called whites. It is important to remember that in the presence of leucorrhoea, a woman almost always feels unpleasant symptoms: a feeling of strong moisture in the groin, severe burning, itching and discomfort.
Causes of sticky discharge in a woman:
- inflammatory processes (for example, colpitis or adnexitis);
- infectious lesions of the urogenital tract;
- sexual diseases;
- non-specific diseases;
- groin injury;
- allergic reactions to synthetic materials, lubricants, latex, low-quality intimate hygiene products.
Classification of secretions
Also, all secretions can be divided according to their origin. Uterine and tubal discharges are abundant masses of a watery consistency, and cervical discharges are thick, coming out in small quantities. Discharge may indicate the presence of the following diseases:
- If the leucorrhoea comes out with pus (often an unpleasant, rotten smell is found), then almostIn all cases, doctors diagnose an inflammatory process in the patient.
- Leucorrhoea with an admixture of blood often report that there is a benign or malignant formation in the body.
- The curd consistency of whites in large quantities in the form of flakes may indicate thrush.
- Green or orange leucorrhea, often characterized by a putrid odor, speaks of a disease such as bacterial vaginosis.
- Leucorrhoea with white foam indicates trichomoniasis.
Other causes of strange discharge may include trauma to the genitals, uncontrolled use of contraceptives, douching with antiseptics, prolapse of the walls of the vagina, stasis of blood in the veins of the small pelvis, which occurs with a sedentary lifestyle, and other problems.
Why does it get sticky?
There are many characteristics by which you can understand whether a woman's sticky discharge is a sign of the onset of pathological processes in the body. The stickiness of the outgoing masses may not always indicate the presence of lesions.
There are certain phases of the menstrual cycle during which vaginal discharge can change its properties, texture and structure. An example of such a process would be the period of ovulation. But this state lasts only a few days, after which all the characteristics of the discharge normalize.
It is important to remember that not only on ovulation days, the vaginal secretion can increase its stickiness. This also happens during sexual arousal in a woman, duringtime of intercourse. In this case, a woman has a large amount of sticky discharge without a specific smell. But they also last a short time - until the excitation is eliminated and the shower is taken.
If a transparent, sticky, odorless discharge from a woman does not go away after a few hours after having sex, but only increases in quantity and begins to smell unpleasant, then it is important to immediately seek help from a specialist and take a smear for bacteriological culture. Most often, these symptoms occur with STDs.
In addition, the strong stickiness of vaginal discharge may be due to factors such as:
- Regular stress, emotional exhaustion, depression.
- Using certain drugs.
- Neglect of hygiene rules (this also causes a bad smell).
- A sharp change in climatic conditions, moving to another country.
It should be noted that if the sticky, odorless discharge does not last long and does not bring discomfort, this means that they occur for physiological reasons that do not require any therapy. If they continue regularly and provoke an unpleasant burning sensation in the genitals, then this is already referred to as a pathological condition. In this case, it is very important to visit a gynecologist and pass all the required tests to identify the disease and develop a comprehensive treatment.
Additional reasons for stickiness
When identifying the causes of increased stickiness of the vaginalsecret, it is important to remember about hormonal disruptions that often occur in the female body. Such problems can arise against the background of both pathological and physiological processes. In this case, a special effect on the state of the hormonal background is exerted by:
- formation of the menstrual cycle in adolescence;
- carrying a child;
- menopause and menopause.
If a girl has only recently begun menstruation, then it is important for her to prepare herself for the fact that in the first 4-6 months her body will experience sharp jumps in hormones. Such changes can not only lead to problems with menstruation, but also provoke sticky discharge, the volume of which will decrease and increase. This will continue until the menstrual cycle is adjusted and becomes constant.
Carrying a baby
At an early stage of bearing a fetus in a woman's body, severe disruptions in the hormonal system also occur. In the first few weeks of the laying of the organs of the embryo, the amount of progesterone produced increases.
While it is actively reproduced by the body, vaginal discharge can regularly change its consistency and structure - they become either transparent and thick, or white and liquid.
The most important thing is that such discharge does not bring severe discomfort and does not exude an unpleasant odor, since such symptoms very often indicate the presence of dangerous diseases in the human body, including infectious ones.
Second andthird trimester
If a woman's sticky discharge does not go away in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, this may indicate a lack of iron in the body and the appearance of iron deficiency anemia, which as a result can lead to fetal hypoxia. It is very important, when such a symptom appears, to conduct a biochemical blood test and determine the underlying cause of this condition. If the diagnosis is confirmed, it is important to start treatment immediately.
When menopause occurs in a woman's body, severe disruptions occur in the hormonal system, which are associated with a deterioration in the reproductive function. In this case, the woman has not only sticky discharge, but also the timing of menstruation.
The periods become irregular (they come with long delays or begin several times a month), and also change their character (they become either more abundant or, conversely, scarce). At the same time, the woman feels general malaise, fatigue, sweating and severe aggressiveness), but this condition persists only until the time of menopause. After it, the patient's condition returns to normal, the discharge becomes normal.
Possible diseases
Vaginal discharge contains pathogens and white blood cells. If their number suddenly increases, then this always leads to an increase in the stickiness of the vaginal masses. Such a process occurs only when a woman has problems with the microflora of the vagina, or when inflammation begins in the reproductive system.
Problems with the microflora in the vagina pass against the background of the activation of pathogenic microorganisms, which can be provoked by infectious and non-infectious pathogens. With a non-infectious lesion, the microflora of the vagina may change:
- with frequent douching;
- uncontrolled use of antibacterial agents;
- prolonged abstinence from sexual intercourse;
- poor hygienic care of the intimate area.
White highlights
In a normal state, a woman may have a white sticky discharge in a minimal amount. They are colored white because there are epithelial cells in the vagina, which begin to turn white during the day.
Vaginal discharge may become more intense before the onset of your period, and remain white for several days after your period.
During intercourse
During this period, the amount of vaginal secretion secreted increases several times. This occurs when excited due to increased blood circulation in the pelvic organs and stimulation of the sex glands. This lubricant has a sticky consistency (it can be easily stretched with your fingers) and does not have a special smell. It acts as a natural lubricant for the vagina and helps improve penetration and protect against friction during intercourse. Also in such secretions there are various components that play a barrier and protective function.
In some cases, due to hormonal problems (especially menopause), the adhesive lubricant is not produced, which brings significant difficulties during sexual intercourse. In this case, to improve the hormonal background, a woman needs to contact a specialist who will additionally prescribe special moisturizing products.
Discharge after intercourse
After intercourse, sometimes a woman has a small amount of sticky yellow discharge. In this way, the vagina eliminates the secret in which the male sperm is located. This discharge is more like egg white and smells like semen.
With increased sensitivity of the vaginal microflora, allergic reactions to contraceptives (especially condoms with flavors and dyes), drugs, intimate hygiene products and synthetic underwear often appear.
