Vaginal discharge

It is normal for women to have some amount of vaginal discharge. The vagina is a self-cleaning organ. It produces MUCUS and other secretions, vaginal fluid and that eventually should go somewhere--such as beyond on your underpants as discharge.

It is also normal for the amount and consistency of vaginal discharge a woman to change her entire menstrual cycle genes. Actually monitoring the consistency of cervical MUCUS, a type of fertility awareness method, which allows women to time intercourse so that it is most likely to get them pregnant.

But not all vaginal discharge is normal. Vaginal discharge that is accompanied by a strong vaginal smell, for example, can be a sign of other types of bovis or an STD infection. If you experience an extraordinary change in your vaginal discharge odour, thickness or amount, it may be worth visiting your gynecologist to be screened for Stds and other vaginal infections.

Yeast infections
Yeast infections are one of the most common causes of vaginal discharge. More often than not discharge associated with a yeast infection is white and clumpy kind of like the ricotta cheese, but it can vary in color and texture, all the way to the yellow and on an ongoing basis.

Far more meaningful things about a yeast infection is vaginal discharge odour--trend towards, but not always, yeasty smell like beer or bread. It is also often accompanied by intense vaginal itching or burning.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
As with yeast infections, it is the vaginal discharge odour, which is the important clue to diagnose bacterial vaginosis. Bacterial vaginosis is associated with a strong fishy odor, which can be very pungent after sex.

Vaginal discharge associated with bacterial vaginosis have a tendency to be very current, and it can also be accompanied by vaginal itching and burning during urination.

Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is one of the few sexually transmitted diseases, which causes no symptoms more often in men than women (asymptomatic).

In women causing this parasitic infections is usually a strong-smelling discharge, frothy, which vary in color from green to grey-yellow coloration. It can also cause discomfort during sex, vaginal itching, and other related symptoms.

Chlamydia
Even though Chlamydia is almost always asymptomatic in women, it can cause vaginal discharge. Discharge associated with a Chlamydia infection often do not have a particularly strong smell.

Women with chlamydia can also experience the burning during urination and nondescript lower abdominal pain.

Gonorrhea
As with Chlamydia, most cases of gonorrhea in women are asymptomatic. However, it can cause vaginal discharge, as well as burning during urination and pelvic hollow pain.

Vaginal discharge odour with gonorrhea are usually minimal, and neither the Chlamydia or gonorrhea can be diagnosed via discharge alone.

Sources:

CDC Factsheet on bacterial vaginosis access to 5/9/07.

CDC Factsheet on gonorrhea. Access to 12/24/09.

CDC fact sheet on Chamydia. Access to 12/24/09.

Abbott j. clinical and microscopic diagnosis of vaginal yeast infection: a prospective analysis. Ann Emerg Med. 1995 may; 25 (5): 587-91

Bornstein J, Lakovsky Y, Avalanche in, Bar-Am (A), Abramovici h. the classic approach to diagnosis of should: a critical analysis. Infect Dis 2001; Gynecol Obstet.. 9 (2): 105-11.

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