Discharge is a fluid that exits a person’s body. The main function of secretions is protection. Vaginal discharge appears due to the work of the urethra. This is a natural process. There are situations when female secretions change color, smell, etc. This process is not always a pathology. Every woman should know when vaginal discharge is normal, and when not. Let's look into this in more detail.
The rate of discharge in women
Vaginal discharge is an integral part of every woman who has reached reproductive age. Discharge for no reason is not a deviation from the norm. They consist of dead cells of the mucous membranes of the vagina, mucus from the cervix and microorganisms living in the genitals. The normal vaginal microflora is characterized by the presence of lactobacilli, Doderlein sticks, fungi, streptococci, enterobacteria. The acidic environment of the vagina is considered normal at pH = 3.8-4.4.
So, the norm of discharge in women is transparent, grayish or white discharge, which does not cause discomfort, does not have an unpleasant odor, and does not require the use of daily pads. They vary with the menstrual cycle. After menstruation, liquid discharge is the norm. They should be transparent (colorless). When ovulation occurs, the discharge changes color, becomes more cloudy, their number increases. This is a sign that the egg is ready for exit and fertilization.
Characteristics of normal vaginal discharge
1. Consistency.
The consistency of the discharge should be similar to mucus, without the content of large lumps. During pregnancy, arousal, or during a certain period of the menstrual cycle, water content is acceptable. The color of vaginal discharge should not differ significantly from the norm.
2. The smell.
Basically, the smell is absent, but a slightly sour smell is also the norm, since the vagina is characterized by an acidic environment.
3. Volume.
The rate of discharge in women per day is no more than 5 ml.
4. Structure.
Small lumps up to 4 mm are permissible, the presence of large clots and flakes is a clear sign of pathology.
The above characteristics may deviate from the norm for the following reasons:
- pregnancy;
- the period of breastfeeding;
- taking antibacterial drugs;
- taking birth control pills;
- menopause;
- menopause.
If the discharge has changed its characteristics, and also symptoms such as itching, burning, unpleasant odor, pain and others have appeared, it is necessary to consult a specialist to identify the cause of the pathology.
Pathological discharge in women
Discharge and smell in the intimate zone indicate a woman's health status. A change in their color may indicate the presence of infectious and inflammatory diseases.
Color Highlight Qualification:
1. White discharge.
Basically, white discharge is considered the norm, but there are a number of factors indicating the presence of pathology. Acidic discharge in women is a clear symptom of thrush. The causes of this disease are stress, pregnancy, hormonal disruptions, overwork, climate change, taking antibacterial drugs, eating certain types of food, using poor-quality synthetic underwear, non-observance of personal hygiene rules, and the presence of a disease in a sexual partner.
Also, bacterial vaginosis can become the cause of white discharge. You can identify it only when passing tests.
2. Yellow discharge.
Yellow discharge is not always a pathology. They can acquire a yellow tint when the hormonal background changes, after suffering stress, sexual intercourse. If the yellow discharge has an unpleasant odor, then this indicates the presence of a genital tract infection. The causes of yellow discharge with a smell are many:
- Vaginosis. This is a copious, yellowish, watery discharge with an unpleasant fishy odor. There is vaginosis in case of non-observance of intimate hygiene, hormonal failure, violation of the vaginal microflora.
- Endocrine Disorders In this case, the discharge is bright yellow, with a strong odor, itching and burning.
- Abortion. After an abortion, yellow discharge with a smell of iron is characteristic, which indicates the presence of blood in their composition.
- Neoplasms. In the presence of benign tumors, a whitish yellow hue with an acidic smell is characteristic. In the presence of malignant neoplasms, the discharge is purulent in nature, red-yellow in color. A woman experiences severe pain in the lower abdomen.
- Sexually transmitted diseases: gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, mycoplasma, gardnerellosis. Sexually transmitted diseases are accompanied not only by the appearance of yellow mucus, but also by severe discomfort of the genitals: burning, itching, redness, swelling. In the presence of such symptoms, it is impossible to make a diagnosis on your own, therefore, specialist advice and laboratory diagnostics are necessary.
3. Green highlight.
This type of discharge appears due to the presence of a large number of white blood cells. Most often, they indicate an inflammatory disease that has turned into a chronic form. Bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, colpitis and vaginitis, thrush (complicated for some reason) can provoke green discharge. Also, green mucus can be observed during pregnancy and after childbirth. This happens due to hormonal changes in the body or weakened immunity. The presence of green discharge is an urgent reason for visiting a gynecologist.
4. Brown discharge.
Under certain circumstances, brown discharge is acceptable and not always a pathology.
The rate of discharge in women:
- pregnancy onset;
- playing sports and excessive physical activity;
- menopause;
- recovery after childbirth;
- menopause;
- the use of contraceptives;
- prolonged sloppy intercourse.
Brown secretions are considered normal if they have an unsaturated shade, moderately liquid, not abundant.
Brown discharge is a pathology when they are too plentiful, their volume is constantly increasing, body temperature rises, there is pain in the lower abdomen, itching and burning. There are times when such discharge goes instead of menstruation. This may be due to intense physical exertion, hormonal failure, endocrine disorders in the body, pituitary dysfunction. Depending on the cause of the appearance of brown mucus, its color may vary from pale brown to black.
Gray discharge in women
Particular attention should be paid to the gray color of the discharge, since this is the most common phenomenon. Odorless gray discharge in women is considered normal if they have an unsaturated shade, have no smell at all, or the smell deviates slightly from the norm, are not accompanied by discomfort of the genitals.
Otherwise, this is a sign of a pathological process. The causes of gray discharge in women can be diseases such as:
- candidiasis, or thrush;
- cervicitis;
- cervical erosion;
- gardnerellosis or bacterial vaginosis.
Consider each pathology in more detail.
Candidiasis (thrush)
Candidiasis, or thrush, is a disease caused by a yeast of the genus Candida (Candida albicans), affecting the genitals, skin, oral cavity, and internal organs of a person. This infection brings severe discomfort to a woman. More than 90% of the vaginal microflora are lactobacilli. They perform a protective function and prevent the spread of pathogenic microorganisms. When the number of lactobacilli in the vagina decreases, then the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi occurs. This leads to the appearance of thrush.
Discharges in women with thrush are usually gray-white, curdled. With the advanced form of the disease, it is very plentiful, with a strong unpleasant sour smell. The obvious symptoms of candidiasis are itching and burning of the genitals, redness of the vagina and external genitalia, impaired urination, pain when going to the toilet, discomfort during intercourse.
You can diagnose thrush with a smear at the gynecologist. The treatment is carried out with antifungal agents, which can be divided into two types: local drugs and systemic effects.
Local drugs - creams, vaginal tablets, vaginal suppositories. They act on the lesion, are considered more sparing. Possible use with antibacterial agents.
Systemic drugs are used for severe or periodically recurring forms of candidiasis. These are tablets that act on the body as a whole, and not just on the focus of infection.
Cervicitis
Cervicitis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the cervix. This inflammatory process is characterized by gray turbid discharge (purulent possible), urination disorders, pain in the lower abdomen, painful sexual intercourse. Running cervicitis can lead to the development of cervical erosion. It occurs when a conditionally pathogenic microflora enters the cervix: staphylococci, streptococci, Escherichia coli, fungi, trichomonads, chlamydia, gonococci, parasitic infections. Sexual transmission is also possible.
Often, cervicitis develops in conjunction with other diseases of the genital organs, such as vaginitis, entropion, vulvitis, pseudo-erosion of the cervix, etc. In women during menopause, it is quite rare, mainly this disease is characteristic of women of reproductive age. To diagnose cervicitis, you must:
- gynecological examination;
- laboratory examination of a smear and bacteriosis;
- coloscopy.
The treatment of cystitis depends on the causative agent of the disease. They mainly use antibacterial and antiviral agents, apply douching with a solution of dimethyl sulfoxide, chlorophyllipt, silver nitrate. In some cases, it is necessary to use vitamins, immunostimulants, interferons, cytostatics. The sexual partner should also be treated. With complex stages of cervicitis, surgical intervention is used: cryotherapy, diathermocoagulation, laser therapy.
Cervical erosion
Cervical erosion is a violation of the mucous membranes of the cervix. Translated as "destruction".
Symptoms of cervical erosion are as follows:
- burning and itching when urinating;
- discomfort during intercourse;
- gray-yellow discharge, possibly bloody.
Erosion can be divided into 2 groups: true erosion and pseudo-erosion (ectopia).
True erosion is also divided into subgroups:
- leukoplakia - hardening of the epithelium in any part of the cervical mucosa;
- ectropion is the forward displacement of cervical tissue due to abortion or childbirth;
- endometriosis - displacement of the mucous surfaces of the cervix vertically;
- polyps of the cervix and cervical canal.
Ectopia, or pseudo-erosion, is not a disease, in the absence of inflammatory processes is not dangerous. Most often, this pathology is congenital.
For the diagnosis of erosion, a gynecologist needs to be examined with the help of mirrors, a smear test, biopsy, cytological analysis, colposcopy, tests for the presence or absence of infection, a blood test.
Erosion treatment is carried out by operational methods:
- cryotherapy;
- chemical coagulation;
- laser therapy;
- diathermocoagulation;
- radio wave exposure.
At the moment, the best method of treating cervical erosion is radio wave surgery. It allows you to completely get rid of the pathology, while the process itself is completely painless. Unfortunately, not all clinics have the equipment to carry out these operations.
Gardnerellosis, or bacterial vaginosis
Gray discharge in women can be a sign of bacterial vaginosis. This is a non-inflammatory disease associated with a change in the vaginal microflora. Almost every woman at least once in a life suffers this disease. For the carrier of the disease, gardnerellosis is not dangerous, but it can cause miscarriages, complications of childbirth, and fetal infections.
Bacterial vaginosis appears due to a violation of the microflora of the vagina and its colonization by pathogenic bacteria that enter it either sexually or from the skin of the perineum.
Conditionally pathogenic bacteria that cause gardnerellosis are mycoplasmas, atopobium, bactericides, peptococci, peptostreptococci, gardnerella, megaspheres.
Signs of bacterial vaginosis:
- gray mucous discharge;
- bad fish smell ;
- the amount of discharge is small;
- the discharge does not change depending on the menstrual cycle.
The appearance of pain in the lower abdomen, cramps, burning indicates the attachment of any infection to bacterial vaginosis. Treatment is carried out with antibacterial agents, mainly penicillins or cephalosporins. Douching with a chlorhexidine solution is also prescribed. After the main course of treatment, drugs are prescribed to restore the vaginal microflora. This disease can in no case be treated independently.
Gray discharge in women can be observed for several other reasons:
- intimate hygiene with the use of unsuitable detergents leads to disruption of the vaginal microflora, leaching of beneficial bacteria and the creation of a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic microorganisms;
- damage to the mucous membranes of the vagina due to frequent sexual contacts;
- helminths (roundworms or pinworms) often cause gray discharge;
- sexually transmitted diseases (sexually transmitted infections): chlamydia, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea in the initial stages of the disease manifest themselves in the form of gray secretions with a foul odor;
- various kinds of inflammation (vagina, appendages, cervix);
- diseases of the endocrine system, vascular disease;
- taking contraceptives without appointing a specialist;
- hormonal imbalance due to thyroid disease, tuberculosis, the presence of any infection;
- atrophic vaginitis;
- various allergic reactions;
- thermal burn of the mucous membranes of the vagina.
Douching at home
Douching is the process of washing the vagina with various medicinal solutions. A good therapeutic effect is given by herbs recommended by traditional medicine. Douching is performed using a syringe, a syringe without a needle or Esmarch's mug. For douching at home, it is important to know how to do this. Otherwise, the effect of the procedure can be exactly the opposite.
What are douching used for? They are used in the following cases:
- treatment of vaginal infections;
- replacement of antibacterial agents after gynecological operations;
- prevention of yeast diseases;
- treatment of cervical erosion, cystitis, bacterial vaginosis, etc.
When should you refrain from douching? Contraindications are:
- pregnancy planning, since douching can interfere with conception;
- the presence of redness and itching of the hearth organs. In this situation, douching can intensify the pain syndrome.
Every woman should know how to do douching at home. To do this, you must:
- carry out water procedures;
- draw the drug mixture into a syringe or syringe;
- insert the device deep into the vagina and slowly enter the contents;
- perform this manipulation several times;
- wipe the genitals dry.
If a woman doubts how to do douching at home, you need to seek help from a specialist. The gynecologist will carry out the necessary treatment.
Microflora recovery in women
If the woman’s immune system is disturbed, the vaginal microflora is weakened and incapable of self-healing. Violation of microflora is called dysbiosis. Acidic discharge in women is a common symptom of microflora disturbances. There are many causes of dysbiosis. With this disease, restoration of the vaginal microflora is necessary. Signs of this disease are discomfort and dryness during intercourse. Gray-white discharge and smell in the intimate area may also be observed. Then the treatment is carried out with such drugs as Nystatin, Clotrimazole, Livarol, Pimafucin, etc. If the cause is more serious, they are given a course of taking antibiotics.
The restoration of the vaginal microflora is necessary for the full life of a woman. This will help drugs such as "Ecofemin", "Vagilak", "Ginoflor", etc. Also, there are folk methods with which to recover.
In this article we examined why women have discharge, their classification according to color, smell, and consistency. In order to avoid unpleasant situations, every woman should carefully monitor her health, observe personal hygiene. It can be concluded that gray liquid discharge is the norm.But still, a regular examination of a specialist will make it possible to identify the disease in the early stages, because female diseases often do not make themselves felt for a long time. Gynecologists do not recommend self-medication, as this leads to disastrous results.