What You Should Know About Vaginal Discharge

Vaginal discharge is a fluid secretion from the vagina and it is very normal. It happened in productive age and varies during menstrual cycle. Glands inside vagina and cervix make small amounts of fluid. This fluid flows out of the vagina each day, carrying out old cells that have lined the vagina. It is the way to keep the vagina healthy and clean. Such discharge can vary in consistency (thick, pasty, thin), color (clear, cloudy, white, yellow, green), and smell (normal, odorless, bad odor).

Even it is normal, it could turn to be worried if it is pain, itchy, discomfort, rash or sores alone or with a vaginal discharge. Some discharge emerged pain in pelvis or abdomen and perhaps you have been exposed to a sexual partner with gonorrhea, chlamydia, or other sexually transmitted disease.

Vagina contains lactobacilli (good bacteria) and anaerobes. Too many anaerobes can cause Bacterial Vaginosis. The discharge sometimes is clear or colored, fishy smell. It occurs in women whether she sexually active or not.

There are some causes that triggered vaginal discharge like atropic vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis, vaginal yeast infection (the overgrow of yeast fungus in vagina) and other infections and sexually transmitted diseases. If you feel something abnormal, call your physician.

Emotional stress, ovulation, pregnancy, and sexual excitement sometimes can increase the amount of secretion. To prevent excessive vagina discharge you better wear cotton underwear rather than nylon or silk. Do not wear tight pants for long period and change your detergent or fabric softener just in case they might be irritating your genital area.

Treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis consists of antibiotics. Several antibiotic remedies are regularly used. Metronidazole (Flagyl) taken by either oral (pill) form or by vaginal metronidazole gel (Metrogel) is an effective cure. Sometimes your physician prescribed vaginal clindamycin cream (Cleocin). The oral metronidazole can cause some side effects, but is the most effective treatment. An approximate 50% of all patients treated with antibiotics will have recurring this disease within only one year.

Clean your genital area and do not douche. The chemicals in douches may irritate your vagina and change the normal balance of germs in your vagina. Douching can also spread an infection into the uterus, increasing your risk of getting pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is an infection of the fallopian tubes that can cause you to be unable to have children. Douching isn't necessary to keep your body clean. Smells you may notice usually come from outside the vagina (vulva). Keeping this area clean with gentle soap and water can prevent smells.

Avoid hot tubs, feminine hygiene sprays, colored or perfumed toilet paper, deodorant pads or tampons, and bubble bath. Use condoms to avoid catching or spreading sexually transmitted diseases.

For excessive vaginal discharge and your doctor think you need a treatment, he or she will perform some test such as cultures of your cervix, examine your discharge under the microscope, and pap smear. The prescription depends on your condition. Your doctor might be give you oral medicine or creams to treat certain fungus or trichomoniasis infections (it caused by an organism called Trichomonas vaginalus).

By: Mimilisan

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