What Are The Causes Of White Vaginal Discharge?
What Are The Causes Of White Vaginal Discharge
?All women need to learn how to recognize normal vaginal discharge from abnormal discharge. A certain amount of vaginal discharge is normal in all women because there are glands in the vagina and the cervix which release a secretion. The role of this is to actually clean the genital organs from harmful bacteria. Nothing is wrong as long as the vaginal discharge does not change in quantity or color. Normal discharge can either be clear or milky white and it's always odorless. Attention needs to be paid to white vaginal discharge also because if this is excessive or it's not actually white, but grey-white or stained with blood, it might also signalize a problem.
The fastest way for a woman to tell if it's something wrong with her is to observe her vaginal discharge and to notice if any changes occur. To some extent, changes are normal also because they reflect hormonal changes. It can look different during ovulation, menstrual periods, and pregnancy or in times when a woman experiences great stress or anxiety.
White discharge, especially if accompanied by other bothering symptoms can be a sign of a medical condition. Watchful observation is the key to identify any problem as soon as possible. Incipient problems are easier to solve than aggravated ones. Yeast infection, for instance is a very common cause of white vaginal discharge. In this case, the discharge looks like cottage cheese and it's accompanied by symptoms like swelling, itching and burning. Yeast infection affects lots of women and it is treatable. However, in some women it can also be recurrent, so they need to pay attention to all its signs.
Other medical conditions that might lead to white discharge include bacterial vaginosis, some sexually transmitted diseases, cervical inflammations or pelvic inflammatory disease. Sometimes these conditions can also lead to vaginal discharges that are not necessarily white, but yellow, green, brown or bloody. Doctors take into consideration your symptoms and also perform laboratory tests when the situation requires it, in order to establish a correct diagnosis and a correct treatment.
It is important for women not only to monitor their condition and the aspect of their discharge, but also to put in practice preventive measures that can keep them away of white discharge. Genital hygiene is compulsory, but frequent douching or usage of scented cosmetic products can ruin the chemical balance of their vagina and lead to infections. Women also need to avoid wearing synthetic underwear and practicing unsafe lovemaking.