9 Causes of vaginal discharge that are not normal and must be watched out for

Distinguishing normal and not vaginal discharge

According to the Mayo Clinic, vaginal discharge is normal for every woman.

Whitish is a discharge and dead cells that come out periodically to keep the inside of the vagina clean and healthy. This fluid also acts as a natural lubricant, which protects the vagina from infection and irritation.

Characteristics of normal vaginal discharge between women can vary from the amount, color, and texture, viscosity. Generally, normal vaginal discharge is clear, like egg white or clear milky white, with no strong odor. Mucus is sticky and slippery in texture, can be thick or runny.

However, there are also vaginal discharge that are not normal and are usually characterized by:

The color of the mucus is greenish, yellowish, or even pink because it is mixed with blood.
It gives off a foul, fishy odor, or a very strong rancid smell.
The amount of fluid that comes out is more than usual.
The vagina feels itchy, hot, or painful.
Pelvic pain.
Pain when urinating.

Various causes of vaginal discharge that are not normal

Normal vaginal discharge is the body's natural reaction that comes out periodically to clean and protect the vagina. The discharge is usually influenced by your menstrual cycle.

While abnormal vaginal discharge is generally caused by certain health problems, from mild such as infections to serious ones such as cancer.

The various causes of abnormal vaginal discharge, namely:

1. Bacterial infection

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection that causes abnormal vaginal discharge. BV can occur due to an imbalance between good and bad bacteria in the vagina.

It is not certain what causes this imbalance, but there are many risk factors that can trigger it. Among them are unsafe sexual behavior (not using condoms, and frequently changing sex partners), use of contraceptives (birth control pills and spiral contraceptives), and lack of maintaining vaginal hygiene.

Common signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginosis are:

The discharge is gray, white, or green
Vaginal or foul-smelling vaginal discharge
Vaginal itching
Burning feeling when urinating

2. Fungal infection

Leucorrhoea can also occur due to fungal infections, especially those caused by the species Candida albicans. The vagina actually contains yeast that would not cause problems under normal circumstances. However, if allowed to breed wild, the fungus can infect and cause abnormal vaginal discharge.

Candidiasis infection of the vagina can be caused by various things such as:

Stress
Have severe diabetes
Using birth control pills
Pregnant
Take antibiotics especially if they are prescribed for 10 days
A compromised immune system due to HIV / AIDS or corticosteroid therapy

Generally, vaginal discharge that appears due to a fungal infection is characterized by:

In the form of thick chunks of cloudy white like cheese
Discharge that is sometimes more watery
Itching, swelling, and a red, irritable rash on the skin around the vagina (vulva)
A burning sensation especially during sexual intercourse or urination
Pain in the vagina

3. Chlamydia

Chlamydia trachomatis is a bacterial infection that causes abnormal vaginal discharge that is transmitted through vaginal (vaginal), oral (mouth), and anal (anus) sex.

Not everyone can immediately realize they have contracted this disease. Symptoms that appear are often mild and only occasional so that they are underestimated, or mistaken for other diseases.

However, there are actually a variety of symptoms that often appear after 1-2 weeks of exposure to the infection. Among them:

Pain when urinating
Continuous discharge
Lower abdominal pain
Continuous yellow and unpleasant odor
Pain during sex
Bleeding between menses, or after sex
Pain in the anus

Men and women are equally at risk, especially if they are sexually active before the age of 25 and frequently change sexual partners. Mothers who are infected with chlamydia during pregnancy can also transmit the disease to their babies during childbirth.

4.Gonorrhea (gonorrhea)

Gonorrhea is a type of venereal disease that also causes abnormal vaginal discharge. This disease is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea bacteria are most often passed from one person to another through sexual contact, including oral, anal or vaginal contact.

In women, gonorrhea usually infects the cervix or cervix. Its appearance is characterized by symptoms such as:

Pain when urinating
Much more discharge than usual
Bleeding between periods or after vaginal sex
Pain during sex
Abdominal or pelvic pain
Pus discharge from the anus
The appearance of red blood spots during bowel movements
When it attacks the eye it can cause pain, is sensitive to light, and causes pus to come out of the eye
When it attacks the throat it causes pain and swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck
When it attacks a joint it can cause pain, warmth, redness, and swelling

If you are young and have multiple sex partners or other sexually transmitted diseases, you are at high risk of developing gonorrhea.

5. Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is an infectious disease caused by parasites that enter during sexual intercourse. The incubation period from exposure to infection is estimated to be 5 to 28 days.

In women, this disease is one of the causes of foul-smelling vaginal discharge. In addition, the signs and symptoms of trichomoniasis in women include:

The discharge is gray, yellow, or green
Redness, itching, and burning in the vagina
Pain when urinating or having sex

Generally, people who have more than one sexual partner are prone to trichomoniasis. Especially if you don't practice safe sex, such as reluctance to use condoms.

6. Pelvic inflammatory disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs when a bacterial infection transmitted through unprotected sex spreads from the vagina to the uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.

There are many bacteria that cause pelvic inflammation, but the most common are gonorrhea and chlamydia bacteria.

In the beginning, pelvic inflammation often does not cause any symptoms, so many people are unaware that they are infected. However, in women, pelvic inflammatory disease can cause excessive discharge with an unusual color and odor.

In addition, there are several other signs and symptoms to watch out for, namely:

Lower abdominal and pelvic pain
Bleeding between menstrual cycles and during or after sex with a partner
Pain during sex
Fever which is sometimes accompanied by chills
Pain when urinating
Sometimes it's hard to urinate

If you have more than one sex partner and were sexually active before the age of 25, the risk of getting this disease is quite large.

In addition, the habit of having sex without a condom and frequently cleaning the vagina with vaginal douche can also increase the risk of developing disease.

7.Inflammation of the cervix (cervicitis)

Cervical inflammation or cervicitis is inflammation of the lower end of the uterus near the vaginal opening. This condition is often caused by sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and genital herpes.

Not only that, allergies to condoms and other contraceptives can also cause inflammation of the cervix. In addition, an overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina can also cause cervicitis.

Inflammation of the cervix does not always cause symptoms when it starts to infect. But in most people, the symptoms are sometimes quite clear. Whitish with an abnormal color and a large amount often marks this one health problem.

Apart from vaginal discharge, cerviitis is also a cause of various other symptoms, including:

Pain when urinating
Pain during sex
Bleeding between menstrual cycles
Bleeding after sex

As with any disease, having unprotected sex with multiple partners can increase the risk of disease.

8. Vaginitis

Vaginitis is inflammation of the vagina caused by an infection. Inflammation can also occur due to reduced estrogen levels after menopause and some skin disorders.

Vaginitis is a condition that causes vaginal discharge that smells and is abnormally colored, with more than usual. In addition, this condition is also characterized by:

Itching or irritation of the vagina
Pain during intercourse
Pain when urinating
Experiencing light bleeding from the vagina

9. Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a disease caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Cervical cancer is a serious disease that can cause death. But unfortunately, the symptoms of this disease are difficult to recognize at the beginning.

Symptoms of cervical cancer generally only appear when cancer cells have grown through the upper layer of cervical tissue to the tissue below. This condition generally occurs when precancerous cells are not treated and continue to grow.

In the early stages of disease development, one symptom that appears and is often overlooked is vaginal discharge. Leucorrhoea due to cervical cancer is usually white or clear with a liquid texture. However, it is not uncommon for vaginal discharge to be brown or accompanied by blood with a foul odor.

In addition to vaginal discharge, bleeding outside the time of menstruation or after sex is also one of the main characteristics of cervical cancer. Sometimes, this bleeding looks like vaginal discharge that is covered in blood and is often seen as a spot. If this happens, it is almost certain that one of the causes could be cervical cancer.

Apart from these two main symptoms, there are various other symptoms that usually appear. These symptoms usually indicate that the cancer has reached an advanced stage. The various symptoms that appear such as: