It is normal for a woman to get regular discharge from her vagina, but when there is a problem in the body, one of the few places to see signs is through vagina discharge. So many females release this discharge and do not need to worry about it, but it becomes worrisome when it smells, or there is an itch there, when there is a burning sensation, and dryness.
There was a time I heard someone seeking help over a gray discharge with a fish smell. She was concerned and her friend was trying to tell her it was not something to worry about but I quickly shunned the friend, asking the lady in question to go see a doctor and stop asking her friend for medical advice as she was not a doctor. What she is entitled to is a second, third, or even a fourth opinion from another doctor if she doesn't feel comfortable with the diagnosis of the previous doctor.
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People who experience the gray discharge with a fish smell are probably suffering from a bacterial infection known as Bacterial Vaginosis. Although not a sexually transmitted infection, it is common in sexually active people. It is a product of the bad bacteria in the vagina outweighing the good bacteria in it.
One common discharge that females see is the yellow discharge but it becomes a worry when it smells bad like a rotten smell. Some people might see it as a normal thing but it is not, rather it should be a thing a concern. This could be a result of a sexually transmitted disease (gotten from sexual intercourse) such as Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Trichomoniasis. Sometimes, sexually transmitted diseases come with an itch, pain, or burning sensation, and sometimes it doesn't, but it is important to treat yourself to prevent complications like pelvic inflammatory disease, which could over time lead to infertility.
Having a thick, white discharge similar to clumpy cottage cheese accompanied by itching or discomfort, is another discharge type to be concerned about. This could be as a result of a yeast infection which can be caused by the fungus Candida which grows in warm and moist areas which making the vagina a very suitable region for it to grow. When it happens, it leads to Candidiasis and it can be treated with antifungal medications a topical tubes which would be prescribed by a doctor.
Discharge with blood in it is another one I am going to talk about. This discharge looks pink or brown. Sometimes, this discharge can come before or after periods, after sex, during pregnancy, or even irritation of the cervix and when this comes with no pain, it is really not something to worry about but when it comes with discomfort and comes regularly, then it is something you should visit the hospital for.
Let me quickly summarize that while the vagina would release discharge to keep itself clean, when these discharges take taking funny colors and smells, the doctor should be the nearest go-to option and not social media.
Read More
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bacterial-vaginosis/
- https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/women-s-health-issues/vaginitis-cervicitis-and-pelvic-inflammatory-disease/bacterial-vaginosis-bv
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/3963-bacterial-vaginosis
- https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vaginal-discharge-in-adult-women-beyond-the-basics/print
- https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/vaginal-discharge/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321131
- https://www.samitivejhospitals.com/article/detail/vaginal-discharge-color-meaning
- https://www.intimaterose.com/blogs/womens-health/yellow-vaginal-discharge
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/17905-vaginal-odor
- https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vaginal-yeast-infection-beyond-the-basics/print
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK543219/