White vaginal discharge - normal or pathological, in which cases should you be concerned?


Discharge rate

Discharge after menstruation: norm and pathology

Normally, a woman practically does not feel discharge after the menstrual cycle. This is due to the evaporation of liquid secretion under the influence of temperatures. In this case, a small amount of mucus may appear. Determination of normal discharge after menstruation is carried out in accordance with the following indicators:

  1. Quantity. Normally, discharge appears in amounts of up to 4 milliliters per day. If a woman’s pad has a stain up to 5 centimeters in diameter, then there is no need to worry.
  2. Blooming. In most cases, there is white discharge after menstruation. Women observe the appearance of yellow spots on their panty liners, which is explained by the interaction of mucus with oxygen
  3. Consistency. After the menstrual cycle, the discharge has a runny consistency
  4. Structures. Most women note the uniformity of the discharge. In some cases, small lumps may be observed, which are particles of constantly renewed tissue
  5. The smell. Normally, discharge after menstruation should be without any odor.

If there is discharge after menstruation, a woman should have no additional symptoms at all. For representatives of the fairer sex, its discharge should not cause discomfort or pain.

Treatment of colpitis

The best prevention of colpitis is regular genital hygiene. Also, periodic douching with potassium permanganate will not be superfluous.

If symptoms of this disease appear, you should consult a gynecologist. He will prescribe drug therapy, without which colpitis cannot be cured. Antibiotics that have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects:

  1. Neo-Penotran Forte.
  2. Unidox Solutab.
  3. Polygynax.
  4. Terzhinan.
  5. Metronidazole.

Since the development of colpitis is provoked by the activity of a pathogenic fungus, treatment of the sexual partner is also expected.

Therapy involves not only complex, but also local effects. For women suffering from colpitis, gynecologists recommend using anti-inflammatory vaginal suppositories.

When the vaginal microflora is normalized, the discharge will become transparent. After completing the treatment course, it is recommended to check the composition of the microflora. If it does not contain pathogenic agents, successful therapy can be judged.

To always remain healthy, a woman must promptly respond to any changes in vaginal secretions.

Hormonal disorders

Since the functioning of the reproductive system is controlled by hormones, any ailment associated with the organs that produce them is responded to by changes in premenstrual discharge. It's not just about the ovaries. The endocrine system also has a significant influence on the production of female hormones involved in the cycle. In this regard, leucorrhoea before menstruation in women with diabetes mellitus is characterized by abundance and thickness. This is largely due to increased acidity of the vagina, but the main reason here is insufficient functioning of the pancreas.

A deficiency of the hormones triiodothyronine and thyroxine can also increase colorless discharge. And besides the fact that a woman experiences a large amount of leucorrhoea, a delay in menstruation becomes a frequent feature of the cycle. A lack of substances produced by the thyroid gland leads to a deficiency of hormones responsible for its regularity.

Women with ovarian dysfunction report similar signs. Here, the cause of leucorrhoea and delays is a small amount of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones.

Taking antibiotics can also affect the quantitative composition of substances. Medicines not only affect hormonal levels, but also the microflora of the vagina, which also produces mucus.

Cervicitis

Cervicitis is an inflammation of the cervical canal caused by various pathological factors, occurring in acute or chronic form.

Provoking factors:

  • cervical injuries;
  • frequent change of sexual partners;
  • vaginal dysbiosis;
  • hormone imbalance.

Manifestations of cervicitis:

  • discharge appears regardless of menstruation;
  • discharge is abundant or scanty, depending on the form of the disease, it can be gray, whitish or cloudy in nature;
  • Cervicitis causes discomfort during sexual intercourse.

The main therapy is antibacterial drugs; immunomodulators and vitamins are additionally used.

Vaginal dysbiosis

Vaginal dysbiosis (gardnerellosis) is a gynecological disease based on the displacement of vaginal microflora by gardnerella microbes.

Provoking factors:

  • unbalanced diet;
  • errors in personal hygiene;
  • inhibition of microflora by taking antibiotics;
  • local immunodeficiency due to general diseases;

Manifestations of gardnerellosis:

  • the appearance of very copious discharge of a grayish, whitish or greenish color with a “fishy smell”, especially intensified after menstruation and hygiene procedures;
  • in advanced cases, burning, itching, and redness occur.

Therapy consists of the use of antibiotics, vitamins, and immunomodulators.

Effect on discharge

The characteristics of mucus after menstruation may be influenced by certain factors. A fairly important aspect in this case is unprotected sexual intercourse. If sperm eruption was observed during this period, then immediately after it, white or yellow clots will be observed in the mucus. After unprotected sexual relations, a liquid consistency may be released in the morning, which has an increased volume. If sexual contact was protected, then the discharge may be creamy and of low intensity.

The nature of discharge after the menstrual cycle is directly affected by the use of hormonal drugs. In most cases, a change in consistency is observed in the initial stages of treatment or after changing the hormonal medication. After several months of drug therapy, the white discharge turns brown. The same pathological condition can be diagnosed in patients while taking other medications.

A change in the consistency and color of mucus after menstruation can be observed against the background of various factors that are associated with a change in a woman’s lifestyle.

Read: Preparing for pregnancy

Cervicitis

Cervicitis

If the discharge after menstruation turns white, this may indicate cervicitis. With this disease, an inflammatory process occurs in the cervical canal. The occurrence of a pathological process is diagnosed when personal hygiene rules are not observed.

Also at risk are women who are promiscuous. During the development of pathology, patients experience the appearance of white discharge with purulent contents.

Most patients complain of pain in the uterine area. The pathological process may be accompanied by a lack of sexual desire. During the examination, the doctor observes hyperemia of the cervix. Some women complain of difficulty urinating. If the chronic stage of the disease is diagnosed, this may be accompanied by a small amount of discharge or its complete absence.

If the pathology is untimely, patients experience complications that develop in the form of cervical erosion. It can cause dysplasia, cancer and infertility. Treatment of the disease directly depends on the cause of its origin. Most often, patients are treated with Diflucan. If the patient develops a chlamydial form of the disease, then therapy is carried out with antibiotics that belong to the tetracycline series.

Atrophic cervicitis is cured with the use of estrogens, with the help of which the vaginal epithelium is normalized. If cervicitis occurs due to exposure to the herpes virus, then antiherpetic immunoglobulin, as well as antiviral agents, are prescribed to treat the pathology. When a disease occurs due to exposure to papillomavirus, condylomas are initially removed. After this, treatment is prescribed aimed at restoring the epithelial cells of the vagina.

Cervicitis is characterized by the presence of several forms, which must be established in order to prescribe rational treatment.

Leucorrhoea in pregnant women

Adult women who are sexually active may experience leucorrhoea instead of menstruation. In this case, there are options for the reasons for their occurrence, but one of the probable ones is pregnancy.

This is a period of hormonal changes in the body, during which progesterone levels increase noticeably. It affects the reproductive organs in such a way that the cervix produces secretory fluid in greater quantities than before. It is necessary to protect the fertilized egg. The woman notices other signs, the main one of which is a delay in menstruation, while the leucorrhoea becomes denser and more abundant. This is a manifestation of health, since thick mucous masses protect access to the uterus from infection, and a plug of them forms in its cervical canal. Vaginal cells also renew themselves more often and faster, adding volume to the discharge.

If pregnancy does not develop in the uterus, but in its appendages or abdominal cavity, the leucorrhoea may be diluted with a brown color from dried blood. At an early stage, they experience constant aching pain, which becomes more noticeable and sharper over time.

https://youtu.be/2IQ1AWKr1Vk

Thrush

Discharge from thrush

With candidiasis, a woman experiences white discharge. The appearance of this disease can be observed against the background of changes in the acid-base environment in the vagina. Also, the pathological process can be diagnosed during unprotected sexual intercourse with dubious partners. The causative agent of this disease is fungi of the genus Candida.

Read: Papillomavirus infection in women

During the period of thrush, the appearance of cheesy white discharge is observed. In some cases, their consistency is similar to kefir. The smell of the discharge is faint. During the course of the disease, patients may complain of itching in the genital area. They also experience pain during bladder emptying or sexual intercourse.

To treat the pathological process, antifungal drugs are used. The choice of a specific medicine directly depends on the type of pathogen. That is why the patient is recommended to undergo an appropriate examination first. Women are prescribed tablet forms of drugs orally. Suppositories and tablets are also prescribed, which are inserted into the vagina, which provides them with a local effect.

Thrush is a rather unpleasant disease and requires timely treatment to get rid of unpleasant symptoms.

Prevention

The hygiene of a woman’s genital organs must be correct. If you wash yourself incorrectly, inflammatory processes can occur. Washing should be done from front to back to prevent stool from entering the vagina. Use special intimate hygiene products, baby soap.

If there is a disturbing cheesy vaginal discharge and severe itching, you can douche with solutions to normalize the microflora. The use of herbs is not recommended as they can cause allergies.

Clearly, because of the color of the discharge, one cannot judge a particular disease. Only after undergoing tests can an accurate diagnosis be made for discharge that is not normal. Therefore, you should not postpone your visit to the doctor in order to avoid the progression of the disease and possible complications.

https://youtu.be/FWw1bQRALpI

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