What wrong with my Vagina?!!!
Definition of Discharge:
Discharge in this sense is the flow of fluids
from certain parts of the body.
For example: Menstruation or other vaginal discharge
Normal vaginal
discharge has several purposes: cleaning and moistening the vagina, and helping
to prevent and fight infections. Although it's normal for the color, texture,
and amount of vaginal fluids to vary throughout a girl's menstrual
cycle, some changes in discharge may indicate a problem.
First, it helps to learn some of the differences between normal
and abnormal vaginal discharge. This will help you to recognize changes that
may occur.
Normal vaginal fluids can vary somewhat in texture and color. They
can be somewhat thin, sticky, and elastic or thick and gooey. Vaginal fluids
should be clear, white, or off-white in color.
It's important to keep an eye out for changes in vaginal fluids.
The following changes may indicate a problem:
·
change in odor (especially an unpleasant odor)
·
change in color or texture (especially greenish, grayish, or
anything looking like pus)
·
change in texture (such as foamy or looking like cottage cheese)
·
vaginal itching, burning, swelling, or redness
·
vaginal bleeding or spotting that is not a
menstrual period
Vaginal infections,
such as bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis (yeast infection), and trichomoniasis
are common causes of abnormal vaginal discharge. Some infections that can cause
changes in vaginal discharge are transmitted by having sex, such as Gonorrhea. Other infections can occur with or without having sex, such as
bacterial Vaginosis or a yeast infection.
If you notice any changes in your vaginal discharge or think you
may have a problem, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.
The symptoms of these infections can be very similar, but there
are some differences to look for:
·
Yeast
infections may cause your discharge to become very white and thick,
resembling cottage cheese. A yeast infection usually does not cause a strong
odor, but it may cause severe itching and burning.
·
Bacterial
vaginosis (BV) may cause your discharge to have an unpleasant, fishy
odor. The fluids may be thin and grayish in color.
·
Trichomoniasis, a common sexually
transmitted disease (STD), may cause strong
odor. Discharge may become yellow-green and may become frothy. Trichomoniasis
also often causes vaginal itching and pain during urination.
It's very important
to see a doctor or go to a teen clinic if you have any of the symptoms of
abnormal vaginal discharge. This is really important for girls who have had
sex, especially those who have had sex without using a condom, since many STDs cause changes in vaginal discharge.
If you think you might have an STD or that you’ve been exposed to
an STD, let the doctor know. Also see the doctor right away if you have
discharge along with fever or pain in the belly or pelvic area.
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The doctor said I have PID!! What,
for heaven’s sake is PID??!!!
Pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID)
Pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the fallopian tubes, uterus, or
ovaries. Most girls develop PID as a result of sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs), such as chlamydia or gonorrhea.
In the United
States, each year more than 750,000 women will develop PID. Most of those
infected will be teenagers and young women. Girls with multiple partners and
those who don't use condoms are most likely to get STDs and are at risk for
PID. If PID goes untreated, it can lead to internal scarring that can result in
chronic pelvic pain, infertility, or an ectopic pregnancy.
INSERT IMAGE of female rep. organ
What Are the
Symptoms of PID?
PID can cause severe symptoms or very mild to no symptoms. Girls
who do have symptoms may notice:
·
pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen
·
foul-smelling or abnormally colored discharge
·
pain during sexual intercourse
·
spotting between periods
·
chills or fever
·
nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
·
loss of appetite
·
backache and perhaps even difficulty walking
·
painful or more frequent urination
·
pain in the upper abdomen on the right
Any girl with symptoms of an STD should get medical care as soon
as possible. An untreated STD has a greater chance of becoming PID.
If PID is not treated or goes unrecognized, it can continue to
spread through a girl's reproductive organs. Untreated PID may lead to
long-term reproductive problems, including:
·
Scarring in the ovaries,
fallopian tubes, and uterus. Widespread scarring
may lead to infertility (the inability to have a baby) and chronic pelvic pain.
A teen girl or woman who has had PID multiple times has more of a chance of
being infertile.
·
Ectopic pregnancy. If someone who has had PID does get pregnant, scarring of
the fallopian tubes may cause the fertilized egg to implant in one of the
fallopian tubes rather than in the uterus. The fetus would then begin to
develop in the tube, where there is no room for it to keep growing. This is
called an ectopic pregnancy. An untreated ectopic pregnancy could cause the
fallopian tube to burst suddenly, which might lead to life-threatening
bleeding.
·
Tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA). A TOA is a collection of bacteria, pus, and fluid that
occurs in the ovary and fallopian tube. Someone with a TOA often looks sick and
has a fever and pain that makes it difficult to walk. The abscess will be
treated in the hospital with antibiotics, and surgery may be needed to remove
it.
Okay, so I have PID, what next?
How Is PID Diagnosed and Treated?
If you think
you may have PID, see your gynecological health care provider (your family
doctor or nurse practitioner, gynecologist, or adolescent doctor) immediately.
The longer a girl waits before getting treatment, the more likely it is that
she will have problems like the ones listed above.
If a doctor thinks a girl has PID, he or she will do a physical
exam, including a pelvic exam.
Yeah, I know your next question…what is a Pelvic Exam, right?
A Pelvic examination, also a Pelvic exam, is a physical examination
of the female reproductive organs.
The exam can reveal when someone has a painful cervix, abnormal
discharge from the cervix, or pain over one or both ovaries.
The doctor
may also take swabs of fluid from the cervix and vagina, and this fluid will
then be tested for STDs. He or she may also do a pregnancy test. Sometimes
health providers take blood or urine tests to look for signs of infection,
including STDs like chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Sometimes
doctors need an ultrasound or CAT scan of the lower abdomen to see what's going
on with a girl's reproductive organs. Ultrasounds are often used to diagnose a
TOA (Tubo-ovarian abscess) or
ectopic pregnancy.
If it's found
that a girl has PID, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics to take for a couple
of weeks. It's vital to take every dose of the medication to completely treat
the infection, even if symptoms go away before finishing the medicine. It's
also important that girls with PID get rechecked 2-3 days after beginning
treatment to make sure that they are improving.
What to expect
in severe cases of PID?
Girls who
have more severe cases of PID — for example, if they have a fever, vomiting, or
are not responding to medicines by mouth — as well as those who are pregnant,
are often treated in the hospital for a few days with antibiotics given
directly into a vein through an IV. Surgery is sometimes needed if a girl has
an abscess. Ectopic pregnancies can require emergency surgery.
If a girl has
taken all her medication for PID but still isn't feeling better, she should
follow up with her doctor. If a girl has PID, her sexual partners should be
checked for STDs right away so they can get treatment. An untreated partner is
likely to reinfect a girl with the same STD again.
Sure, u might ask… What is
Reinfection?
Reinfection:
a second infection by the same agent, either after recovery or during the original
infection.
Wow!!! This is all too much to handle!! How can PID be prevented?
Can PID Be Prevented?
The best way to prevent STDs or PID is to not have sex
(abstinence). For those who choose to have sex, it's important to use
protection and to have as few sexual partners as possible. Using a latex condom effectively and consistently helps protect against most
STDs.
I dare ask, what is a latex condom?
A condom it a barrier device used during sexual intercourse to
prevent probability of pregnancy and spreading of sexually transmitted diseases
such as HIV. It is put on an erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen
from entering the body of a sexual partner.
However, it's also very important to have regular checkups with
your doctor. And if either partner has any symptoms of STDs, both partners
should be tested and treated as soon as possible.
So when you're
making choices about sex, be smart and be safe!!
Healthy pink lips add extra charm to a person's
face. These naturally appealing lips don't need regular application of lips
balms or lipsticks to look luscious and healthy. 
