Normal vaginal discharge

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!!