Vaginal discharge

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• Y

Female reproductive anatomy

Uterus

Vaginal discharge

Discharge from the vagina

To help prevent and treat vaginal discharge:

• Keep your genital area clean and dry.
• Avoid douching. While many women feel cleaner if they douche after menstruation or intercourse, it may actually worsen vaginal discharge because it removes healthy bacteria lining the vagina that are there to protect you from infection.
• Use an over-the-counter cream or vaginal suppository, IF you know that you have a yeast infection.
• Try to reduce stress.
• Eat yogurt with live cultures or take Lactobacillus acidophilus tablets when on antibiotics to avoid a yeast infection.
• Use condoms to avoid catching or spreading sexually transmitted diseases.
• Keep your blood sugars under good control if you have diabetes.

If the discharge is caused by a sexually transmitted disease, your sexual partner (or partners) must be treated as well, even if they have no symptoms. Failure of partners to accept treatment can cause continual reinfection which may lead to a serious problem like infertility.

Call your doctor right away if:

• Your discharge is associated with fever or pain in your pelvis or abdomen.
• You have been exposed to a sexual partner with gonorrhea, chlamydia, or other sexually transmitted disease.
• You have increased thirst or appetite, unexplained weight loss, increased urinary frequency, or fatigue -- these may be signs of diabetes.

Also call if:

• A child who has not reached puberty has vaginal discharge.
• You think that your discharge may be related to a medication.
• You are concerned that you may have a sexually transmitted disease or you are unsure of possible exposure.
• Your symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 week despite home care measures.
• You have blisters or other lesions on your vagina or vulva (exterior genitalia).
• You have burning with urination or other urinary symptoms -- you may have a urinary tract infection.

Your doctor will take a medical history and perform a physical examination including a pelvic exam.