The discharge that women often regard as normal and therefore do not dwell on can in fact be a herald of major problems. Although the discharge the vagina mostly produces to protect its flora usually gives no cause for concern, it can also be of a type that heralds an infection.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Taner Usta, specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology, who says that abnormal discharge, which can be yellow or green in consistency and can arise from a yeast or bacterial infection, must be taken seriously, explained the questions people wonder about.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF VAGINAL DISCHARGE AND DOES EVERY WOMAN HAVE THEM?
Physiological discharge, which can easily be distinguished from pathological discharge by being colourless and odourless, does not cause any troublesome situations even if the amount is large. This discharge, which does not create symptoms such as itching or burning, keeps the area lubricated and prepares the ground for healthy sexual intercourse.
Our answer is unfortunately yes. However, while a certain amount of moisture that does not affect normal life is not an important problem for women, excessive discharge affects daily life negatively even if it is not pathological. Pathological discharge, as its name suggests, can, unlike physiological discharge, point to conditions that must be taken seriously. For this discharge, which can appear as a clinical sign of vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina) or cervicitis (inflammation of the cervix), a doctor must certainly be consulted. Discharge that usually has an unpleasant odour, is thick in consistency, yellow-green or resembles curdled milk is pathological and requires treatment.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT IT AND WHAT IS ITS TREATMENT?
First of all, importance must be given to genital hygiene. While doing this, the inside of the vagina should not be washed and cosmetics that would change the pH value of the area should not be used. Products such as genital sprays, perfumes or creams and perfumed pads or tampons should definitely not be preferred.
Cotton underwear should be used; very tight underwear and dressing in layers in a way that prevents ventilation are not recommended. Changing underwear daily, not sitting in a wet swimming costume and paying attention to general toilet hygiene are among the measures that should be taken to protect against vaginal discharge.
Having a gynaecological examination every six months (at the latest once a year) and having a smear test regularly are very important for the early diagnosis of a possible disease.
Treatment of vaginal discharge begins first with a vaginal examination. Then the colour, odour, consistency and amount of the discharge are established, its type is diagnosed and treatment is applied accordingly. In some discharges taking a vaginal and cervical culture is very important. Appropriate antimicrobial treatment is given according to the infectious agent. In addition, local treatments aimed at reducing pain and swelling can be added to the treatment.
WHAT HAPPENS IF VAGINAL DISCHARGE IS NOT TREATED?
If pathological discharge is not treated, one of the most important consequences is the risk that the infection passes from the lower genital system (the vagina) to the upper genital system (the uterus, tubes and ovaries) and that pelvic inflammatory disease and an abscess develop. This situation may require admission to hospital for intravenous antibiotic treatment and, in cases of abscess, surgical treatment. Even if surgery is not required, if damage remains in the tubes it leads to an increase in the risk of infection in the tubes again and especially of ectopic pregnancy.