Vaginal losses: when is it necessary to worry?

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It is normal that the women have vaginal secretions. Nevertheless, some losses can be the sign of an infection. It is necessary to know to recognize them and to treat them.

White, sallow, greenish, malodorous losses or no, thick.we helps you to see clearer there.

Of the dirty losses.

The vaginal secretions are normal when they are odorless, of clear or milky color, that they provoke neither irritation nor burn and don't stiffen the linen. They constitute the means used by our organism to clean the vagina, notably of the present dead cells on her partition, so that it remains clean. The quantity and the color of the secretions vary according to the moments of the menstrual cycle and during pregnancy.

But, if they become very abundant, purulent, malodorous or painful, they are generally the sign of an infection, sexually transferable or no.

One estimates that most women endure at least once in their life of a vaginal infection. In nine cases out of ten, the infection is due to a mushroom, a yeast or a bacterium, and once on ten to the trichomonas, a parasite.

An unbalance of flora.

The vaginitis to mushrooms, commonly named vaginal mycosis, is the most frequently due to a mushroom named Candida albicans. Present to the natural state in the vagina, it can, in some conditions, to develop themselves in an abnormally important way. The candidose appears in particular by odorless and thick vaginal losses, that have the consistence and the color of a white cheese or curdled milk. They are accompanied by vaginal itches and, sometimes, of burns during the sexual intercourse. Pregnancy, the diabetes, the hold of antibiotics or steroids, the wearing of clothes too tight, the heat, sport, the swimming pool encourages the candidoses. Contrary to the received ideas, a mycosis is not a sign of bad local hygiene: the too frequent use (daily) of vaginal shower or the use of vaginal deodorants or acidic soaps encourage their apparition!

And of the vaginal fauna

The bacterial vaginose is the most frequent of the vaginal infections, also without report with a bad hygiene. She generally has for origin the too big proliferation of one or several germs, as the Gardnerella vaginalis, responsible of most these vaginoses. When this last is in too important quantity, it modifies the balance between the different naturally present bacteria in the vagina. It especially acts to the detriment of the lactobacilles, agents that, in maintaining a good vaginal acidity, avoid the proliferation of undesirable organisms.

The symptoms of the infection are very important vaginal losses, of variable color, of which the characteristic odor of fish becomes more pronounced at the time of the sexual relations or after having washed to soap. These losses come with itches, of sensations of burn, a light redness and an inflation of the vagina and the vulva.

Another germ named Escherichia coli is, as for it, responsible of vulvites accompanied by leucorrhées at the small girl. The oxyures (toward) can provoke vaginal losses also.

Let's not forget the MST!

The vaginitis to trichomonas is an infection that is not, contrary to the other, to an unbalance of flora or the vaginal fauna, but to a sexual transmission of the parasite by a contaminated partner, in general unknowingly (the men present very few signs in case of infection).

It provokes sallow or greenish, frothy vaginal losses and that feel bad. It also drags the itches and the sensations of burns and irritation of the vulva and the periphery of the uterine collar. It can be also at the origin of pains when one urinates. The parasite Trichomanas vaginalis can pass besides in the urinary ways and can trigger an infection of these.

Two other sexually transferable illnesses - the infection to chlamydia and gonorrhea, due to the gonocoque - accompany of vaginal losses, but in a less systematic way.

More rarely.

At the small girl, the dirty, malodorous vaginal losses, streaky of blood must make question the presence of a foreign body.

At the woman, a forgotten tampon can also provoke then dirty losses fetid.

A simple consultation but the most often indispensable

The proposed treatments differ according to the infections whose origins are function many factors: age, sexual activity, metabolism of the estrogènes. It is why your physician will interrogate you on your state (description of the losses, other signs partners, length.) and your life style (habits, type of soap used, vaginal showers, sexuality, etc.).

It will practice the necessary, relatively simple research then. The clinical exam of the zone vulvaire and vaginal with the help of a spéculum, the aspect and the odor of the losses will orient its diagnosis quickly. It will be able to confirm it while doing a vaginal smear and while measuring with the help of strips, the degree of acidity of the secretions, that is less acids than the normal at the time of a bacterial infection or to trichomonas.

Finally, it will make (or will ask) maybe a withdrawal of vaginal secretions so that is achieved an exam in search of bacteriological cyto-parasito the incriminated infectious element.

The unusual vaginal losses are the reflection of an infection, the more often bound to bad local conditions, without report with hygiene but rather with the acidity of the vagina or the irritation of the region. A clinical exam and a precise diagnosis are indispensable to treat them efficiently, but also to avoid the recidivisms, the complications (extension of the infection to the horns, chronic pains or even infertility) or the partner's contamination. Your physician is there to treat you but also to counsel you, to reassure you. Don't hesitate to consult!

2009-10-01