The 5 things your vaginal discharge is telling you about your health – and when to worry
VAGINAL discharge is something all women get, but very few actually talk about.
And although it's not a glamourous topic, it's definitely an important one.
Knowing what colour is normal can actually help you spot some serious health problems, including STIs.
Here, several women's health experts spill the beans on what's normal - and what's not.
Dr Virginia Beckett, clinical lead for reproductive medicine at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The amount of vaginal discharge varies throughout a women’s menstrual cycle, and most pregnant women will get a pregnancy discharge.
"Healthy discharge doesn't have a strong smell or colour, but women may feel an uncomfortable wetness."
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1. If your discharge is yellow
If your discharge turns a yellow green colour it could mean you have gonorrhoea, warns Natika Halil, of the Family Planning Association.
She also said to keep a look out for "thin and watery" discharge as that can also indicate you have the STI.
Gonorrhoea is caused by bacteria called neisseria gonorrhoeae or gonococcus.
It is easily passed between people through unprotected sex and sharing sex toys.
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Typical signs include a thick green or yellow discharge, pain while weeing and bleeding between periods.
Should I be worried?
It is easily treated with antibiotics but is not without risks.
Treated early, it is unlikely to lead to complications but without treatment it can spread to other parts of the body and cause harm.
In women it can spread to the reproductive organs and cause pelvic inflammatory disease which can lead to long-term pelvic pain and even infertility.
In pregnant women it also increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and the baby being born with conjunctivitis which can lead to vision damage.
So it is important to get tested straight away if you notice this change in your discharge.
2. If your discharge is green and frothy
These grim sounding symptoms could indicate trichomoniasis - a common sexually transmitted infection caused by a small parasite.
Many find themselves dealing with a cystitis-like burning when they pop to the loo coupled with soreness, swelling or itching downstairs, the NHS explains.
Should I be worried?
Trichomoniasis is unlikely to go away without treatment.
The infection may cure itself in rare cases, but you risk passing the infection on to someone else if you are not treated.
A trip to the GP for a course of antibiotics or a visit to a sexual-health specialist will help.
3. If your discharge is grey
If your discharge is a greyish colour it indicates one of the most common causes of changes in a woman's discharge.
A white/grey coloured discharge is a common sign of bacterial vaginosis (BV).
It occurs when the bacteria inside the vagina becomes disrupted.
It doesn't usually come with itching or pain but can create a strong fishy smell.
Nikita said: "One in three women will get it at some time.
"It’s not a sexually transmitted infection but can develop after you have had sex.
"Around half of women with BV won’t notice any signs and symptoms.
"Others might notice a change in their usual vaginal discharge which may increase, become thin and watery, change to a white/grey colour or develop a strong, fishy smell, especially after sex."
Should I be worried?
The NHS says you should see a GP or go to a sexual health clinic if you think you have BV.
The condition is not usually serious, but you'll need to be treated with antibiotics if you do have it.
It's also important to seek treatment if you're pregnant as there's a small chance it can cause complications with pregnancy.
4. If your discharge smells bad or unusual
Bad smelling discharge can be a sign of several conditions - not just BV.
A smell which can only be described as “rotten or very unpleasant” would occur if you left a tampon inside too long, Dr Ayanthi Gunasekera, of said.
Should I be worried?
Her advice was to remove it as soon as possible.
But if you are struggling to do so - which might happen if the tampon gets stuck and compressed at the top of the vagina - visit a GP or sexual health clinic where they can do it for you.
A tampon should not stay inside the vagina for more than eight hours, the NHS says.
An unpleasant smell, pelvic pain or high temperature is a sign you need to get it out urgently.
If it smells like pee, that is also a cause for concern.
It can be a sign someone has a urinary tract infection (UTI), Dr Gunasekera said.
The “ammonia” type smell is due to the infection making the pee more potent.
Other symptoms include cloudy or bloody urine and a high or low temperature.
Most people are familiar with UTIs causing a constant urge to urinate and pain when doing so.
If your UTI goes untreated, it may progress into a more serious infection.
If you think you could have the infection your GP can prescribe you antibiotics.
5. If your discharge looks lumpy
If you spot discharge that resembles cottage-cheese, it's a sign that you have thrush.
Thrush is a common yeast infection that affects both men and women.
It is harmless but can be recurring, according the the NHS.
Women with thrush will have a white cottage cheese like discharge that doesn't smell, itching and irritation around the vagina and sometimes a soreness or stinging when they wee.
Should I be worried?
Dr Beckett said: "Vaginal thrush is a common yeast infection that affects most women at some point in their lives.
"It may be unpleasant and uncomfortable, but can usually be treated with medication available from pharmacies or on prescription from GPs.
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"However, for some women, vaginal thrush can be difficult to treat and keeps coming back."