How to Control Vaginal Discharge

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Any bodily discharge can be embarrassing, but if you don't know how to control vaginal discharge, you may have issues with odor and/or staining that can lead to additional embarrassment. While many discharges are normal and help keep the pH balance of your vagina intact, other discharges can be the sign of real issues that need to be addressed either with over-the-counter medication or by seeing a qualified doctor.

Steps

1. Know what normal vaginal secretions look and smell like.
   • Normal vaginal secretions will be clear or milky in appearance. This natural lubricant helps clean your vagina, keeps it free from germs and also should be odor-free.
   • Normal vaginal discharge may also be thin, stringy or have white spots.
2. Understand the factors that affect what your normal vaginal secretions look and smell like.
   • Factors that affect vaginal discharge include what you eat, your ovulation, whether or not you're on the pill, if you are breast-feeding, what medications you are taking, whether or not you are pregnant, your menstrual cycle and whether or not you are under stress.
3. Be aware of what can disrupt normal vaginal secretions.
   • You can be at risk of throwing off your vagina's natural pH balance if you are on antibiotics or if you use vaginal douches, feminine hygiene products or perfumed soaps.
   • Other things that can put you at risk include pregnancy, diabetes or other infections that are near or around that area of the body.
4. Know the difference between colors and odors of vaginal discharge. Off-color or foul odors in the vaginal region can be the sign of a pelvic infection after you've had a surgery, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), vaginal atrophy during menopause, trichomoniasis or vaginitis, all of which should be diagnosed by a doctor and treated with prescription medication.
   • Vaginal discharge with bacterial vaginosis will be gray, white or yellow. It will also have a fishy odor.
   • If you have gonorrhea, you might have a cloudy or yellow discharge.
   • Yeast infections can be apparent if you have a thick, white discharge. This discharge is often described as being a cottage cheese consistency.
   • If you have an irregular period or endometrial or cervical cancer, you may notice a bloody or brown discharge.
   • If you have trichomoniasis, yellow/green frothy discharge that has a bad odor may affect you.
5. Know how to control your vaginal discharges.
   • Seek medical attention if this is the first time that you experience these symptoms. Some conditions, like yeast infections, can be self-diagnosed after subsequent infections, but if this is the first time you have a particular odor or color of discharge, see your doctor for a formal diagnosis.
   • Treat any abnormal discharge with the proper medication.
   • Use a panty liner pad to help soak up any discharge or odor.
   • Wear cotton underpants to help the area breathe.
   • Reduce the amount that you are douching as this can alter your vaginal pH.
   • Go for unscented bathroom tissue so that you can reduce irritation that can cause an increase in vaginal discharge.
   • Speak to your doctor about switching your oral contraceptive.

Tips

• Don't let embarrassing vaginal discharge cause you to start using vaginal deodorants or sprays. These will only make the symptoms worse because you will continue to throw off the pH balance in that area.

Sources and Citations

• http://women.webmd.com/vaginal-discharge-whats-abnormal
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vaginal-discharge/MY00097
• http://www.pamf.org/teen/health/femalehealth/discharge.html

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