Is It an STI or One thing Else?

Vaginal discharge is a standard a part of being a lady, however what occurs when your discharge adjustments coloration or smells — otherwise you begin feeling itching or burning? Many situations and infections have related signs. It may be onerous to inform what your vagina is making an attempt to let you know, so we’ve created a fast reference information that will help you perceive the variations between some widespread vaginal infections and information the dialog along with your healthcare supplier (HCP).

Table of Contents

Atrophic vaginitis (Vaginal Atrophy)

Signs

There are lots of signs of atrophic vaginitis. You may need:

Vaginal dryness
Burning or itching in your vagina
Extra vaginal discharge than you usually have
Burning whenever you pee or an elevated or pressing must pee
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) that come again typically
Urinary incontinence (lack of bladder management)
Ache or dryness throughout intercourse
Bleeding after intercourse

Causes

Atrophic vaginitis occurs when your physique makes much less estrogen, the hormone that makes and maintains the feminine reproductive system.

Some causes of decrease estrogen ranges are:

Menopause or perimenopause (the years main as much as menopause)
Hysterectomy, a surgical procedure that removes your uterus
Breastfeeding
Sure medicines
Sure most cancers remedies

Therapy

There are lots of therapy choices accessible to ease the signs of atrophic vaginitis, resembling:

Moisturizers and lubricants
Estrogen that you just put in your vagina
Drugs you are taking by mouth
Estrogen drugs or patches
Vaginal dilators that stretch the muscle mass in your vagina

Prevention

When you can’t forestall perimenopause or menopause, you possibly can work along with your HCP to handle your signs.
Common protected intercourse and never smoking may assist forestall atrophic vaginitis.

Good to Know

Your HCP may check with atrophic vaginitis and different signs collectively as genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).
Throughout atrophic vaginitis, the liner of the vagina will get thinner and drier.
Atrophic vaginitis isn’t an an infection.

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)

Signs

The majority of people with BV don’t have signs. If you happen to do, you may expertise:

Off-white, grey or greenish discharge
Fishy-smelling discharge
Itching or soreness within the vagina (much less widespread)

Causes

BV is triggered when the naturally occurring micro organism that reside in and across the vagina get off stability.

Therapy

Your HCP might prescribe antibiotics that may be taken orally or inserted into the vagina with a gel or cream.

Prevention

Some methods you possibly can forestall BV are:

Keep away from douching, which disrupts your vaginal micro organism.
Wipe entrance to again after going to the toilet.
Use latex condoms or dental dams throughout intercourse.
Put on breathable, cotton underwear, particularly in environments the place you’ll be sweating quite a bit.

Good to Know

BV is the most typical sort of vaginal an infection.
BV isn’t an STI.
BV impacts about one out of three women ages 14-49 within the U.S.
Douching can worsen BV signs.
BV isn’t a yeast an infection.

Chlamydia

Signs

It’s widespread for chlamydia to haven’t any signs.

If you happen to do have signs, they may embody:

Ache whenever you pee
Painful intercourse
Ache in your decrease stomach
Yellowish vaginal discharge with a powerful odor
Bleeding between durations
Ache, discharge and/or bleeding across the anus

Causes

Chlamydia is an STI attributable to having unprotected intercourse with a accomplice who has the an infection.
Chlamydia may also be handed from a pregnant particular person to the infant throughout childbirth.

Therapy

An HCP will prescribe antibiotics to deal with and remedy chlamydia.

Prevention

The one approach to fully forestall an STI is by not having intercourse, together with vaginal, anal or oral intercourse. If you happen to do have intercourse, all the time use a condom created from latex or polyurethane, not lambskin.
Earlier than having intercourse, be sure you and your accomplice get examined for STIs.
If you’re being handled for chlamydia, don’t have intercourse for 7 days after starting your therapy to forestall reinfection.

Good to Know

Chlamydia is the most common STI within the army.
When chlamydia isn’t handled, it will probably result in severe well being points in ladies, resembling pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.
Ladies and men, in addition to infants born to moms with untreated chlamydia, can get contaminated.

Gonorrhea (“The Clap”)

Signs

Most individuals with gonorrhea don’t have signs.

If you happen to do have signs, they might embody:

Ache or burning whenever you pee
Extra vaginal discharge than you usually have
Bleeding between durations

Causes

Gonorrhea is an STI attributable to having unprotected intercourse with a accomplice who has the an infection.
Gonorrhea may also be handed from a pregnant particular person to the infant throughout childbirth.

Therapy

Gonorrhea may be handled by antibiotics prescribed by your HCP. It’s vital to take your medicine precisely because it’s prescribed, and your HCP might check you once more after you full therapy to ensure it labored.

Prevention

The one approach to fully forestall an STI is by not having intercourse, together with vaginal, anal or oral intercourse. If you happen to do have intercourse, all the time use a condom created from latex or polyurethane, not lambskin.
Earlier than having intercourse, be sure you and your accomplice get examined for STIs.
If you’re being handled for gonorrhea, don’t have intercourse for 7 days after finishing your therapy.

Good to Know

Therapy for gonorrhea is getting harder due to antimicrobial resistance.
When gonorrhea goes untreated, it will probably result in severe well being points in ladies resembling pelvic inflammatory illness and infertility.
Ladies and men, in addition to infants born to moms with untreated chlamydia, can get contaminated.

Noninfectious Vaginitis

Signs

Signs of noninfectious vaginitis may embody:

Itching or burning within the vagina
Extra vaginal discharge than you usually have
Pelvic ache
Ache throughout intercourse

Causes

Noninfectious vaginitis implies that there is no such thing as a an infection inflicting your signs. As a substitute, it’s possible attributable to an allergic response or irritation from one thing that touched your vagina, resembling:

Sprays
Douches
Merchandise with spermicide in them
Scented soaps, detergents, interval merchandise or cloth softeners

Therapy

To deal with noninfectious vaginitis, it’s important to determine what’s inflicting it first. The signs of noninfectious vaginitis are much like some infections, so it’s greatest to speak to your HCP about your considerations.

Prevention

As a result of many alternative issues may cause noninfectious vaginitis, there is no such thing as a one approach to forestall it. Strive these strategies to maintain your vagina clear and wholesome:

Keep away from douching, which disrupts your vaginal micro organism.
Keep away from scented merchandise that contact your vagina, resembling soaps, interval merchandise, and flavored condoms and lubricants.
Use unscented detergents to scrub your underwear.

Good to Know

You’ll be able to have an allergic response or get irritation inside your vagina or in your vulva (the pores and skin round your vagina).

Trichomoniasis (“Trich”)

Signs

If in case you have trich, you may expertise:

Discomfort throughout intercourse
Itching, burning, redness or soreness within the vagina
Ache whenever you pee
Clear, white, yellowish or greenish vaginal discharge
Fishy-smelling discharge

Causes

Trich is an STI attributable to having unprotected intercourse with a accomplice who has the an infection.

Therapy

Your HCP will prescribe an oral medicine to eliminate trich.

Prevention

The one approach to fully forestall an STI is by not having intercourse, together with vaginal, anal or oral intercourse. If you happen to do have intercourse, all the time use a condom made from latex or polyurethane, not lambskin.
Earlier than having intercourse, be sure you and your accomplice get examined for STIs.
If you’re being handled for trich, having intercourse throughout therapy or inside per week after finishing therapy may cause a reinfection.

Yeast An infection

Signs

Widespread symptoms embody:

Whitish or yellowish discharge that may be chunky
Itchiness within the vagina and vulva
Swelling or soreness across the vagina
Burning whenever you pee or throughout intercourse
Ache throughout intercourse
Redness within the vulva
Vaginal rash

Causes

Yeast naturally lives in your pores and skin, together with across the vagina. Certain things may cause an excessive amount of of that yeast to develop, resembling:

Sure antibiotics
Being pregnant
Uncontrolled diabetes
Weakened immune system
Stress
Hormonal adjustments throughout your interval

Therapy

Your HCP may prescribe antifungal cream, ointment or medicine to both take by mouth or insert into the vagina.

Prevention

There are a couple of methods to reduce your risk of yeast infections, together with:

Keep away from utilizing scented merchandise round your vagina.
Keep away from douching, which disrupts your vaginal micro organism.
Change out of moist or sweaty clothes and underwear as quickly as doable.
Put on breathable, cotton underwear, particularly in environments the place you’ll be sweating quite a bit.
Use water-based lubricants throughout intercourse.
Work along with your HCP to handle situations that weaken your immune system.

Good to Know

Yeast infections should not sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Yeast infections may be present in more areas than just the vagina.
Anybody can get a yeast an infection, together with ladies, males and kids.
Frequent yeast infections is usually a signal that you’ve got a situation that is weakening your immune system, resembling uncontrolled diabetes.

This useful resource was created with assist from the Prepared, Wholesome & Ready program funders.