Vaginal discharge can occur because the walls of the vagina and cervix have glands that produce fluids or lubricants. This fluid is produced as a form of defense of a woman’s body to maintain the health of her intimate organs.

Normal vaginal discharge is generally milky white or clear, odorless, and does not itch or sting. Normal vaginal discharge does not require special handling.

However, when vaginal discharge appears along with other complaints, such as pain or itching in the vagina, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, or pain during intercourse, this condition needs to be watched out for because it could be caused by certain diseases.

Abnormal vaginal discharge can be caused by several things, such as sexually transmitted diseases, bacterial infections in the vagina or bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis parasitic infections, yeast infections, cervical cancer, to the side effects of certain drugs, such as antibiotics and contraceptive pills.

Generally, abnormal vaginal discharge will be annoying and will not heal on its own. In addition, abnormal vaginal discharge also often shows the following characteristics:

• Green, yellow, or brown in color
• Thicker or sticky than usual
• Smells bad
• There is itching or burning and redness in the vagina and the surrounding area
• Bleeding or spotting outside the menstrual period

In addition, vaginal discharge caused by certain diseases can also cause other complaints, such as pain during or after intercourse and anyang-anyangan.

How to deal with the right vaginal discharge

As mentioned above, normal vaginal discharge is generally harmless and will go away on its own without treatment. However, if the vaginal discharge that appears leads to abnormal vaginal discharge, this condition needs to be watched out for and treated appropriately.

There are several ways you can do to overcome the whiteness, including:

To deal with vaginal discharge, you can start cleaning the vagina in the right way, namely by washing it from front to back or from the vagina to the anus, not the other way around. Clean the vagina every time you finish urinating or defecating.

As much as possible, clean the vagina using warm water only, or if you want to use soap, use a mild and unscented soap.

The vagina is actually an organ that can clean itself. Therefore, you do not need to use feminine cleaning products, such as vaginal douche or vaginal powder.

The reason is, feminine products can damage the balance of the natural microbiota found in the vagina. So, instead of helping to overcome vaginal discharge, the use of these products can actually worsen the vaginal discharge experienced.

To relieve discomfort, such as itching or swelling, in the vagina when experiencing vaginal discharge, you can also try using a cold compress. Compress the vagina using an ice pack or a soft washcloth soaked in cold water.

If you experience abnormal vaginal discharge that lasts more than 1 week, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will treat vaginal discharge according to the cause.

If your vaginal discharge is caused by a bacterial infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics, depending on the type of germ that causes vaginal discharge. Meanwhile, if your vaginal discharge is caused by a yeast infection, your doctor may prescribe antifungal medications in the form of creams or tablets that are inserted into your vagina.

To treat vaginal discharge due to parasitic infections, such as trichomoniasis, doctors can give antiparasitic drugs.

To avoid the infection from getting worse and maximize the treatment of vaginal discharge, ask your partner to use a condom during sexual intercourse, for 1 week of treatment. Better yet, if you can, postpone sexual intercourse at that time.

In addition, this method is also important to prevent vaginal discharge from recurring in the future.

If you still have questions about how to deal with vaginal discharge or if you experience abnormal vaginal discharge, do not hesitate to consult a doctor regarding this matter. This step is important to determine what causes the vaginal discharge you are experiencing, so that the way to deal with vaginal discharge can also be more precise.