Discharge Diagnosis: Are Your Vaginal Fluids Normal?

When you go through puberty, vaginal discharge is one of the changes you go through that can be a bit of a shock. However, not only is vaginal discharge perfectly normal, it’s also vital for your sexual health. Normal vaginal discharge has several purposes, including cleaning and lubricating your vagina, and helping to guard your wellbeing against infections. Throughout your menstrual cycle, it’s common for the colour, texture and amount of your vaginal fluids to vary. However, some changes in your discharge may indicate a problem with your wellness.

 

But before we get onto the bad changes in vaginal discharge, first we need to clarify exactly what’s normal and abnormal, so you will be able to recognise changes as and when they occur. As we’ve already covered, normal vaginal fluids can vary somewhat in texture and colour. You might find your discharge is thin, sticky and elastic, or it may be fairly thick and gooey. Healthy vaginal fluids will either be clear, white or off-white in colour. If this sounds familiar, then you are perfectly healthy down there. However, it’s important to keep an eye out for changes in your vaginal fluids, as these may indicate a problem.

• If you’re concerned about your vaginal fluids, ask yourself the following questions:


• Has there been a change in odour (especially an unpleasant odour)?


• Has there been change in colour? Does it look greenish, greyish, or anything looking like pus?


• Has there been a change in texture, such as becoming more foamy or looking like cottage cheese?


• Are you experiencing any itching, burning, swelling, or redness in your vagina?


• Has there been any unusual vaginal bleeding or spotting that is not a menstrual period?

 

There are many factors that can cause such changes in your vaginal fluids. If you have a vaginal infection, such as bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis (yeast infection) or trichomoniasis, this can change the colour and texture of your discharge, and is one of the more common reasons why women are affected by this. Abnormal vaginal discharge can also occur due to certain infections that spread by having sex, such as gonorrhoea. Some infections are transmitted sexually or non-sexually, such as bacterial vaginosis or a yeast infection. As the causes of abnormal vaginal discharge can look very similar, let’s look at the above infections in a little more detail so you know which differences to look for:

 

1. Yeast infections: These tend not to have a strong smell, but may cause severe itching and burning in your vagina. In terms of your discharge, a yeast infection may cause the texture to become very white and thick, resembling cottage cheese.

 

2. Bacterial vaginosis (BV): Unlike yeast infections, BV may cause your discharge to have an unpleasant, fishy odour, and your fluids may be thin and greyish in colour.

 

3. Trichomoniasis: This is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause your discharge to become frothy and a yellow-green colour. Trichomoniasis also often causes vaginal itching and pain during urination, and may also develop a strong smell.

 

If you think you may have a problem or notice any changes in your vaginal discharge, you should see a doctor as soon as possible, or go to a health clinic. This is important for any girl to do, but especially if you have had sex. Many STIs cause changes in vaginal discharge, and so if you’ve had unprotected sex or sexual contact in which the condom broke or wasn’t properly used, you may be at risk. You should tell your doctor if there’s a chance you may be at risk to an STI.

Categories: abnormal vaginal, bacterial vaginosis, Bacterial vaginosis (BV), cottage cheese, normal vaginal, strong smell, vaginal discharge, vaginal fluids, yeast infection, Yeast Infections

How to Fix Your Sense of Taste when Cancer Ruins Food

From the large to the small, cancer affects many areas of your wellbeing, and even its treatments can have a nasty impact. One way cancer or cancer treatment can affect you is through your sense of taste, whether food starts to seems too sweet, salty metallic or altogether flavourless. The good thing about these changes is that they won’t affect your wellness forever. However, in the meantime you need to what you can to maintain your calorie intake and meet your body’s protein, vitamin and mineral needs through your diet.

 

If you’re on a specific diet for other health concerns – such as a low-sodium diet or an eating plan designed for diabetes sufferers – you might need to set aside those restrictions for the time being. In order to increase your chances of getting adequate nutrition, you need to allow for more variety, so ask your doctor if it might be advisable to relax the restraints temporarily. When it comes to selecting and preparing foods, different things work for different people. We’ve assembled a few ideas with which you can experiment until you find combinations that appeal to you.

 

Not enough flavour: If food is falling a little flat, try to perk things up with new sauces, marinades, seasonings and other ingredients. (Before you get going with the spices, be aware that these can irritate a sore mouth or throat. If your mouth or throat is sore, you should also avoid acidic foods and hot foods or beverages.) While cooking, try barbecue sauce, extracts or other flavourings, ketchup, meat marinades, mustards, soy sauce, spices and herbs, teriyaki sauce, vinegar and wine. You can also sprinkle on some bacon bits, chopped green or red bell peppers, chopped onion or garlic, ham strips, nuts and cheese. If your morning cereal lacks pizzazz, experiment with brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, dates or raisins.

 

Too sweet: Everyone has a bit of a sweet tooth, but no one has a whole mouthful. To tone down your overly sweet foods, try adding a little salt or lemon juice to foods, and plain yoghurt, buttermilk, instant coffee powder or extra milk to milkshakes, instant beverage mixes or commercially prepared nutritional drinks. On the beverage front, go for diluted fruit juice, milk, buttermilk, lemonade, ginger ale or sports drinks. There are also less sweet dessert options, like yoghurt, custard, fruit, baked fruit, fruit with cottage cheese, fruit crumble, plain doughnuts, or graham crackers. In addition, try replacing sweet snacks with cheese, crisps, pretzels, cottage cheese, crackers, nuts and peanut butter.

 

Too salty: Just like a little salt can help when foods are too sweet; a little sugar may tone down the saltiness of some foods. Don’t add salt when you’re cooking and check that the seasonings and sauces you’re cooking with aren’t too salty either. Processed foods contain a lot of sodium, so these are best avoided. Instead, read labels carefully to ensure the products you buy are either “reduced sodium” or “low sodium” or go for bland foods with mild flavours.

 

Meat doesn’t taste right: The first thing to ensure is that the meat is fresh and cooked properly. If it still doesn’t taste right, replace meat with other foods that contain protein, such as cheese, cottage cheese, beans, peas, custard, egg dishes, lentils, malts, milkshakes, nuts, peanut butter, poultry, quinoa, yoghurt, tofu, and fish. On this latter suggestion, make sure your fish is either fresh, frozen or packed in a vacuum-sealed pouch, as canned fish can have a metallic taste. You can also try meat in combination with other foods and sauces, as you’d find in chilli, lasagne, spaghetti, casseroles, stews or hearty soups.

Categories: cancer, cheese, cottage cheese, foods, fruit, meat, peanut butter, Salty, Sweet