This article was co-authored by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS and by How.com.vn staff writer, Hannah Madden. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
How.com.vn marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 112 testimonials and 84% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 3,737,278 times.
Vaginal discharge, or the fluid that comes out of your vagina, is a totally normal bodily function. It’s typical for your vaginal discharge to change slightly throughout the month, but there are some changes that could indicate a problem. Keep reading to learn how you can distinguish healthy discharge from abnormal discharge and what you can do to keep your pH balance in check.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Tips
- If you’ve recently given birth, follow your doctor’s instructions for keeping your vaginal area clean and dry, especially if you have any tears or stitches. You might also need to wear pads or pantyliners for several weeks to manage your discharge. Don’t apply any creams or lotions unless your doctor advises you to.Thanks
Warnings
- If you notice a change in the color, smell, or texture of your vaginal discharge, make an appointment with your doctor right away.[15]Thanks
References
- ↑ https://familydoctor.org/condition/vaginal-discharge/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7789027/
- ↑ https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/vaginal-discharge
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7789027/
- ↑ https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/vaginal-discharge
- ↑ https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/urinary-tract-infection-utis
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaginal-discharge/
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/vdischarge2.html
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7789027/
- ↑ https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/vaginal-discharge
- ↑ https://familydoctor.org/condition/vaginal-discharge/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaginal-discharge/
- ↑ https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/vaginal-discharge
- ↑ https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/genitourinary-tract/Pages/Vaginal-Infections.aspx
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/vaginal-discharge/basics/causes/sym-20050825
About This Article
Vaginal discharge can be frustrating and embarrassing, but you can clear it up by using an unscented baby wipe to get rid of any excess discharge from the outside of your vagina. Change your underwear 2-3 times a day when you notice discharge, which will keep bacteria away from your vagina and reduce your discomfort. If you can, walk around the house without pants or sleep naked to air yourself out and reduce irritation. You can also use a pad or pantyliner if your discharge is particularly bad. However, you shouldn’t use these regularly, since they can increase your chance of infection. If your discharge is thick, white, yellow, grey, green, brown, or bloody, this could be a sign of infection, so contact your doctor for medication to clear it up. For more tips, including how to use herbal remedies to control your discharge, read on!
Reader Success Stories
- "I had no idea that panty liners could make things worse. Mine is normal. I get a lot, but it got worse after I started having periods and I just got into the habit of using them. It's nice to know that I'm not gross or doing something wrong and I'm normal."..." more
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.