Sexually Transmitted Infections

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STI Signs: How To Know If You're Normal Down There - Fox News

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It's something all girls get, yet most don't really like to talk about it.

Vaginal discharge is not the most glamorous of topics, but it is an important one.

Many women are uninformed when it comes to what should be going on down there.

Knowing how much discharge is normal, what colour it should be and what it should smell like can actually help you spot some serious health problems, including STIs.

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A simple Google search starting with "should my discharge", brings up suggestions like "smell," "be yellow" and "be white."

But what is healthy and what's not, and when should you start worrying?

Here, two experts share everything you need to know about what's going on in your underwear.

What is discharge?Discharge is essentially a form of mucus that is produced from the cervix, the opening of the womb.

Discharge is a completely normal part of female life — in fact, it's the vagina's way of keeping itself clean and healthy.

Natika Halil, chief executive of sexual health charity FPA, said as a result, there is no need to use cleaning products, soaps and shampoos between your legs.

"There's no need to try and clean inside the vagina to get rid of discharge; the vagina is really good at cleaning itself," she told The Sun Online.

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"Using perfumed products particularly can do more harm than good.

"The best way to wash this part of the body is to use plain, unperfumed soap and water to clean the vulva."

How much discharge is normal, and what consistency should it be?The amount of vaginal discharge produced can vary from woman to woman.

It also changes regularly based on where a woman is at in her menstrual cycle.

Some women have a thicker discharge right before they get their period, while others may notice a watery discharge when they are ovulating.

It is important to work out what is normal for you and see a doctor if you see any major changes.

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Dr. Virginia Beckett, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said: "The amount of vaginal discharge varies throughout a women's menstrual cycle, and most pregnant women will get a pregnancy discharge.

"Healthy discharge doesn't have a strong smell or color, but women may feel an uncomfortable wetness."

What color should discharge be?Healthy discharge should be white, milky or clear.

And if all is healthy downstairs, there should be no sign of an unpleasant smell or any itching.

Any changes in color or may indicate a vaginal infection.

Similarly, any changes in amount, consistency or smell could also indicate there's a problem, which is why it's important to know what's normal for your body.

So how can you tell if something is wrong?If you've noticed your discharge has changed color and consistency, or has developed a bad smell, you should see a doctor.

It may just be that you have a mild infection, but it could also be a sign you have a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Beckett said: "Any sudden change in a woman's discharge may indicate a vaginal infection.

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"The warning signs of infection include a change in color or consistency, a sudden bad smell, an unusually large amount of discharge, itching outside the vagina, pain in the pelvis or tummy, or unexpected bleeding from the vagina.

"If a woman isn't sure whether her discharge is normal, she should visit her GP, practice nurse or pharmacist."

Here's what abnormal discharge may signal:

White, lumpy dischargeIf you spot discharge that resembles cottage cheese, it's a sign that you have thrush.

Thrush is a common yeast infection that affects men and women.

It is harmless but can be recurring, according the the NHS.

Women with thrush will have a white, cottage-cheese-like discharge that doesn't smell, as well as itching and irritation around the vagina and sometimes a soreness or stinging when they use the restroom.

Beckett said: "Vaginal thrush is a common yeast infection that affects most women at some point in their lives.

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"It may be unpleasant and uncomfortable, but can usually be treated with medication available from pharmacies or on prescription from GPs.

"However, for some women, vaginal thrush can be difficult to treat and keeps coming back."

Yellow or green discharge If your discharge turns a yellow green color, it could mean you have gonorrhea, Nitika warned.

She also said to keep a look out for "thin and watery" discharge as that can also indicate you have the STI.

Gonorrhea is caused by bacteria called neisseria gonorrhoeae, or gonococcus.

It is easily passed between people through unprotected sex and sharing sex toys.

Typical signs include a thick green or yellow discharge, pain while peeing, and bleeding between periods.

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It is easily treated with antibiotics but is not without risks.

Treated early, it is unlikely to lead to complications, but without treatment, it can spread to other parts of the body and cause harm.

In women, gonorrhea can spread to the reproductive organs and cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to long-term pelvic pain and even infertility.

In pregnant women, gonorrhea also increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and the baby being born with conjunctivitis which can lead to vision damage.

So, it is important to get tested straight away if you notice this change in your discharge.

White or gray dischargeIf your discharge is a grayish color, this may indicate one of the most common causes of changes in a woman's discharge.

A white/grey colored discharge is a common sign of bacterial vaginosis (BV).

It occurs when the bacteria inside the vagina becomes disrupted.

It doesn't usually come with itching or pain, but can create a strong fishy smell.

Nikita said: "One in three women will get it at some time.

"It's not a sexually transmitted infection but can develop after you have had sex.

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"Around half of women with BV won't notice any signs and symptoms.

"Others might notice a change in their usual vaginal discharge which may increase, become thin and watery, change to a white/grey colour or develop a strong, fishy smell, especially after sex."

How often should you have an STI test?With all this in mind, the experts recommend it is important to take good care of your sexual health.

It is important to get tested if you have had unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners since you were last tested, they told The Sun Online.

But that doesn't mean you don't need to worry if you are in a relationship — you should still make regular trips to the clinic to get tested.

Nikita said: "We encourage people to get tested for sexually transmitted infections regularly as part of a normal healthy lifestyle.

"There are a number of different services you can use to get tested for free, including sexual health clinics, genitourinary medicine clinics and your GP.

"Many clinics now also offer free postal testing services for STIs such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea."

First published on The Sun

What Is Gonorrhea? - Gonorrhea Symptoms, Causes, And Prevention

Sex may be super fun—and, you know, essential to maintaining the human population—but it can also come with some damn uncomfortable consequences...Like the more than 20 different types of STIs.

Gonorrhea's just one of those super-scary infections—but it's one that definitely needs to be on your radar. With an estimated 820,000 new cases each year, gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported notifiable disease (i.E., you're legally obligated to tell someone if you have it) in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Scary, huh? But before you go swearing off sex forever, it's important to know exactly what you're dealing with when it comes to gonorrhea. Because knowledge is your best form of protection—well, after abstinence and condoms.

What is gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea, a.K.A. "the clap" is an STI caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium, per the CDC, and is spread though the sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of an infected partner.

The bacteria infects the mucous membranes (basically, any opening to the body), and is commonly found in the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes in women, and the urethra in both women and men. But the STI can also affect the mouth, throat, eyes, and rectum.

It's seen most often in men and women ages 15 to 24–of the estimated 820,000 new cases each year, 570,000 are among young people—but anyone who's having unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sexual contact can get or spread the infection. Also, fun fact: Ejaculation doesn't have to occur for transmission.

What are the symptoms of gonorrhea?

Much like chlamydia, gonorrhea is hard to recognize. In fact, most women and men are asymptomatic, according to the CDC. That means they don't experience any changes once they're infected, says Suzanne Fenske, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

"I didn't have symptoms and nothing was unusual or felt weird to me." –Ashley, 25

If symptoms do show up, they usually occur within 10 days of exposure to the bacteria. They can be mild and mistaken for a UTI or yeast infection—like vaginal itching and discharge—but if you're having any of the following symptoms, it's a good idea to get them checked by a doctor.

Vaginal itching

Gonorrhea can cause uncomfortable itching in and around the vagina, says Fenske. If this feeling persists, tell your doctor and ask for an STI exam.

Abnormal vaginal discharge

Depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle, discharge is pretty common, but gonorrhea can cause women to produce more discharge than normal, says Fenske.

If you notice any differences in discharge—like an unusual color, consistency, or smell—either on your toilet paper or in your underwear, make sure to tell your doctor. It should be noted that a change in discharge doesn't always mean you have gonorrhea, but it's still a safe bet to get checked out.

Vaginal bleeding between periods

There are tons of reasons why you could experience spotting between periods, like stress or having a condition like PCOS. But gonorrhea could also be the cause, says Fenske. If this isn't typical for you, make an appointment with your ob-gyn.

Painful and frequent urination

When gonorrhea infects the urethra, it can cause symptoms similar to a urinary tract infection (you know, that familiar burning sensation when you pee and the feeling that you need to go constantly). If you've recently had unprotected sex and are experiencing these symptoms, check in with your doctor.

Pelvic or lower abdominal pain

Left untreated, cervical gonorrhea can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease. PID can lead to fertility issues in one in eight women, reports the CDC.

As it progresses, PID can cause fevers, pain, and sepsis, as well as chronic pelvic pain, says Fenske. PID pelvic pain can be similar to what you might feel during your period, but it will occur outside of your typical cycle.

Again, this is only if gonorrhea is left untreated, so make sure to get tested regularly to help protect against STIs spreading and causing PID.

Anal itching, soreness, or bleeding; or a sore throat

In some cases, rectal gonorrhea infections may show up as anal itching, soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements, according to the CDC. An infection of the throat may cause a sore throat—but in many rectal and pharyngeal infections, gonorrhea is asymptomatic.

How is gonorrhea diagnosed?

"If symptoms are present, then most people will be diagnosed with gonorrhea within two weeks of exposure," says Fenske. Women who suspect they have gonorrhea can be diagnosed with a vaginal swab test or a urine test, which you can get at a walk-in clinic, or from your primary-care doctor or ob-gyn.

Only about 90 percent of cervical gonorrhea cases are found via urine tests, says Fenske, so a vaginal swab for suspected cervical gonorrhea is your best option.

Men, however, are most often diagnosed through urine tests. And, for suspected gonorrhea from oral or anal sex, swabs of the mouth and throat or rectum can also lead to a diganosis.

But, if you're not showing any signs or symptoms of the STI, it's possible you won't be properly diagnosed until you have a routine STI test (during your annual exam with your ob-gyn, for example), or if the infection spreads and begins causing pain from PID, says Fenske.

How is gonorrhea treated?

Some good news: Gonorrhea is totally treatable and a relatively easy STI to deal with, says Fenske. Your doctor will likely give you a one-time shot of an antibiotic called Ceftriaxone along with one large pill dose of Azithromycin. "There have been rising levels of resistance of gonorrhea infections to antibiotics," says Fenske, "and the two antibiotics together provide the best coverage for treatment."

"It just made me feel really trashy even though...It happens all the time to people." –Tara, 22

According to the CDC, if your symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, head back to your doctor, as you may have a strain that's resistant to certain antibiotics. "When uncomplicated gonorrhea infections are treated with antibiotics, it clears up within one day."

Make sure you and your partner(s) wait at least a week after finishing treatment, assuming you're no longer symptomatic, to have sex again. After that, you're in the clear.

How can you prevent getting gonorrhea?

Like most STIs, the best way to protect yourself against gonorrhea is through abstinence or a long-term monogamous relationship with a partner in which you've both been tested, according to the CDC.

But, because that's not always entire possible, latex or polyurethane condoms and dental dams are your second best bet if you're having sex with multiple partners, says Fenske.

Of course, gonorrhea can still be spread by sexual contact before a condom goes on. To truly be safe, get tested with each new partner before having sex, so you know for sure where you stand, and get tested regularly on your own too.

What real women want you to know about gonorrhea:

Jenelle Marie Pierce, founder of TheSTDProject.Com and Spokesperson for PositiveSingles.Com, asked several women with gonorrhea to share their experiences with WomensHealthMag.Com.

"I wouldn't have known that I had it if it weren't for my best friend getting it... Her ex told her that she might have an STI, and so I went with her for moral support—there's a Planned Parenthood right around the corner, and I agreed to do testing too. I didn't expect anything to come back positive—I didn't have symptoms and nothing was unusual or felt weird to me—so when it did, I flipped out. I cried and everything. To find out that I had an STI, one that people have been saying is sometimes incurable, and that I had no idea how long I'd had it, just made me feel really gross.

"But treatment was easy, just a prescription. I didn't have to wait a very long time to have sex again, just until my treatment was done. I want people to understand that everyone can get STIs. I used to think that it was just people who slept around or that I wasn't sleeping with those kinds of people, like you could tell or something, but the truth is you can't tell and most people get an STI at some point. It's scary but it's not the end of the world, and I just wish people knew that it's not as big of a deal as everyone makes it out to be." —Ashley, 25, Colorado Springs, CO

"I'm not sure if my symptoms were from the gonorrhea or because I was also sick at the time. I had the flu for a few weeks, and I just wasn't getting any better, so I finally went to the health center on campus, and they asked me about STI tests. I didn't want to get one done, but the lady convinced me that it wasn't a big deal, so I just said yes. I definitely didn't think that how I was feeling was because I had an STI though.

"I still wonder how long it would have taken before I found out if I hadn't gotten sick like that. Untreated gonorrhea can be really bad for women if you want to have kids one day, and I definitely do, I want a big family. When they told me that my results were positive I got really worried, because I didn't know I was exposed. I mean, I'm not a person who hooks up a lot, so I really didn't think I had anything to worry about, and I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to have kids.

"They gave me a shot and a prescription and I took that until it was done. My flu went away a week or so later, I think—it wasn't long. I wasn't in a relationship though, so I didn't have sex with anyone right away, and I didn't really want to, because I was really worried for a while about getting something again.

"It just made me feel really trashy even though I know it shouldn't have and it happens all the time to people. I didn't have a partner then, but if I had to tell someone that they should get tested I'd use one of the anonymous apps that are out there. I didn't even know they existed until I read about it online, but I can see why people would use them because there's a lot of stigma around getting an STI—people can be mean and say some pretty nasty things about people with STIs.

"Lately I've been talking about getting tested and told my partner that I get tested and asked him if he had been, which I never used to do, so I feel like I've gotten a lot smarter and am more responsible now. I didn't know that you can't always tell whether or not you or someone you know has an infection, and that's changed my whole perspective about getting tested and judging people who have an STI, because it can happen to anyone." —Tora, 22, Brooklyn, NY

Kristin Canning is the features director at Women's Health, where she assigns, edits and reports long-form features on emerging health research and technology, women's health conditions, psychology, sexuality, mental health, reproductive justice, wellness entrepreneurs, women athletes, and the intersection of health, fitness, and culture for both the magazine and the website. She's worked in health media for seven years, holding prior positions at Health, SELF, and Men's Health. When she's not writing and editing, you can find her running, hiking, biking, dancing, listening to podcasts, or planning her next outdoor adventure.

Gonorrhea Symptoms More Prominent In Men Than Women

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