Causes of thick white discharge in women. Discharge in the form of white clots: causes

If your underwear is soiled from your vagina, appearance reminiscent of cottage cheese, we're talking about, or vaginal candidiasis. This disease most often affects the genitals, and its development is caused by the pathogenic fungus Candida.

In organism healthy person There may be various fungi and bacteria, but they become more active as the immune system weakens.

The presence of discharge in the vagina is normal, but only if it is transparent, does not have a dense consistency, strange color and unpleasant odor.

Pathogens accumulate on the vaginal mucosa in so-called colonies and, in addition to producing new spores, release toxic substances.

These dangerous products The activities of fungi do not just irritate the delicate mucous membrane of the vagina. They are capable of completely violating its integrity in the same way as skin external genitalia. Thus, every day they are expressed more and more clearly.

Main signs of thrush

In addition to vaginal ones in the form of white lumps and flakes, women may also notice such abnormalities as:
pain when urinating;
burning and itching of the labia;
painful sensations during sexual intercourse.

How to solve the problem of white lumps and flakes coming out of the vagina?

Treatment for thrush is short-term. The doctor may prescribe a single or double dose, or suppositories for insertion into the vagina.

In most cases it goes away quickly, and only 5% have a recurrent or chronic form of the disease. Therapy in this case becomes more difficult, but over time the disease still recedes.

The sour smell of discharge is not always a sign of any disease. For some women, it is a harbinger of menstruation.

In order not to provoke the development of the disease or its repeated episodes, women must adhere to certain rules:
maintain personal hygiene, especially during;
combine antibiotics with drugs that prevent the development of dysbacteriosis;
wear comfortable underwear made of breathable fabrics.

Those who love to drink should give up this habit, otherwise thrush will become, although unwanted, a permanent guest for them. Cases of frequent recurrence of the disease require a visit to an endocrinologist to rule out diabetes mellitus.

As for the nature of thrush, it is not infectious or venereal disease. Its development is caused only by a violation of the vaginal microflora. It is better to refuse sexual activity during treatment, but if you cannot follow this recommendation, you must use a condom.

Throughout life, white discharge in women appears very often; normally, it is always present; accordingly, in medicine they are divided into physiological and pathological, the latter discharge being called leucorrhoea. Vaginal discharge depends on many physiological factors, but they can also be a signal of trouble in the body. How to figure this out, and what do you need to know? First of all, the quantity vaginal discharge necessarily associated with age. IN different periods Women have different hormonal conditions.

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Physiological reasons

Even newborn girls have the first mucous discharge, their presence is explained by the remnants of maternal hormones, they disappear on their own after a month, and the next time they normally appear at the age of 8-11 years, at this time the girl’s body is just beginning to produce its own female hormones- estrogens. Usually this mucus has a pleasant lactic acid odor, resembles rice water or liquid protein, is secreted inconsistently, periodically, and is white, sometimes with a yellowish tint. In pre puberty the first leucorrhoea occurs in girls aged 12-13 years in connection with the onset of sexual development, then they indicate the approach of menarche; In girls, puberty is forming, significant hormonal changes occur, all processes occur more actively than in women during the period of maturity and menopause. Depending on the stage menstrual cycle, from sexual arousal, after sex, during pregnancy, the consistency of the discharge may change somewhat.

When menstruation occurs during puberty, the discharge changes depending on the stage of the cycle: it may increase before menstruation, then in the first half there is less discharge, it is often watery, it can be mucous, with white lumps; from the 13-14th day of the menstrual cycle, i.e. in the second half, leucorrhoea becomes profuse, viscous, transparent, more mucous, sometimes whitish, similar to egg white, more sticky, they have a sour milk smell, because lactobacilli produce more lactic acid during this period. This is provided by nature, because the walls of the vagina loosen after ovulation, becoming more vulnerable to microbes, and increased amount In these cases, acid serves as a barrier against them; this usually lasts up to 3 days and is also the norm.

Before next menstruation the volume of secretions increases again. In girls, discharge occurs in large quantities, this is due to the formation hormonal balance, with age, and towards maturity, when there are no hormone disruptions, the body is stabilized, hormonal system functions differently, and the substance released from the vagina will be noticeably smaller in volume. When sexual activity occurs, the nature of vaginal discharge will change due to the addition of the contents of the male partner's urethra, it is different from vaginal mucus, and the vagina will adapt for some time. In this case, the volume of discharge may increase; the discharge not only increases, it becomes watery and pale yellow in color.

At unprotected sex and a few hours later the volume of discharge increases several times, they become like white clots, and after a few hours everything goes away, normalizes, the secretion liquefies again, becomes abundant, there is no need to get rid of it by douching, because this is the norm. If sex is protected, then the subsequent reaction will resemble white lubricant. If menstruation is delayed and a woman has white discharge instead, this will indicate pregnancy; in the first trimester of pregnancy, leucorrhoea also increases, it is liquid, whitish or transparent, stretchy, there is no smell, no pain, this is the result of hormonal changes.



In the last trimester of pregnancy, the discharge increases again, and this indicates that labor is approaching, usually a week before it. Before childbirth, the cervix dilates, a thick, large lump or clot of mucus comes out of it, this coincides with the onset of contractions. If the lump is large and liquid, it may be coming off or starting to come off amniotic fluid, then you need to urgently go to the doctor. If there are blood impurities in the leucorrhoea, this may indicate the onset of a miscarriage, premature birth, or ectopic pregnancy, then you need to urgently call an ambulance.

After finishing labor activity, when breastfeeding, a woman can take contraceptives; in these cases, scanty, thick white discharge appears in women - leucorrhoea. There should always be vaginal discharge; this is normal. The inside of the vagina is covered with mucous, which produces this mucus. The vagina is constantly inhabited by lactic acid bacteria, which also produce their own secretion; they predominate in the microflora of the vagina and are beneficial in that they create a protective environment for the vagina and genitals. The vaginal reaction is normally always slightly acidic, pH does not exceed 4.5.

This reaction of the vagina has a detrimental effect on the pathogenic flora. In addition, the vagina constantly cleanses itself; dead cells of the uterus and vagina, bacteria, and residues come out of it with mucus. menstrual blood and mucus secreted by the cervix, waste secretion of the Bartholin glands from the vestibule of the vagina, dead leukocytes. At the same time, normal discharge is often white, can be transparent, odorless, never remain on the laundry and do not stain it, they are liquid, watery, do not cause inconvenience, their volume is no more than 1 tsp, then in this case we are talking about the norm, it should be so, There is no unpleasant odor, the microflora is healthy. During menopause there are very few of them; gynecologists then talk about a dry vagina.



Possible risk factors

Any deviations from the specified parameters are pathology. According to experts, there are more than 100 factors due to which leucorrhoea can change its color, smell, consistency, so based on color alone, not a single gynecologist will tell you the exact reason for the changes. In any case, a full examination is necessary. Normally, in addition to lactobacilli, the vagina also contains the so-called opportunistic flora. These are the pathogens that good immunity cannot begin to reproduce and cause various diseases, while they cannot cause harm either, but if for some reason the immunity has decreased, the body has weakened, then these hidden conductors appear on the stage and begin to lead the orchestra.



In addition to immunity, risk factors may include the following: douching, especially with antiseptics that contain chlorine and other aggressive elements; use of contraceptives in the form of suppositories, tablets, spermicidal lubricants and lubricants containing 9-nonoxynol; long-term uncontrolled use various antibiotics; use of complex drugs Polizhinaks, Terzhinan; sedentary unhealthy lifestyle and physical inactivity, which contribute to stagnation venous blood in the pelvis; variety of sexual partners; violations and non-compliance with hygiene rules intimate areas; synthetic low-quality underwear, chemically aggressive hygiene products for intimate areas; using latex condoms - for women they are often allergenic; too intense sex is fraught with microtrauma to the genitals.



Signs of pathology

First, it is necessary to say the classification of the discharge itself. According to the origin of the discharge there are:

1. 1. Tubal - for inflammation of the uterus, fallopian tubes; during inflammation, fluid accumulates in them, which descends through the uterus into the vagina, causing the appearance of leucorrhoea - it is watery and large in volume.
2. 2. Uterine - discharge is formed in the uterine cavity, for example, with endometritis, colpitis, endometritis, then descends through the cervix into the vagina;
3. 3. Vaginal - appear with vaginitis, have an unpleasant odor. Vaginal leucorrhoea occurs with thrush, gardnerellosis, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, etc.
4. 4. Cervical - thick and scanty, appear with cervicitis, the causative agents of which can be mycoplasmas, chlamydia, gonococci, ureaplasma, etc.



You should know that in order to treat and raise the question of pathology, 3 points must be present:

1. 1. There are symptoms of the disease.
2. 2. The smear contains a large number of leukocytes.
3. 3. There is a pathogen in the smear.

Signs of pathology:

1. 1. Pathological leucorrhoea is distinguished by its volume, it is always large.
2. 2. The consistency of the leucorrhoea is not similar to physiological reasons: The discharge is either thick, white, or watery, foamy.
3. 3. Often the discharge has its own colors for different pathogens - pronounced gray with gardnerellosis, curdled with thrush, yellow and green with trichomoniasis, transparent foamy with chlamydia, brown or bloody with oncology.
4. 4. The appearance and presence of an odor, often unpleasant: putrefactive, onion, rotten fish, acids.
5. 5. A combination of discharge and burning, itching, soreness, increased wetness of the genitals, dyspareunia, fever, painful micturition, pain in the lower abdomen, redness of the vulva, dryness, vaginal itching.
6. 6. The presence of infection will be indicated by the fact that the discharge suddenly changes 1-2 days, a week or half a month after intercourse.



With staphylococcus, the discharge is always liquid and sticky; Gonorrhea is accompanied by yellowish or greenish, foamy discharge; with fungal etiology, leucorrhoea always looks like cottage cheese, flakes, lumps, and is accompanied by itching. If there are blood impurities, oncology is possible. No doctor will be satisfied with even the most characteristic discharge in a patient with just an examination; the fact is that many diseases have similar symptoms, so a detailed examination is always necessary.



Diagnostic measures

Self-diagnosis is excluded. First, a detailed history is collected, then the most common methods research: gynecological examination using mirrors, this will reveal the presence of inflammation and discharge on the walls of the vagina, cervix, and it is possible to study the nature of the discharge. Then a bimanual examination is carried out - finger examination vagina, uterus and ovaries, the second hand presses on abdominal wall- this is how the structure and size of palpated organs are determined.



A smear is taken for bacteriological examination, a smear analysis by PCR if an STI is suspected, a colposcopy to exclude cervical dysplasia and erosion, a smear for flora and its microscopic examination. Transvaginal ultrasound is prescribed for cervical erosion, inflammation of the uterine appendages and the uterus itself. Carrying out a cultural method of research (bacteria culture), although it takes a lot of time, is accurate, reliable, and moreover, it reveals the sensitivity of the pathogen to antibiotics.

Methods of treating diseases

These include candidiasis, gardnerellosis, and bacterial vaginitis. The causative agents of these pathologies are opportunistic vaginal microflora (fungi and bacteria), which are activated and multiply when immunity is reduced, the body is weakened, etc. These pathogens not only multiply, they also destroy beneficial microflora. The vaginal microflora is disrupted when hormonal disorders, poor nutrition with a predominance of sweet, spicy dishes, with endocrine disorders, insufficient intimate hygiene, stress.



Therapy for thrush

The causes of thrush, or candidiasis, are: decreased immunity, taking antibiotics, frequent douching, and the use of chamomile, soda and potassium permanganate when douching during thrush is generally unacceptable, untimely change of tampons during menstruation, various diets, the predominance of sweet and starchy foods in the diet and sour sauces, stress, pregnancy, aggressive sexual intercourse, long-term use intrauterine device, use of colored scented toilet paper, use of aggressive products for intimate hygiene, reception oral contraceptives, hormone disruptions. Thrush can be caused by any disease that is accompanied by decreased immunity: HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes, STIs.



Men can also get thrush; their symptoms are mild, and children and teenagers can also get thrush. Thrush occurs regardless of whether a woman is sexually active.

Symptoms of thrush: profuse white mucous, but more often curdled discharge and itching, sometimes there may be white flakes and yellowish curd lumps, burning in the vagina, especially when a woman sits with her legs crossed, often pain during sex, pain in the lower abdomen. There is a lactic acid smell. The genitals are hyperemic, swollen, there are cracks, and pain. Leucorrhoea usually intensifies before menstruation, the itching and burning do not go away even after a shower, on the contrary, they only intensify. This discharge lasts 4-5 days, then goes away if there are no provoking factors. But this does not mean recovery, the disease simply becomes chronic, its symptoms appear again and again at the slightest provoking factors, and it is difficult to treat.

If you are trying to treat candidiasis on your own and insert suppositories without first taking tests, such treatment is irrational, by doing this you will contribute to the transition of thrush to chronic form. The fact is that thrush rarely occurs on its own; it is always combined with an STI, diabetes mellitus, HIV, tumors. To clarify the diagnosis, a smear is taken for microflora, there will be a large number of leukocytes and fungi. Used for treatment antifungal drugs, complex preparations not effective.



Gardnerellosis disease

Gardnerellosis is caused by Gardnerella vaginalis, which is activated when factors are favorable to it. Often in diagnoses next to gardnerellosis, bacterial vaginosis is diagnosed, the fact is that vaginosis is devoid of the presence of an inflammatory component, with vaginosis there is simply a decrease in lactobacilli, they are replaced by polymicrobial groups - gardnerella, anaerobes, which in this case are diverse, but in vaginal secretions with there are no leukocytes, so the term vaginitis is not used here. Vaginal discharge With unpleasant smell rotten fish, and this smell can be heard from a distance, the discharge is strong, at first white, grayish, then it can become greenish or orange as inflammation develops; there is always itching, burning, as you can see, the symptoms at first are similar to thrush; to clarify the diagnosis, a smear on the flora is required, especially since the treatment for these diseases is different: gardnerella is resistant to tetracyclines, sulfonamides, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, it works very well on them Metronidazole, Isoconazole, Clotrimazole, etc., slightly less Clindamycin and Ampicillin.



Bacterial vaginitis

Bacterial vaginitis develops when there are disturbances in the vaginal microflora, more often after taking antibiotics, and develops with candidiasis and trichomoniasis. Nonspecific vaginitis has similar symptoms to the above pathologies: itching, burning, white discharge, pain when urinating. The treatment is complex, aimed at the infection, relieving inflammation and restorative therapy. Hexicon suppositories, made from tablet forms, are especially effective antimicrobial agents Tinidazole, Ornidazole, Metronidazole are used in last years Ginalgin, Polygynax, Terzhinan. To restore beneficial microflora, suppositories with probiotics are prescribed.

Preventive actions

Carrying out preventive treatment does not have an effect, relapses do not decrease from it. Both diseases are not considered purely STIs, but can be transmitted sexually, especially during exacerbations, and, moreover, given their appearance not as a mono-infection, but as a polyinfection, they must be examined. Prevention will consist of monitoring your secretions, mandatory examination if pathology is suspected, and maintaining proper intimate hygiene.

Often girls and women experience white discharge from the uterus. In this regard, many people have a number of questions: what is it? Should I worry about this and consult a doctor for advice? First, let's look at why discharge appears and why it is needed.

Causes of discharge and classification

There are a number of reasons why vaginal discharge occurs. The following are situations in which there is no need to worry:

Leucorrhoea is the popular name for whitish vaginal discharge caused by the active development of pathological bacteria and fungi. Depending on what part of the female reproductive system is affected, I distinguish the following types of leucorrhoea:

White discharge from the uterus - normal and pathological

Normal discharge that appears under the conditions described above is called physiological and is devoid of:

The presence of such leucorrhoea should not cause concern or anxiety. During breastfeeding or taking hormonal contraception its amount may decrease, but with the introduction of the IUD into the uterus, it increases.

It is worth noting that such discharge begins to be produced approximately a year before the onset of menstruation, has a slightly sour odor and is white, maybe slightly yellowish in color.

However, girls who do not have periods should normally have no periods. Their presence in such early age may indicate illness gastrointestinal tract or genitourinary system. In this case, it is important to contact pediatric gynecologist for advice.

If a woman complains about:

These signs may indicate the onset of a disease, including:

• Candidiasis is the most common fungal disease, characterized by the active development of fungi of the genus Candida albicans. Appears as a result of an imbalance in the intestinal microflora, which provokes the active reproduction of candida;
• Trichomoniasis - more than serious illness, sexually transmitted, in which foamy discharge is formed, gray-yellow in color with an unpleasant odor, reminiscent of rotten fish;
• Oncological diseases, for example, cervical cancer or erosion, with such problems the leucorrhoea contains blood impurities;
• Diabetes;
• Prolapse of the uterine walls;
• Anemia.

In order to prevent the development of such diseases, it is very important to monitor the nature of the discharge from the uterus. If a woman notices something is wrong, then she should immediately seek advice from a gynecologist. The doctor will be able to prescribe correct treatment which will lead to complete recovery. You should never delay a visit to a specialist, since practice shows that treatment started at the wrong time leads to aggravation of the situation.

Good afternoon Please help me understand the problem. The break from sex was 9 months. Then a permanent partner appeared. From the first days intimate life the following began - it was DURING and AFTER sexual intercourse that white lumps remained on the partner’s penis, and at first it did not cause much discomfort because there weren't many of them. (I note that sexual intercourse without a condom is interrupted). I didn’t pay much attention to this problem, because... V Everyday life There was no discharge that particularly bothered me and there was no itching. After about six months, the number of white lumps increased. Eventually the moment came when there were a lot of them. This is already starting to bother me! Again, there was no itching, the discharge was small and whitish. On the advice of a friend (thinking it was thrush), I used neo-penotran suppositories for 7 days. - they helped right away! after the first days of use (course of 7 suppositories). Nothing bothered me for exactly 2 months! And then at one moment it’s on you! - during sexual intercourse, so much came out like never before! The next day I went to the gynecologist. She took a smear, and while still in the chair said that it was probably thrush, because... He can already see by the discharge (I note that the lumps appear only during sexual intercourse! - it feels like the partner is “scraping out” them from there, or something...). Gynecologist She said the tests will come later, but in the meantime, buy lomixin - 2 capsules, and lomixin cream. I inserted the capsules on the first day and three days later. I started using the cream only probably on the 5th day - and I used it according to the instructions, i.e. I inserted a piston with cream deep into the vagina. I used it for 6 days, and this is what alerted me! For the first 4 days, the cream I introduced at night and the next day came out of the vagina, also white. But on the 5th and 6th day - for some reason it was pinkish! Why?? Is this normal?? It’s clearly visible that this is a cream, but for some reason it turned pink...((I did everything according to the instructions, there was no pain when inserting the piston... I’m just worried why the cream inside me suddenly turned pink?? ((When I came for tests (this was when I had already administered 2 capsules but had just started using the cream), the doctor said the test did not show thrush... And she said when you finish using the cream, come for a repeat test. Let's take a smear. ..seeding?? if I remember correctly. Well, as I understand it, a more accurate analysis. One of these days I’m going. Help me figure out what it is?? To be honest, I myself am more inclined to bacterial vaginosis- because the day before the relapse, I swam in the lake with a tampon (it was the last day of my period), maybe that’s why it all started suddenly and again? If this is vaginosis, then it should be treated with something else..? Or maybe I should take some more tests, hidden infections?? If so, which ones? I really hope for your help, thank you very much!

Probably every woman sooner or later faces a problem when intimate place not everything is fine. Discharge of varying strength and consistency begins. Knowledge of what kind of discharge may appear during certain diseases, is very important, because it is precisely such manifestations that can tell a woman whether everything is okay with her health.

Characteristics of different secretions

As such, vaginal discharge is normal for any healthy woman. But changes in their color, smell and consistency may indicate the presence various kinds problems or simply changes in the body itself.

For example, when changing hormonal status The intensity of discharge may change. This often happens during pregnancy and shortly before the start of menstruation. But a decrease in the intensity of discharge is a harbinger of menopause.

If the mucus of the discharge increases, this may indicate problems in the cervix. And if there is a sour smell and white lumps, most likely the body has been affected by a fungal infection. Symptoms bacterial infection There will be greenish or yellowish discharge.

Discharge during pregnancy

White discharge in the form of lumps often appears. As practice shows, 95 percent of pregnant women suffer from heavy discharge. Although the discharge may sometimes be thin and sparse, it is often thick, white, and copious. And if lumps appear, there is a possibility that the disease has some advanced form.

That is why many pregnant women are forced to undergo treatment in order not to harm their child during childbirth, since, passing through the birth canal, the child can become infected. Therefore it is impossible with this important event, as pregnancy, ignore the doctor's advice regarding treatment.

Discharge from thrush

Discharge can also be a signal that a woman is experiencing gynecological diseases, which can lead to and even disability.

White discharge in lumps can be caused by the disease candidiasis (). This is an infectious, fungal disease that manifests itself both externally and internally. inner surface vagina. It can spread over fairly large areas. With this disease, the discharge may have different kind. Usually these are white discharge in lumps (cheesy), itching in the genital area, microcracks in the vaginal mucosa, an unpleasant sour odor, pain when urinating.

The cause of the disease may be:

• hormonal disorders;
• antibiotics taken by the woman;
• vaginal douching;
• contraceptives;
• infection from a sexual partner;
• violation of diet, unhealthy diet;
• excess weight;

Those who, due to certain circumstances, constantly have reduced immunity, for example, those who have diabetes or an HIV-infected person.

The difference between normal discharge and thrush

If the lumps have big sizes, flakes and plates are observed in the discharge, a white coating has appeared on the labia, and there is also itching and irritation, then most likely it is thrush.

Moreover, if we talk about different phases menstrual cycle, then when normal discharge they will differ depending on the period. But the discharge characteristic of thrush will always be the same.

Treatment for white discharge in lumps

If symptoms are detected, you should consult a doctor and get tested. Only after this the doctor prescribes treatment. This is often medications in the form of suppositories that need to be placed in the vagina for 5-10 days. This period is usually enough to eliminate the problem in both pregnant and non-pregnant women.

Antifungal drugs are used to treat thrush, which can neutralize and destroy the disease. It is most effective when both sexual partners undergo treatment, this helps to avoid reinfection. There are quite a lot of methods for treating candidiasis: in addition to vaginal suppositories, these can be ointments, and.

Any woman should always be attentive to all processes occurring in her body. It is important to closely monitor any changes, especially if it concerns suspicious discharge, and if the slightest problems seek qualified help.