White Discharge - Vaginal Infection - Itching of Private Parts
When And Why To See A Doctor?
- White discharge is a common complaint of women seeking consultation from a Gynaecologist.
- Every menstruating woman will experience increase in white discharge in the middle of the cycle for a couple of days which is a normal phenomenon.
- It does not require specific treatment and settles on its own.
So when should a doctor be consulted?
- When white discharge has lasted for many days.
- When it has foul odour and stains underclothes.
- When it is associated with pain in lower abdomen.
- When it is associated with frequency of urination and itching of private parts.
What causes this white discharge?
- Most of the times it is caused by fungal or bacterial infection.
What kind of treatment is given for it?
- Oral treatment consists of taking anti-fungal and antibiotics tablets.
- Local treatment consists of creams to be applied to private parts.
- Some medicated capsules/tablets called pessaries are meant to be inserted in the vagina and left there to take effect overnight.
- Vaginal washes also help.
What if the complain comes back again and again?
- This happens when the general health of the woman is not good.
- In this case certain blood tests and a specialized screening test for cancer of mouth of uterus (cervix) is carried out which is popularly known as Pap's smear.