Leucorrhea, yellow, odorless, itchy

Every woman has leucorrhea, but we need to judge whether the leucorrhea is normal based on the amount, color, texture, and smell of the leucorrhea. These are also some of the related questions that doctors ask us when we do routine leucorrhea examinations. Women must observe the leucorrhea reasonably. When the amount of leucorrhea is large and yellow, but there is no odor, and vaginal itching is often felt, this situation requires special care.

Leucorrhea examination

To check whether the leucorrhea is normal, you need to observe the amount, color, texture and smell. Normal leucorrhea should be milky white or colorless and transparent, with a slightly fishy smell or no smell; its secretion amount and texture are affected by the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body, and vary cyclically with the menstrual cycle, with varying amounts, textures and thicknesses.

Generally, the amount of leucorrhea is less after the menstrual period; before ovulation, the increase in estrogen levels in the body promotes the proliferation of epithelial cells of the cervical glands, the secretion of cervical mucus increases, and the sodium chloride content in the mucus increases, which can absorb more water, causing the leucorrhea to increase during ovulation, and the texture is thin, clear, and looks like egg white, which can be stretched into long threads; after ovulation, estrogen levels gradually decrease, progesterone levels increase, the secretion of cervical mucus is inhibited, and the sodium chloride content in the mucus also decreases, making the leucorrhea at this time thick, milky white, with poor ductility, and easy to break when drawn. In addition, there are also some physiological phenomena such as pregnancy and oral contraceptives, which can cause an increase in vaginal discharge. The cause is also related to changes in estrogen and progesterone levels in the body.

If your vaginal discharge increases for no apparent reason, or is accompanied by changes in color, texture, or odor, you should be alert.

Medical history

You should inquire in detail about the amount of leucorrhea, whether it stains underwear or requires a menstrual belt; the color of the leucorrhea; whether there is any special odor; the time of occurrence; whether it irritates the vulva and causes itching; whether there has been a diagnosis of pathological leucorrhea in the past; what kind of treatment has been received; whether the spouse suffers from urinary and reproductive system diseases, etc.

Physical examination

The examination is carried out from outside to inside. First, the vulva, urethra, paraurethral glands and Bartholin's glands are inspected visually, and then the vaginal wall and cervix are observed through a vaginal speculum.

(I) Visual examination of the vulva

See helps to identify vaginitis. Erythema and small collar fissures around the vulva and anus may be caused by candidiasis, and vulvar edema may be caused by trichomoniasis. The vulva of patients with Trichomonas vaginitis or cervicitis is often contaminated with a large amount of purulent vaginal discharge, while in bacterial vaginosis, only accumulated vaginal discharge is seen at the vaginal opening.