The Main Reasons For Having A White Vaginal Discharge
Even though it is normal to have a clear discharge from time to time, if you are having a white vaginal discharge then you have an infection.
Normal discharge helps to keep the vagina clean, lubricated, and free from germs. Usually it will have a thin or clear appearance. This normally happens around the time of your menstrual period.
If you are ovulating, pregnant, or breastfeeding change could occur in your normal discharge appearance and consistency. Also douching, deodorant soaps, or perfume body sprays could upset the pH level of your vagina. This would also cause a difference in your normal discharge.
A white vaginal discharge can mean that there is a yeast or bacterial infection present. Symptoms of a Yeast infection in women can have different appearances. It can be thin or thick, but normally always white in color. With bacterial infection symptoms the discharge will be off white to yellow in color.
You can usually determine how severe the infection is by the depth and texture of the discharge. A white vaginal discharge can go from mildly thin to excessively thick. If it is thin and barely white, it is probably a mild infection and can be cleared up quickly. But if the discharge is thick, very white, and has a “cottage cheese” consistency then you may be dealing with a yeast overgrowth.
I've even heard of cases where the infection is so severe that the discharge is very thick with blue specks in it. This type almost looks something like crumbled blue cheese and is a definite indication of a major candida infection.
If you are experiencing a white vaginal discharge that severe you need to address the problem immediately, but you really should cure it immediately even if your symptoms aren't that severe anyway. A good way to Tell if a male may have a yeast infection is in his semen. It should be normal fairly thin, if it is real thick he could have a infection and doesn't know it. Most men can have a yeast infection with no symptoms and just keep giving it right back to you after you clear it up.
Sometimes it can be hard to determine which type of discharge you have. Discharge can be normal and abnormal, and the discharge of a yeast infection may mimic bacterial infection symptoms.
Really the best thing to do is just examine the discharge to tell you which one without a doubt. If it is a all white vaginal discharge that may smell a little yeasty to no smell at all, then it's defiantly a yeast infection. If your discharge has a yellow to brownish color with a bad odor, then you’re dealing with a bacterial infection. And finally if it is clear to slightly cloudy and thin, then it’s probably perfectly normal and have nothing to worry about.
You can reduce the intensity of your normal discharge by remembering to always wipe form front to back to prevent the spread of bacteria and to wear loose clothing with cotton underwear.
Really the best tips to reduce your risk of a infection would have to be change out of wet clothes or swim suits as soon as possible. Take a bath or shower before and after intercourse or a vigorous workout and generally try to keep the moisture level down as much as you can.