What is the Color of Your Vaginal Discharge Telling You?
Is the color of your vaginal discharge telling you something important about your health? Normal vaginal discharge is milky or white and is odorless. But sometimes, an imbalance of bacteria in your vagina can cause your discharge to change color. Do you have brown or yellow discharge? Or maybe your discharge is green, white, bloody or dark. In this article we’ll explore the range of discharge colors that you might experience and what they could mean.
Recognizing Normal and Abnormal Discharge
Changes in your discharge that may signal a problem include an increase in the amount, and a change in the color, smell or texture of the discharge. You may also experience other symptoms with a change in discharge, such as irritation, itchiness or burning in or around your vagina. The combination of these factors can help reveal what may be going on in your body. Let’s take a look at the different colors of vaginal discharge, what it might signal, other related symptoms, and what you can do:
|
Type of Discharge |
It Could Be… |
Other Symptoms |
What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Milky or white |
Normal discharge |
None, including no odor |
Nothing! All is well |
|
Thick and white |
Vaginal yeast infection |
Vaginal itching, burning, soreness, or pain. Some women experience pain when urinating or having sex along with and redness, swelling or rash around the vulva |
Talk to your healthcare professional*, or take the Vaginal Health Test, then reach for Monistat®--it comes in three doses to meet your treatment needs |
|
White, yellow or grey |
Bacterial vaginosis |
Fishy odor, itching and swelling |
Not normal—talk to your healthcare professional |
|
Yellow or green |
Trichomoniasis |
Foul odor, thick or chunky texture |
Not normal—talk to your healthcare professional |
|
Brown or bloody |
Irregular menstruation or a sign of something more serious |
Pelvic pain or vaginal bleeding |
Talk to your healthcare professional |
|
Cloudy, yellow |
Gonorrhea |
Pelvic pain |
Talk to your healthcare professional |
*Always see your healthcare professional if this is your first yeast infection.
Do you have a yeast infection?
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When to See Your Healthcare Professional
Since every woman is different, it’s a good idea to pay attention to your vaginal discharge. You will learn to recognize what is normal for you, and what may be signaling a problem—especially if you experience other symptoms at the same time, like pain, itching and irritation. Only you know your body. If you have vaginal discharge that doesn’t seem normal for you (with or without other symptoms), talk to your healthcare professional.
Check Your Symptoms
See what your vaginal discharge and other symptoms may be telling you.
Opinions, content and any information expressed on or linked with this website, are intended to be general in nature and do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek medical advice from your professional healthcare provider.
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