Your vagina may not be able to talk but it has its own way of expressing that things are wrong down there. Whether it’s through odd smells, itchiness or pain, your vagina tells you a lot in its silence.
This is what you vaj is trying to tell you:
1.Odd Discharge
Normal discharge is usually white or clear and odourless.
Yellow, green, or grey discharge indicates that you have Bacterial Vaginosis and if it’s accompanied by a fishy odour you need to see a doctor, stat!
If you have a cottage cheese-like discharge accompanied by an itch, you have a yeast infection. A foamy vaginal discharge that smells like rotten eggs indicates Vaginosis too.
2. Foul Smell
A fishy smell accompanied by yellow, green, discharge is an indication that you have Bacterial Vaginosis. It could also be an indication of Trichomoniasis a very common sexually transmitted disease, see a doctor.
A rotten smell can indicate that a tampon has been left in for too long. EEK!
If you smell like onions, garlic or red meat, the odour emanates from the food consumed and will go away soon.
3. It’s Itchy, Burning or Irritated
This is can be a sign of Bacterial Vaginosis, Menopause, yeast infection and STIs like, Chlamydia, Genital Herpes, Genital Warts, Trichomoniasis or Gonorrhea.
Itching can also be caused by chemical irritants like soap, scented toilet paper, detergent, and fabric softener.
4.Missed Period
The obvious cause of this is pregnancy.
Other causes can be stress, extreme exercise, low body weight, obesity, thyroid issues or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCOS, a condition that causes missed or irregular periods.
5.Pain during Sex
Pain during intercourse can be a sign of Vulvodynia or Endometriosis.
“Vaginal pain, also known as vulvodynia, vestibulodynia, or vestibulitis, refers to spontaneous or induced pain on penetration at the vaginal opening or tenderness with pressure. Evaluation by a gynaecologist can exclude other causes before giving this diagnosis,” explains Dr. Sheila Loanzon, a board-certified OB-GYN and author.