Smelly White Discharge

22.09.2010 | By: S. S.

In a third of women with a frequent white discharge from the vagina, the latter is caused by a parasitic flagellated protozoan transmitted by men.

It’s good to know as much as possible about the diseases linked to white discharge so that you don’t worry too much. (Photoxpress)

Men also have problems with white discharge

Many men complain about suffering from various problems with their sexual organs. Some of them notice a blistering rash, while others have abrasions in the skin and mucosa, or they report feeling a burning sensation when passing urine, or itching of the glans penis. They often have an inflammation of the whole head of the penis as well.

Many also complain that their partners have a lot of white discharge that has an unpleasant smell, which disturbs foreplay as well as sexual intercourse itself. Some men mistake white discharge for lubrication caused by sexual arousal in women and therefore wrongly assume that their partners have already reached the first level of sexual arousal.

Psychological reasons for white discharge

The vagina is a constantly moist organ that has a natural white discharge, similar to saliva in the mouth, and that is caused by various glands, vaginal pores and the cells removed from the surface of the vagina. The discharge is truly white and frothy, or even watery, in appearance. This depends on what sort of discharge is prevalent. The quantity of white discharge varies over different periods of the menstrual cycle and also depends on psychological factors. Women who are irritated, tense, tired and neurotic have a large quantity of white discharge. Mental tension, unsolved problems, worrying and sadness trigger large quantities of a natural and healthy white discharge. When women calm down and rest, the quantity of white discharge is decreased. This type of a vaginal discharge is called psychological white discharge.

When does it become unpleasant?

The white discharge of a third of women contains a parasitic flagellated protozoan (Trichomonas vaginalis) which isn’t always active. It can live in the vagina without creating any problems. If the conditions in the vagina change, however, this can cause the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis and consequently an infection of the vagina. The vagina reddens and its discharge becomes greenish yellow and foamy or clumpy in appearance and has a strong odor. Women complain about a burning sensation at the vaginal opening and in the area around the external urethral orifice, especially when they pass urine. Men and/or women feel painful and burning sensations during sexual intercourse.

The disease is mainly transmitted through sexual intercourse, but can also be transmitted indirectly (hands, door handles, towels, linen, public swimming pools). A lot of partners of women with the aforementioned infection are themselves infected (to be precise, about 70% of them).

In men, the parasitic flagellated protozoa settle in the urethra, the urinary bladder, prostate and seminal vesicles. They can be found in the examination of urine, semen or the discharge of the Opens internal link in current window prostate caused by a massage of the prostate through the anus. Some men complain about a burning sensation when they pass urine or about an infected head of the penis. Most men, however, don’t even realize that they're infected with the flagellated protozoa because they don’t develop any symptoms. But though they have no problems, they still transmit the disease.

Treatment with vaginal ovules

If an infection of the vagina is treated with vaginal ovules, the vagina is cured, but the flagellated protozoa remain in the urinary bladder. When a woman passes urine, the vagina is easily infected again. Therefore, the vagina as well as other body parts containing the flagellated protozoa have to be treated.

There's one more thing we have to point out explicitly: women's partners also have to receive treatment! The treatment involves modern medications (usually two types of drugs, thus consulting your gynaecologist is recommended).

The drugs that women insert into the vagina are large, while the drugs that are used orally are small, so there’s no confusion. Treatment lasts for 10 days and the partners have to abstain from both alcohol and sex. If an infection recurs after the treatment, this means that it was ineffective or that a new infection has occurred.