Discharge
Hear this word Discharge
Image description: Vaginal discharge
Skip Ahead:
What Is It?
Fluids from the vagina or urethra that are not urine, semen, lubrication or ejaculate.
Sometimes discharge comes out of the vagina onto a person’s underwear. The fluid is whitish or clear in color. It may have a light scent. This type of discharge is natural and is part of keeping the vagina clean.
Discharge from the vagina, the urethra, or around the tip of the penis can be a sign of infection if:
It has a yellow or greenish color, a very strong smell, or the person feels burning, itching, or discomfort.
The person must see a health care professional immediately.
An Example
Jamie has decided to contact a healthcare professional because Jamie feels pain around their vulva and because the vaginal discharge in their underwear is a different color from the white color it normally is.
Frankie made an appointment with a healthcare professional because the discharge coming out of their urethra was a different color than usual. Frankie also felt a lot of itching and discomfort around the tip of their penis.
What to Know
Every glossary word connects to different parts of the Sexuality Wheel. Explore the information below to learn more.
- Natural discharge from the vagina is a good sign if the discharge is whitish or clear and if there is only a light scent to it.
- While it might feel a bit embarrassing for some people to call a health care provider, it is important to call them right away if there are strong odors, yellow or greenish discharge, or burning or discomfort in or around the vagina or urethra. This is important for people with vulvas and people with penises.
- Avoid any sexual activity until after seeing the health care provider to avoid spreading infection or making the discomfort worse.
- There could be a urinary tract infection (UTI), sexually transmitted infection (STI), or another issue.
- Health care providers will do an exam and may take a sample of fluid from in or around the vagina or urethra to find the issue. A patient may receive medication to help cure or manage the infection.
Think about
Hover or tap the cards below to reveal suggestions or ideas!
Why should people avoid sexual activities if the discharge is yellow, greenish, has a strong odor, or if there’s discomfort?
- If there is discharge from the vagina or urethra with these characteristics, there could be an infection. Avoiding sexual activity prevents the infection from getting worse and from spreading to another person.
What questions would you ask your health care provider during your appointment?
- Write down or audio record any questions that you want to ask your health care provider. It’s easy to forget your questions, so make sure to bring prepared questions to your appointment.
- If you use an augmentative or alternative communication device, make sure your device has the anatomy or sexuality-related words or symbols that you want to use to communicate.