Treatment of
Vaginal Discharge without Itching

Written by : Dr.M.D.Mazumdar, MD

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  • Normal Vaginal Discharge without Itching.
  • Abnormal Vaginal Discharge without Itching.

    Treatment of vaginal discharge depends on the cause.

    If the discharge is due to a normally occurring event in the body like ovulation, then it should be explained to the patient. She should be reassured about the same.

    If the vaginal discharge is very copious in amount and causes discomfort, use of thin panty liners or vaginal pads will keep the genital area dry and prevent infections.

    If the color of the vaginal discharge, smell or consistency suggests the possibility of an infection or a pathological cause, then a thorough checkup is needed to help identify the cause of the discharge.

    The pH of the vagina should be checked with a ph paper - an elevated pH (i.e., >4.5) is common with Bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis. These are further confirmed by a potassium hydroxide (KOH) test, and microscopic examination of fresh samples of the discharge.Treatment is started accordingly.

  • Chlamydia Trachomatis
  • In infection by
    chlamydia trachomatis, the drug of choice is one of the tetracycline group of drugs. Tablet Doxycycline (100mg tab - 1 tablet two times a day for 10 days) is usually prescribed. Another effective drug is a single-dose antibiotic, such as azithromycin (Zithromax), taken as a pill. Both the male and female partners need to be treated simultaneously to prevent recurrence and spread of the disease from one to the other.

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  • Bacterial Vaginosis
  • Metronidazole is the drug of choice. It is usually prescribed as :
    • 500mg tablets (1 tab to be taken two times a day for 5 days or 375 mg three times a day for 5 days). It is very effective in curing up the infection.
    • Metronidazole gel 0.75%, one full applicator (5 g) intravaginally, once a day for 5 days
    • Clindamycin cream 2%, one full applicator (5 g) intravaginally at bedtime for 7 days.
    • Tinidazole 2 g orally once daily for 2 days or Tinidazole 1 g orally once daily for 5 days.

    Douching should be strictly avoided. Sexual intercourse should be avoided as far as possible during the course of the treatment. The male partner need not be treated as it is not a sexually transmitted disease.

  • E. coli infection
  • An E. coli infection can cause inflammation of the tissues of both the vagina and the cervix. If an e.coli infection is suspected, then a broad spectrum antibiotic like ciprofloxacin or Cefotaxime together with an anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen is ideal.

  • Cervical erosion
  • A cervical erosion frequently clears up spontaneously. If it does not, the affected area needs to be cauterised either by heat (electrocautery) or extreme cold (cryocautery).

  • Cervical Polyps
  • A cervical polyp is a benign tumor and may be symptomless. If it causes excessive vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding, it may need to be removed surgically.

  • Oral Contraceptive pills
  • Most birth control pills contain estrogen and progesterone. Excessive vaginal discharge is usually associated with high estrogen levels. So, Birth control pills containing lower dosage of estrogens may be necessary. Triphasic pills which contain different levels of hormones on different days of the cycle and are formulated to imitate the body's normal levels of estrogen may decrease the amount of vaginal discharge.

  • General measures
  • Medical conditions which can cause vaginitis with excessive vaginal discharge like diabetes and anemia (by lowering the resistance of the body to infections) should be checked for and treated. Temporarily discontinuing oral contraceptives may help. Foreign bodies like a tampoms and stones should be removed as soon as possible.'

    Improving the general health will also stimulate the immune system of the body and help to combat infections.

    This can be done by taking supplements of various vitamins- Vitamins like B-Complex Capsules, High strength Multivitamin Capsules, Iron capsules to correct anaemia and Folic Acid tablets should be taken.

    Other supplementary vitamins and minerals that increase the resistance of the body to infections of various types are Vitamin C 500 mg tablets taken once daily, Acidophilus to increase the growth of lactobacilli and help prevent growth of gardnerella and Zinc tablets to increase the body's immunity to infection.

    Also Read -

    Pregnancy Book

    Pregnancy Book



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