What are the causes of abnormal leucorrhea?

Abnormal leucorrhea is a common symptom in women. Normal leucorrhea is a colorless and transparent liquid. Abnormal leucorrhea is different in quality, color, odor, etc., so abnormal leucorrhea is a method of diagnosing female genital inflammation. So what are the causes of abnormal leucorrhea?

1. Vulvovaginal candidiasis: The leucorrhea is cheese or tofu dregs-like, the inner labia minora and vaginal mucosa are red and swollen with white pseudomembranes. After the membrane is removed, erosion or superficial ulcers appear at the base. In severe cases, the labia minora may be highly edematous and the vulva is obviously itchy. Some patients have a burning sensation when urinating accompanied by frequent urination, dysuria and pain during sexual intercourse. A small number of patients have no obvious symptoms. The diagnosis can be confirmed by finding spores and pseudohyphae under microscopic examination of the leucorrhea fungus.

2. Trichomonas vaginalis increases in yellow-green or milky white foamy leucorrhea with a foul odor, and the patient feels severe itching of the vulva and vagina, a sense of ants, occasional burning and pain, difficulty urinating, frequent urination, urgency, and pain when urinating. The vaginal and cervical mucosa have a strawberry-like appearance. The diagnosis can be confirmed by direct microscopic examination (wet mount method, hanging drop method) or culture of leucorrhea to find Trichomonas vaginalis.

3. In women with gonorrhea, there is an increase in vaginal discharge, which is manifested as yellow-green purulent secretions with a peculiar smell. Urinary tract infection causes frequent urination, painful urination, and burning sensation during urination, and the urethral opening is red and swollen with a small amount of purulent secretions. Cervical infection manifests as cervical redness, swelling, erosion, and tenderness. Bartholin's gland infection manifests as redness, swelling, and pain at the gland opening, and in severe cases, abscesses may form. Some patients are accompanied by vulvar itching. According to statistics, more than 60% of female patients have mild or no symptoms, but they are an important source of infection and should be actively treated. A positive culture of gonococci can confirm the diagnosis.

4. Female non-gonococcal urethritis is a sexually transmitted disease mainly caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Many female patients have no obvious subjective symptoms. A few patients seek medical treatment due to increased leucorrhea, yellow or bloody, odor, and vulvar itching. The uterus is the main site of infection, with no obvious urinary tract irritation signs. The cervix is ​​edematous, flushed, and eroded, and the hypertrophic follicles on its surface are the unique appearance of the disease. Chlamydia trachomatis infection can be diagnosed based on medical history and Chlamydia antigen detection or cell culture; Mycoplasma infection can be diagnosed based on medical history and the cultivation of "fried egg"-like colonies.

5. Vulvar condyloma acuminatum: Nipple-like, cauliflower-like or cockscomb-like growths appear on the vulva, cervix and vaginal wall. Most patients do not have any subjective symptoms, and only a small number of patients have increased vaginal discharge accompanied by vulvar itching, and occasional bleeding after sexual intercourse. They are often accompanied by sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and non-gonococcal urethritis. Based on the clinical manifestations, the acetic acid white test is positive, and the diagnosis can be confirmed by combining with pathology.

6. Bacterial vaginosis: The amount of vaginal discharge is large, grayish white, thin, homogeneous, and paste-like. There is no purulent secretion, and there is a special disgusting rotten fish and shrimp odor. The odor worsens during or after sexual intercourse. Vaginal inflammation is not obvious, so it is called vaginosis instead of vaginitis. Some patients have varying degrees of vulvar itching and vaginal burning. Due to the imbalance of vaginal flora, vaginal Gardnerella, anaerobic bacteria and Mycoplasma hominis multiply in large numbers, which leads to the occurrence of this disease. Laboratory examinations find clue cells, amine test is positive, pH value>4.5, combined with clinical manifestations, it can be diagnosed.

7. Senile vaginitis, also known as atrophic vaginitis, occurs in postmenopausal women. Due to ovarian dysfunction, decreased estrogen levels, and low vaginal resistance, it is easy for pathogens to invade and cause vaginal inflammation, which is manifested by increased vaginal discharge, yellow watery or bloody, purulent vaginal discharge, accompanied by vulvar itching, burning, and pain. The vagina is short and narrow, with smooth vaginal mucosa, thin epithelium, congestion, and disappearance of folds. There may be bleeding spots, superficial ulcers, pain, discomfort, or difficulty in sexual intercourse. Take vaginal discharge and cervical secretions for examination to exclude microbial infections such as Trichomonas, Candida, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia, and Mycoplasma.