Patient's question:
I am not married, but I have had a few sexual partners. Recently, I feel like my vagina is a bit itchy, and my discharge has a slightly unpleasant odor and is also yellow. I don't know if it's an infection.Doctor's answer:
Self-assessment of gynecological symptoms involves various methods. Experts say that women can identify potential conditions by comparing their symptoms with those of different diseases or by observing various discomforts and symptoms in their bodies. A series of symptoms related to gynecological inflammation include vaginitis, urethritis, cervicitis, cervical erosion, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), adnexitis, and vulvitis.### I. Symptoms of 5 Major Gynecological Diseases:
1. Vaginitis: Vaginitis is categorized based on the causative agent into trichomoniasis, candidiasis, and bacterial vaginosis. The type of vaginitis can often be preliminarily identified by observing vaginal discharge.
- Trichomoniasis: The discharge is yellow or yellow-green, purulent, foamy, and has a foul odor, accompanied by itching.
- Candidiasis: The discharge is white, clumpy, or cheese-like, occasionally watery.
- Bacterial Vaginosis: The discharge is purulent or mucopurulent.
2. Urethritis: Urethritis is typically classified into gonococcal urethritis and non-gonococcal urethritis.
- Gonococcal Urethritis: Symptoms include frequent urination, urgency, dysuria, abnormal or increased vaginal discharge, vulvar itching and burning, occasional lower abdominal and back pain, and irregular menstruation.
- Non-gonococcal Urethritis: Caused by multiple pathogens, it presents with urethral inflammation and often co-occurs with conditions like cervicitis.
3. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and Adnexitis: Typical symptoms include fever, chills. Long-term cases may develop neurotic symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, and general malaise. Patients often experience lower abdominal fullness and pain, lower back and sacral pain, and occasionally rectal fullness. Symptoms may worsen after exertion, sexual intercourse, or before menstruation. The discharge increases, becoming purulent or serous, yellow or white in color, with a foul odor. Dysmenorrhea or excessive menstrual flow may occur. It can lead to primary or secondary infertility.
4. Vulvitis: Common symptoms include vulvar skin itching, burning, and pain, which intensify during movement, sexual intercourse, or urination. In acute stages, redness, swelling, congestion, and scratch marks may appear. Chronic inflammation may cause itching, cracking, lichenification of the vulva. Some patients may experience swelling, congestion, erosion, and eczema-like patches on the inner side of the labia minora.