Is vaginal discharge examination painful?

Leucorrhea is a kind of secretion from the female vagina. Healthy female leucorrhea is colorless or light yellow, and odorless. Observing the leucorrhea can help us understand whether the female body is healthy. Some gynecological diseases need to be diagnosed by examining the leucorrhea, such as vaginitis. For women who are checking their leucorrhea for the first time, they don’t know whether the examination is painful or not. Does the leucorrhea examination hurt? Let’s take a look at it next.

1. Does it hurt to check your vaginal discharge?

Routine examination of leucorrhea usually involves taking vaginal secretions during a gynecological examination. It does not cause any pain, and you just need to dip a cotton swab in it and send it to the laboratory for testing.

2. Leucorrhea

It is a mixture of vaginal mucosal exudates, cervical gland secretions and endometrial gland secretions, and contains vaginal epithelial exfoliated cells, white blood cells and lactobacilli. It is divided into physiological leucorrhea and pathological leucorrhea. Physiological leucorrhea is white, thin, paste-like or egg white-like, with no fishy smell. The amount varies and is related to the level of estrogen. During puberty, when the ovaries gradually develop and secrete estrogen, vaginal secretions begin to be discharged, usually in the middle of the menstrual cycle, close to the ovulation period, due to the vigorous secretion of cervical endometrial glandular cells, cervical mucus is the main component. At this time, the leucorrhea increases, becomes clear and transparent, and thin like egg white. 2 to 3 days after ovulation, the leucorrhea becomes turbid and sticky again, but in small amounts, which has no adverse effects on women's health. If the leucorrhea is abnormal, you should get checked in time.

3. Daily care

First of all, you should pay attention to observe the amount, nature, odor, and vulvar itching of the leucorrhea. When the amount of vaginal discharge is large, it can irritate the vulva and cause itching, redness, swelling, and even erosion. Therefore, it is necessary to guide or help the patient to clean the vulva, change the perineal pad frequently, and reduce the irritation of the vulva by secretions. When the vulva is red, swollen or eroded, you can clean the vulva and apply powder to make the vulva dry and smooth, so that the patient feels comfortable. If the excessive vaginal discharge is caused by genital tract inflammation, guidance on sitz baths, vaginal douching and vaginal plugs is also needed. In addition, disinfection and isolation work should also be done well.