Discharge usually is a sign or indicator of sexual health. Often they are the body’s way of cleansing itself. Any bodily discharge can be embarrassing if you don’t know how to hygienically cope with vaginal discharge. You may have issues with odor and/or staining that can lead to additional embarrassment. while many discharges are normal and help keep the pH balance of your vagina intact. Normal discharge has the following characteristics

• Clear or white color
• Odorless
• Do not cause itchiness or irritation
• Thick and sticky for most of the menstrual cycle
• Wetter and greasy around the time of ovulation

Abnormal discharge and When to see a doctor?

You need to visit a doctor if you notice the following symptoms related to discharge

• Thick and white like cottage cheese-like texture
• If it smells fishy, unpleasant
• Greens, yellow, pink and brown color and smells very bad
• it’s  irritating and cause the vaginal area to itch
• if you notice a genital sore or ulcer
• If you start having pain in your abdomen or sex become painful

STD Discharge color/odor/consistency chart to identify the condition

Sr. No	Discharge Color	Consistency	Smell/Odor	What do they mean?
1	White	watery, non-sticky	Strong smell	Healthy discharge or yeast infection in rare cases
2	Grey	thick, cottage cheese-like consistency or appearance	Fishy smell	Bacterial vaginosis or Trichomonas-vaginitis
3	Yellow or pale yellow	Thick, chunky	Strong fishy smell	Chlamydia, Gonorrhea
4	Yellowish Green	thick, chunky	Unpleasant  smell	Mainly in case of vaginal trichomoniasis or rarely in case of Chlamydia or Gonorrhea
5	Pink	Thick or semi-solid	Foul smell	Cervical bleeding, vaginal itching
6	Red/reddish brown	Blood brown or watery discharge	Foul/unpleasant smell	menstruation, cervical cancer, cervical polyp, cervical infection
7	Clear discharge	clear and watery discharge, spotting in an early phase	odorless	Pregnancy, ovulation, hormonal imbalance

Also read: Compare Vaginal Discharge by color to know your problem

Discharge in men and women

While discharge from the penis is not considered normal for men. In women, discharge is a normal thing. The normal discharge is usually clear or milky white and odorless. In women it is caused due to the uterus cervix or vagina can produce the fluid. Fluid made by glands inside the vagina and cervix carries away dead cells and bacteria.

Discharge in men

Discharge in men, although not common can be watery or cloudy with pus inside. The discharge may also contain blood. There are two main causes of discharge in men.

1. UTI (Urinary tract infection)
2. STD

 

STD Discharge in men

Often accompanied by pain and irritation while urinating and frequent urination are the other symptoms. STD discharge in men can be caused by 2 STDs and they are:

1. Chlamydia
2. Gonorrhea

Although not every penile discharge can potentially be STDs, in some cases other diseases like Epididymitis (inflammation of the tube at the back of the testicles)  can cause discharge. Chlamydia discharge in men: Chlamydial urethritis, causes infection in the urethra. The urethra carries urine from the bladder, through the penis, and to the outside of the body. This condition often causes swelling and inflammation of the urethra, accompanied by penile discharge

Gonorrhea discharge in men: While men, in general, are asymptomatic, When present they develop dysuria or a white, yellow, or green urethral discharge due to urethral infection caused by Gonorrhea.

 

Discharge in women

Vaginal infection is the most common or regular occurrence in the female. However, one can spot trouble by observing the color, texture, chunkiness, and odor or smell. The good thing about female discharge is unlike in most cases with men, the female discharge may not be due to STDs. A female discharge may be due to vaginal yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis or even due to stress.

STD discharge female

As in men, STDs such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea generate discharge in the female. The best way to know the type of STD is by observing the discharge itself. Chlamydia discharge in women: Greenish or yellowish discharge comes out of the vagina

Gonorrhea discharge in women: Symptoms in women are very mild and the discharge can be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection.

 

Trichomonas vaginitis

It is an infection acquired through sex that is associated with vaginal discharge It can be transmitted by way of the penis to the vagina, the vagina to the penis, or from the vagina to vagina.

Other causes of discharge in men and women

Many other factors can affect the vaginal environment, causing infection, thereby causing discharge or bleeding. Some of them are as follows

• Exposing the vagina to a new type of cleaning agent
• Chemicals found in detergents and fabric softeners feminine sprays creams douches and contraceptive foams or jellies or creams may irritate the vagina and/or the skin around the vagina
• Medications such as antibiotics can also increase the possibility of infection and can cause discharge.
• Puberty
• Pregnancy
• Menopause

Think about what you have used most recently and when your discharge began to seem different to you once you are able to narrow the potential cause down try eliminating it and seeing if your symptoms disappear. For symptoms related to STDs, try comparing the type of discharge against the color, odor, and consistency mentioned in the table above. Get tested for STD in the testing facility near you, even when you have a hint of symptom on your body or when you realize that the discharge is abnormal or there is a mark or wart on the body. 

References

https://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/vaginal-discharge.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaginal_discharge STD pictures and symptoms