General Gynecology
Menstruation
Menstruation or your period is normal vaginal bleeding that happens as part of a woman's monthly cycle. Every month, your body prepares for pregnancy. When no pregnancy occurs, the uterus, or womb, sheds its lining. The menstrual blood is partly blood and partly tissue from inside the uterus(endometrium) and passes out of the body through the vagina.
Sexual Function
Sexual function is how the body reacts to different stages of the sexual response cycle. These can include sexual desire, vaginal dryness and orgasm. Guidelines for assessing sexual function are suggested and divided into four stages:
Stage 1 deals with the documentation of the defined aspects of sexual function. The main questions are:
Stage 3 it is estimated if or to what extent waning sexual functions and/or activities cause distress.
Stage 4 the association between the distress due to waning sexual function and well-being and emotional isolation is assessed.
These guidelines were constructed to assess male sexual function in relation with treatment for prostate cancer. However, the concept has been modified and adapted for females.
Stage 1 deals with the documentation of the defined aspects of sexual function. The main questions are:
- Is the function intact? For example: Have there been any occurrences of orgasms during a given period of time?
- If the function is intact, what is the frequency and/or intensity of the function? For example: How often has the person had an orgasm during the given period of time and how intense is the orgasmic pleasure a compared to youth or the best period in life. The suggested explanations for the absence or waning of functions at this stage are physiological and psychological.
Stage 3 it is estimated if or to what extent waning sexual functions and/or activities cause distress.
Stage 4 the association between the distress due to waning sexual function and well-being and emotional isolation is assessed.
These guidelines were constructed to assess male sexual function in relation with treatment for prostate cancer. However, the concept has been modified and adapted for females.
Kegels
Kegel exercise or pelvic floor exercise, consists of repeatedly contracting and relaxing the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor. The exercise can be performed multiple times each day, for several minutes at a time, for one to three months, to begin to have an effect. At the bottom of the pelvis, several layers of muscle stretch between the legs. The muscles attach to the front, back, and sides of the pelvic bone. Kegel exercises can make the pelvic floor muscles stronger. These are the muscles that hold up the bladder and help keep it from leaking. Exercises are usually done to reduce urinary stress incontinence (especially after childbirth).
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Vaginal Discharge
Yes it's normal. Vaginal discharge changes through out your cycle. Fluid made by glands inside the vagina and cervix carries away dead cells and bacteria. This keeps the vagina clean and helps prevent infection. The amount can vary, as can odor and hue (its colour can range from clear to a milky white-ish), depending on the time in your menstrual cycle.
If the color, smell, or consistency seems significantly unusual, especially if there's itching or burning, you could be noticing an infection or other condition. Any change in the vagina's balance of normal bacteria can affect the smell, color, or discharge texture. The colors can mean the following: White discharge Not necessarily abnormal. A little bit of white discharge, at the start or end of your menstrual cycle, is normal. However, if the discharge is followed by itching and if it has a thick consistency with a cottage cheese texture, it could mean there is a yeast infection. I would say a milky white discharge can be anything from normal to suggestive of an infection depending on if there is anything else going on, such as itching, odor, or pelvic pain. If there are any of these other symptoms, it could be a sign of bacterial vaginosis or an STI. Clear and Watery Sometimes a woman may experience a clear and watery discharge .This is completely normal and can happen at any time of the month. It may be particularly heavy after walkouts. Clear and Stretchy When your discharge is clear and stretchy or looks like mucous instead of water, it is a sign that you are possibly ovulating. This is a healthy and perfectly normal discharge. Brown or bloody discharge If a woman has brown discharge while she is menstruating or towards the tail end of a period; it may be normal. A late discharge at the end of your period can look brown instead of red. This is probably just some blood in the discharge. You may as well witness a tiny bloody discharge between your periods. Depending on when it happens, it could even be spotting in between periods. If you experience spotting the normal time of your period and you have not long had unprotected sex, it could be an indication that you are pregnant. Spotting at an early phase of pregnancy can be a sign of miscarriage. So, if this happens you should see a doctor, but it may not necessarily be a sign of infection or miscarriage. However, if a patient is postmenopausal, this could raise concern for a potential cancer of the female organs. In uncommon occasions, brown or bloody discharge could be a signal of advanced cervical cancer. This is why it’s significant to get yourself checked every year. Go for routine pelvic exam and Pap smear, so that your gynecologist will examine you for cervical abnormalities. Yellow Discharge This can also be normal, but could potentially be a sign of an infection. Generally, when a yellow discharge is thick, chunky, or when it has a bad smell is abnormal. This form of discharge may be an indication of the infection known as trichomoniasis, which is frequently transmitted through sexual intercourse. Although many women with chlamydia or gonorrhea have no symptoms at all, those that do may experience this type of discharge. Green Discharge I would say this is usually abnormal and suggestive of an infection. A yellow or green thick, chunky and foul smelly discharge is not normal but could be a sign of sexually transmitted disease like trichomoniasis. |
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