Vaginal Discharge
Vaginal Discharge - Leukorrhea
Vaginal discharge is normal and healthy, we must ditinguish healthy from non healthy ! a healthy discharge is in a small amount which is almost unnoticeable, it will be clear or slightly white and have no smell. During ovulation it is common and very healthy to produce cervical mucus which is clear and copious. It will be stretchy like egg whites and go away again after ovulation. During pregnancy it is common to produce more vaginal discharge but will not create any discomforts or have excessive amouints of smell.
Un-healthy amounts of vaginal discharge are listed below:
White - may be large amount, thin or thick, cottage cheese or frothy.
Yellow - amount may be small or large, strong odor, thin or thick (ulcers or inflammation).
Red - pale red, large or small amount, thick or thin, pain/inflamed in the vaginal area, has odor.
White and Red - thick sticky, with odor (cervical problems, cancer, cysts etc).Pus, large amount, strong odor, may contain blood.
Chinese Medicine Differentiation and Treatment
Spleen Qi Deficiency:
Vaginal discharge which is white and there is a large amount. Generall the discharge is thick, sticky, without odor. This condition can be caused by over work, inadequate sleep, poor diet, ... Generally the women will feel fatigued, sleep lots and have poor digestion.
Acupuncture points - Ren 6, BL 30, GB 26, BL 20 and SP 6 - poor digestion- Ren 12, ST 25 - low limb edema- SP 9, ST 36
Herbal Medicine Formula: Wan Dai Tang
Kidney Yang Deficiency:
Large amount discharge which can be watery, thin, clear. This condition is more common in an older population, chronic sickness or congenital weakness. The women will also feel low back pain, weak or sore knees, low libido, generally cold body and have cold feet.
Acupuncture points - BL 23, Du 4, Ren 4, GB 26 and BL 32, ST 36 - abdominal cold pain- Moxa Zi Gong, Ren 3
Herbal Medicine Formula: Jin Suo Gu Jing Wan
Kidney Yin Deficiency:
Vaginal discharge which is red or pink in a scanty discharge. There is also a type of dryness marked with this condition at the same time of having a discharge. Along with the discharge there is a dry burning around vagina, low back pain, night sweats, weak knees, hot feet at night, ...
Acupuncture points - BL 23 and KI 3, SP 6, BL 32 and GB 26 (stop discharge) - dizziness, palpitation, insomnia- LR 3, HT 7
Herbal Medicine Formula: Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan and add Yi Yi Ren, Cang Zhu, Bei Xie - minus Shan Zhu Yu
Damp Heat Accumulation:
Large amount of discharge which is yellow and possibly pinky red, thick in consistency, and has a strong odor. There is also rib side discomfort, burning pain in the vagina, irritability, bloating, ...
Acupuncture points - Ren 3, BL 32 and GB 26, SP 9 - itch, burning vagina- LR 5, GB 43
Herbal Medicine Formula: Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Toxic Damp Heat Accumulation:
Large amount of vaginal discharge with pus. The discharge will be green or yellow with a strong odor. There may also be blood present with a burning senation within the vagina. There is also severe itching and most probably a severe infection. There will also be abdominal pain, urinary tract infections, dry stools, feverish, ...
Herbal Medicine Formula: Bei Xie Fen Qing Yin with detox herbs (hong tong, bai jiang cao, ku shen, pu gong ying), anti-inflammatory for low Jiao]
Western Medicine And Vaginal Discharge:
1. Trichomonas vaginalis (protozoa) - frothy grey bubble - white discharge w/ odor, itchy, red dots on area.
2. Candida Albicans (fungi) - cottage cheese, sticky, very itchy, white layer covers area.
3. Senior Vaginitis - old people, burning in area, yellow, small amount, mixed w/ pink-red, ulcers, tender skin area.
4. Cervical Erosion - pus, yellow or white, erosion around cervical area, may have low back ache.
5. Pelvic Inflammation - pus, pink/white, low abdominal pulling pain, exam gives pain, inflamed Uterus, Ovaries.
6. Cancer - cervical, bloody watery discharge w/ odor, easy to bleed, irregular bleeding. cyst - round moveable / cancer - fixed cauliflower
7. Gonorrhea Vaginitis - STD bacteria (gonococcus neiseria), pus, UTI (Lin Syndrome)
8. Submuscularis Uterine Fibroids - watery discharge, longer heavy period, blood symptoms.
9. Non-specific vaginitis - local area injury, yellow w/ odor.
Alternative Treatment Methods
Auricular Acupuncture- internal reproductive organs, adrenal, SJ, SP, LR, KI, Shenmen
