Green Vaginal Discharge: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention

For anyone with a vagina, it can be surprising and even upsetting to experience discharge of an unexpected color.

The good news is, it’s totally normal for vaginal discharge — fluids secreted from your cervical glands — to occasionally change color and even consistency. 

Certain changes, though, may signal a health condition.

Green discharge, for example, could indicate an infection that requires treatment by a medical provider.

Infections that cause green discharge can be uncomfortable, but there are many treatments available, and you can also take steps to prevent abnormal discharge. 

In this article, I’ll explore green vaginal discharge causes, what green discharge means, and possible treatments. I’ll also cover what normal discharge is like and how to prevent abnormal discharge.

Finally, I’ll explain when to see a doctor for abnormal discharge. 

Green Vaginal Discharge Causes

While it’s normal to experience changes in your discharge from time to time, green discharge is usually not normal, and can often indicate an infection.  

One of the most common causes for green vaginal discharge is bacterial vaginosis, an infection thought to be caused by a disruption in people’s vaginal flora.

Along with excessive, fishy-smelling green or yellow discharge, bacterial vaginosis can cause pain and itching in the vagina.

People with bacterial vaginosis may also experience pain during urination.

Sexually Transmitted Infections and Diseases

Some infections that cause green or yellowish green discharge are sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, such as: 

• Trichomoniasis: Also known as “trich,” trichomoniasis is an STI that spreads through unprotected sex with an infected person. Trichomoniasis usually causes greenish-yellow discharge that smells fishy or musty and looks frothy, and it can cause pain, burning, or itching in the vagina accompanied by painful urination. Some cases of trichomoniasis can also be asymptomatic, not causing any symptoms for the infected individual.  

• Gonorrhea: Another STI, gonorrhea, can lead to green or yellow discharge that smells foul. In addition to increased discharge, people with gonorrhea usually have painful urination, vaginal bleeding between periods, and pelvic or abdominal pain.
• Chlamydia: This infection also causes smelly green or yellow discharge that’s accompanied by pain during sex and urination along with vaginal bleeding between periods. 

Yeast Infections vs Bacterial Vaginosis

If you’re experiencing changes in your vaginal discharge, you may be wondering whether your symptoms are due to a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis.

These two infections can both cause discomfort and change your discharge, but they have different causes.

Yeast infections are caused by a fungal infection, and bacterial vaginosis happens from a bacterial infection. 

Yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis usually cause different types of discharge.

While yeast infections often cause thick, white, clumpy discharge, BV can result in thin, milky gray, yellow, or even green vaginal discharge.

It’s possible for a yeast infection to cause an unpleasant smell, but bacterial vaginosis usually has a distinct, fishy smell. 

The treatments for yeast infection and bacterial vaginosis are different, too.

If you’re unsure whether you have a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis, check in with your doctor for an exam and diagnosis. 

What Green Discharge Means

Everybody notices changes in their discharge, and some of those changes can represent perfectly healthy processes in the body, like ovulation or sexual excitement. 

Green discharge, however, is usually cause for concern.

It can occur due to an infection, which can cause uncomfortable symptoms along with changes in discharge.

Left untreated, infections can worsen and spread to the bloodstream, so it’s important to seek medical treatment if you have green discharge.  

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Possible Treatments

Learning an infection is causing your green vaginal discharge can be upsetting.

Fortunately, there are several effective treatments for bacterial infections, including those that affect your discharge. 

Bacterial vaginosis treatments 

If you’re diagnosed with bacterial vaginosis, your healthcare provider may prescribe you an antibiotic, a type of drug that stops bacteria from growing and reduces infection symptoms. 

It’s important to seek treatment if you suspect an infection, both to decrease your symptoms and your risk of complications.

Treatment is especially vital if you’re pregnant, as BV and STIs can both cause adverse pregnancy outcomes. 

The following drugs are often prescribed for bacterial vaginosis: 

• Metronidazole: The generic form of Flagyl and Metrogel-Vaginal, metronidazole is an antibiotic that’s available as an oral tablet or a topical gel you apply to your vagina.  
• Clindamycin: This medicine, the generic version of Cleocin and Clindesse, is a cream you insert into your vagina. 
• Secnidazole: This drug — the generic form of Solosec — is a one-dose antibiotic. It typically comes in a pocket of small granules you add to food and eat.
• Tinidazole: Also sold under the brand name Tindamax, this medication is an oral antibiotic commonly used for vaginal infections. 

Sexually transmitted infection treatments

Sexually transmitted infections caused by bacteria are best treated with oral antibiotics, because the infection isn’t only in your vagina.

Depending on the type of infection you have and how severe it is, your medical provider may prescribe one of a few types of antibiotics.

You may be prescribed a one-time dose or antibiotic medication you take daily or several times a day for several days.

No matter what type of drug you’re prescribed, always follow your doctor’s instructions and finish the dose.

Stopping antibiotics prematurely can result in antibiotic resistance, which means future infections could be more difficult to treat. 

What is Normal Discharge Like?

There’s no one “normal” color or consistency of discharge.

Your vagina can secrete different forms of discharge at different times.

For example, your discharge may change at different points in your menstrual cycle, if you take birth control, or during pregnancy. 

It’s typical for vaginal discharge to be either clear or white.

If your vaginal discharge becomes yellow, green, or gray, it’s important to get checked out by a medical provider.

These colors can indicate a potential infection or another medical condition. 

Prevention of Abnormal Discharge

Many infections that cause green discharge are treatable, but it’s important to do what you can to prevent conditions like sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis. 

To prevent a sexually transmitted infection, always use condoms when you have sex of any kind, especially with a new partner.

If possible, ensure your partner doesn’t have an STI before engaging in sexual activity. 

Bacterial vaginosis isn’t always preventable.

Some people get BV due to a natural lack of “good bacteria” in their vaginas.

Douching can also heighten your risk of bacterial vaginosis, so avoid washing inside your vagina with soap and water. 

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When to See a Medical Provider

Noticing changes in your vaginal discharge can be disconcerting.

Your healthcare provider is the best resource for finding out whether these changes could be due to an infection or another health condition.

A doctor can also recommend the best course of treatment if you do have an infection. 

If you’ve already been diagnosed with an infection, call your doctor right away if it’s not responding to treatment or getting worse.

Certain red flags may also indicate an infection is spreading, which requires prompt medical care.  

Seek emergency medical treatment if you experience any of the below symptoms during an infection: 

• Fever
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Feeling weak or faint
• Nausea and vomiting

How K Health Can Help

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Check your symptoms, explore conditions and treatments, and if needed, text with a healthcare provider in minutes. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean when you have a green discharge?

Green discharge most often indicates an infection. Bacterial vaginosis, an infection caused by a disruption in your vaginal bacteria, can cause yellow or green discharge along with itching and pain during urination. Sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can also cause green or yellow-green discharge. If you have green discharge, talk to your doctor.

Is it normal to have light green discharge?

It’s not normal to have green discharge. Typically, green or yellow discharge happens if you have an infection. It’s important to speak to a healthcare provider if you think you may have an infection, as untreated infections can result in potentially serious medical complications.

K Health articles are all written and reviewed by MDs, PhDs, NPs, or PharmDs and are for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.

K Health has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions,
and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references.

• Abnormal Vaginal Discharge. (n.d.).
  https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/vaginitis

• Vaginal discharge. (1990).
  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK281/

• Vaginal discharge. (2007).
  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2099568/

• Vaginal itching and discharge: adult and adolescent. (n.d.).
  https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003158.htm

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Yellow or green vaginal discharge in women

Yellow or green vaginal discharge, especially if they are abundant and accompanied by an unpleasant odor, is a sign of the development of a pathological process and a serious reason to consult a gynecologist.

Any change in the discharge, which is normally clear to milky white in color and practically odorless, should alert the woman. A change in the color of normal discharge to yellow, yellow-green or green, sometimes frothy, accompanied by an unpleasant (for example, fishy) odor, itching and burning in the vagina and vulva, pain in the pelvic area, dysuria, pain during intercourse – signs of infection or inflammation that require treatment.

Discoloration, consistency or smell of discharge may be caused by infections, many of which are sexually transmitted (chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis). In some cases, a woman may have several types of such infections.

Bacterial vaginosis

This disease is characterized by signs such as a change in the smell of discharge to fish (especially after intercourse or during menstruation), a change in the color of the discharge to gray, yellow or greenish, itching and burning in the vagina and vulva (rare). Often, bacterial vaginosis is asymptomatic, so it is very important to undergo regular preventive examinations by a gynecologist. The disease occurs due to a violation of the natural balance of lactobacilli in the vagina, this is the most common cause of pathological discharge in women of reproductive age (before menopause). The risk is higher in women who are sexually active, who have multiple sexual partners (the disease is not sexually transmitted, the risk increases due to a violation of the vaginal microflora and an increased likelihood of bacterial reproduction), who do not use contraceptives such as condoms, who use douching, as well as in pregnant women against the background of changes in hormonal levels. In some cases, bacterial vaginosis resolves without treatment, but more often requires the use of antibiotic therapy. In most cases, a course of antibiotics is sufficient to achieve treatment success, but sometimes a second course of drugs is required. Treatment does not guarantee the absence of the disease in the future, according to statistics, more than 70% of women experience bacterial vaginosis again.

Pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis (whether symptomatic or not) are given drugs that are safe to use during pregnancy. Refusal of treatment can cause complications of pregnancy: premature birth or the birth of a child with a weight below the average.

Timely referral to a gynecologist for diagnosis and treatment of this condition is very important, as BV is associated with negative obstetric and gynecological outcomes, including increased susceptibility to STIs (especially HIV), complications after operations such as hysterectomy. In addition, the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis are similar to those of other vaginal infections, so you need to see a doctor for differential diagnosis and treatment.

The disease is not fully understood, so there is no reliable way to avoid BV. Risk reduction is facilitated by: avoiding douching, limiting the number of sexual partners, using condoms, good personal hygiene, wearing cotton underwear.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. You can become infected with it, including during anal or oral sex, the use of common devices to satisfy sexual needs. The risk group includes people under 25 years of age, women with multiple sexual partners, women who previously had chlamydia, pregnant women. Often the infection does not show any symptoms, so people with chlamydia, not knowing that they are infected, do not take action and pass the infection on. The spread of the disease can only be reduced by regular examinations by a gynecologist, which, unfortunately, many women neglect. Meanwhile, in women, the complications of chlamydia are much more severe than in men – inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs, pregnancy complications (premature birth, transmission of infection to the newborn), reactive arthritis, increased risk of HIV infection.

Symptoms of chlamydia (if present) are similar to those of cervicitis (inflammation of the cervix) and urinary tract infections: white, yellow or gray discharge from the vagina, sometimes with an unpleasant odor, frequent urination, dysuria, pus in the urine, itching and burning in the vagina and vulva, intermenstrual bleeding, painful menstruation, discomfort and pain during sexual intercourse, pain in the lower abdomen. Chlamydia can affect not only the reproductive organs, so along with the above symptoms, you need to pay attention to pain in the anus, mucus, bleeding from the anus, sore throat, conjunctivitis.

Chlamydia is diagnosed using the Nucleic Acid Amplification Technique (NAAT), and a gynecologist may take a vaginal swab, cervical swab, or urine sample to test for Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria in the laboratory. Treatment of chlamydia is carried out with antibiotics (the duration of the course is determined by the doctor), which should never be stopped. During this time, you should abstain from sexual activity, try to tell all sexual partners that you have the infection, and get tested for other STIs, including HIV/AIDS, syphilis, herpes, and gonorrhea.

To reduce your risk of chlamydia, use condoms, have sex with a partner you know you have, and generally practice safer sex.

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a parasitic disease caused by the vaginal Trichomonas Trichomonas vaginalis, also belongs to STIs, is highly contagious. Like chlamydia, trichomoniasis is often asymptomatic and therefore difficult to detect and treat (unless a woman has regular pelvic exams). Women are more prone to trichomoniasis than men, the risk increases if the rules of safe sex are ignored (refusal to use condoms) and if there are several sexual partners.

Symptoms of trichomoniasis include watery (sometimes frothy), profuse white, yellow or green discharge with an unpleasant odor, irritation and itching of the genitals, pain and burning during urination, pain during intimacy.

Diagnosis of the disease includes an examination by a gynecologist and a laboratory examination of a sample of discharge. Treatment is carried out with drugs with antiprotozoal and antimicrobial action for 5-7 days (infected and his partner / s). At this time, it is necessary to give up alcohol, since the interaction of drugs with it can cause side effects (nausea, vomiting, heart palpitations). After completing the course of treatment, you should refrain from intimacy for a week to avoid re-infection.

In pregnant women, treatment of trichomoniasis is carried out according to the same principle, failure to treat it can lead to complications such as premature birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) and low birth weight of the newborn.

Prevention of trichomoniasis includes the use of condoms, regular check-ups for sexually transmitted diseases, adherence to doctor’s recommendations for treating an identified infection, choosing a relationship with one sexual partner.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by gonococci (Neisseria gonorrhoeae). People who often change sexual partners and ignore the rules of safe sex are at high risk of the disease. The disease can be asymptomatic, so those infected do not immediately seek help and continue to infect their partners, unaware that they are sick.

If symptoms of gonorrhea are present, you may notice white or yellow vaginal discharge, pain in the lower abdomen and pelvis, pain and burning when urinating, intermenstrual bleeding, sore throat (if you practice oral sex).

Diagnosis of gonorrhea includes questioning the patient about symptoms, intimacy and sexual preferences, gynecological examination, urinalysis and a sample of secretions from the cervix, bacteriological culture from the throat or anus. Antibacterial therapy is prescribed for treatment (including the partner). After completing the course of treatment, you should refrain from intimacy for a week, as well as be tested for other sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV / AIDS, syphilis, herpes and chlamydia. Prevention of the disease is similar to the prevention of any STD.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

Occurs when an infection (including STIs) enters the upper reproductive system (uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries) or the small pelvis (pelvioperitonitis). The risk of PID is higher in women with STIs (gonorrhea or chlamydia), who have had PID before, in sexually active women under 25 years of age, with multiple sexual partners, as well as after an abortion, complicated childbirth, insertion of an intrauterine device, gynecological operations. Without treatment, PID can lead to complications such as chronic pelvic pain syndrome, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy.

Symptoms of the disease can be either mild or appear abruptly and suddenly. These include pain in the lower abdomen, yellow or green discharge with an unpleasant odor, nausea or vomiting, fever, pain during intimacy and urination, irregular periods, intermenstrual bleeding.

The diagnosis of PID is established on the basis of anamnesis, gynecological examination, determination of signs of infection and inflammation, and ultrasound results. Antibacterial therapy is prescribed for treatment. The earlier PID is treated, the less likely it is to develop complications.

Prevention of PID: avoid douching to reduce the chance of bacteria from entering the uterus and fallopian tubes from the vagina (the link between douching and PID is not conclusively proven, however, it is definitely worth avoiding this method, as douching can provoke infection or the growth of yeast or bacteria), practice safe sex and use a condom.

Author:

Amelicheva Alena Aleksandrovna
medical editor

Publication date: February 8, 2022

Update date: September 6, 2022

What is a yeast infection?

Most healthy women have yeast in their vagina. But sometimes the yeast grows too strong and leads to infection. Yeast infections can be very annoying and unpleasant.

What causes yeast infections?

Vaginal yeast infection, also sometimes called vulvovaginal candidiasis, occurs when the healthy yeast that normally lives in the vagina gets out of control. This often results in itching and other annoying symptoms. The medical name for a yeast infection is “ candidiasis ” because they are usually caused by a type of yeast called candida.

When the immune system is reduced, the normal yeast that lives in the vagina can grow too large and lead to infection. Causes that may cause changes in your vaginal environment:

• normal changes in hormone levels (as during the menstrual cycle)
• antibiotics, cortisone and other drugs
• pregnancy
• diabetes mellitus
• weak immune system
• natural reaction to another person’s genital chemistry

Yeast infections can also occur on the penises and scrotum, but not as often. They can cause redness and irritation on your penis or scrotum.

Yeast infections are not STDs (these are infections that are passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal and oral sex). They are not contagious and cannot be passed on to another person during sex. But sexual contact sometimes leads to yeast infections—your body chemistry can react to the other person’s natural genital yeast and the bacteria that causes the yeast to grow.

People can also get a yeast infection in their mouth, throat, or tongue—this is called thrush.

What are the symptoms of a yeast infection?

Yeast infections often cause a curdled, white, lumpy vaginal discharge that usually does not smell (or smells only slightly different than usual).

Most yeast infections result in itching, burning and/or redness in or around the vagina. Vaginal itching usually gets worse the longer you have the infection. Sex may be uncomfortable or painful. In extreme cases, you may get cracks or sores on your vagina or vulva. If you have severe irritation, you may experience pain when urinating.

How to treat yeast infections?

Yeast infections can usually be easily treated in a few days with an antifungal medication. You can purchase medicated creams or suppositories for yeast infections.

Be sure to follow instructions and take all medicines, even if your symptoms go away before you are done. You can also treat yeast infections with one tablet (diflucan or fluconazole). Need a prescription from a doctor to get a yeast infection pill.

Do not have vaginal or oral sex until you have completed treatment and the infection has gone. Friction from sex may cause more irritation or make treatment more difficult. Some medications you use inside your vagina contain oil, which can cause condoms to break.

Even though yeast infections can be very itchy, try not to scratch the itch. This can aggravate irritation or scratch the skin, through which germs can spread and lead to more infections. There are over-the-counter creams that can be used on the vulva to soothe irritation. Your doctor can also give you tips to relieve burning and itching.

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