The short answer: The most common vaginal infections are thrush, a yeast infection, and bacterial vaginosis (BV). Sexually transmitted infections such as trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and genital herpes are other causes. The usual signs are a change in your discharge, a new smell, itching, soreness or pain when you pee. Many have no symptoms at all. Most are easy to treat once diagnosed, so get a simple test rather than guessing, and keep intimate care simple: plain water on the outside, no douching.
Healthy discharge and the first signs of infection
Discharge is normal. It is the fluid your vagina makes to keep itself clean, moist and protected from infection. Healthy discharge is clear or white, can be thick and sticky or slippery and wet, and does not have a strong or unpleasant smell. The amount changes through your cycle, and it is often wetter and clearer around ovulation. Our guide to normal vaginal discharge through the month explains each stage.
The NHS suggests getting advice if you notice:
- A change in the colour, smell or texture of your discharge
- More discharge than usual
- Itching or soreness
- Bleeding between periods or after sex
- Pain when you pee
- Pain in your pelvis, the area between your tummy and thighs
The key word is change. You know your own body. If something feels or smells different from your usual pattern, it is worth checking.
Your discharge is your best clue
Different infections tend to cause different kinds of discharge. This table is a guide only. Several infections look alike, you can have more than one at the same time, and some cause no change at all. A swab test is the only way to know for certain.
| What you notice | Possible cause | Sexually transmitted? |
|---|---|---|
| Thick, white, lumpy like cottage cheese, with itching and little smell | Thrush | No |
| Thin, grey-white or watery, with a fishy smell, often stronger after sex or a period | Bacterial vaginosis | No, though sex can trigger it |
| Yellow-green, may be frothy or fishy-smelling, with soreness | Trichomoniasis | Yes |
| Unusual discharge with pelvic pain, burning when you pee, or bleeding between periods or after sex | Chlamydia or gonorrhoea | Yes |
| Blisters or sores, with tingling, burning or itching | Genital herpes | Yes |
| Itching, soreness or dryness with normal-looking discharge | Irritation, hormone changes or a skin condition | No |
If your discharge has turned yellow around your period, see our post on yellow discharge after your period. For brown discharge, read what brown discharge and brown period blood mean.
Thrush (vaginal yeast infection)
Thrush happens when candida, a yeast that usually lives harmlessly in the vagina, grows too much. It causes itching, soreness and a thick white discharge. It is not classed as a sexually transmitted infection.
Triggers include antibiotics, pregnancy, diabetes that is not well controlled, a weakened immune system, and irritated skin from scented products or tight synthetic clothes. Hot, humid weather and long hours in damp clothes make it more likely, which is why many Indian women notice it more in summer and the monsoon.
Thrush is treated with antifungal medicine as a pessary inserted into the vagina, a cream, or a tablet. If you have had it diagnosed before and recognise the symptoms, a pharmacist can help. Our full guide to thrush covers treatment and recurrent thrush.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
BV is a common cause of unusual discharge. It happens when the balance of bacteria in the vagina changes. The main sign is a strong fishy smell, especially after sex, with thin grey-white or watery discharge. Unlike thrush, it does not usually cause itching or soreness.
The NHS says half of women with BV have no symptoms. It is not classed as a sexually transmitted infection, but you are more likely to get it if you are sexually active, have a new partner, have an IUD (the coil), or use perfumed products in or around the vagina. Women who have never had sex can get it too.
BV is treated with antibiotic tablets, gels or creams from a doctor. It often comes back, usually within a few months. If that happens more than four times a year, your doctor may suggest a longer course to prevent it. Treatment matters in pregnancy, as BV carries a small chance of complications such as premature birth, so tell your doctor or midwife if your discharge changes while you are pregnant.
Sexually transmitted infections
Anyone who has ever had sex can get an STI, including people in long-term relationships and marriages. Having one says nothing about your character. Many STIs cause no symptoms, so testing is a normal, sensible part of looking after yourself, like a blood test or an eye check.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is caused by a tiny parasite passed on through sex. It can cause yellow-green, frothy or fishy-smelling discharge, itching or soreness, and pain when peeing or during sex. Many people have no symptoms but can still pass it on. It is treated with antibiotics, and current and recent partners need treatment too. Avoid sex until at least a week after you and your partners finish treatment.
Chlamydia and gonorrhoea
These are bacterial infections passed on through sex. The NHS says most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. When symptoms appear, they can include unusual discharge, bleeding after sex or between periods, burning when you pee, and pain in your lower tummy. Gonorrhoea can cause yellow or green discharge and similar symptoms.
Both are treated with antibiotics. Partners need testing too. Left untreated, both can spread to the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries, causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to long-term pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy or difficulty getting pregnant. Early testing and treatment make this much less likely.
Genital herpes
Herpes is a virus spread by skin-to-skin contact during sex. It causes tingling, burning or itching, then small blisters that burst and leave sore patches. There is no cure, but antiviral medicine helps a first outbreak, and later outbreaks are usually milder and become less frequent. If you are pregnant and think you have herpes, tell your doctor or midwife.
Getting tested without embarrassment
Testing is usually a urine sample or a vaginal swab, which you may be able to take yourself. In India, many government hospitals and medical colleges have an STI or skin and VD clinic where you can be tested and treated. A private gynaecologist can also test you. Your visit is confidential.
Vaginitis: when it is not an infection
Vaginitis simply means soreness and swelling in and around the vagina. Infections are one cause, but not the only one. Others include:
- Irritants, such as scented soaps, shower gels, wipes, sprays and strong detergents
- Something left inside, such as a forgotten tampon, which causes a very smelly brown or dark discharge and needs prompt removal
- Hormone changes after menopause, while breastfeeding, or with some contraception, which can cause dryness, itching and pain during sex
- Skin conditions such as eczema or lichen planus, which cause itchy, sore patches
Treatment depends on the cause: stopping an irritant, a vaginal moisturiser or hormone treatment after menopause, or a steroid cream for a skin condition. If itching is your main symptom around your period, read our guide on vaginal itching before your period.
Vaginal infection or UTI?
A urinary tract infection (UTI) affects the bladder and urinary tract, not the vagina. Both can cause stinging when you pee, which is why they are easy to mix up.
| Feature | Vaginal infection | Urinary tract infection |
|---|---|---|
| Main symptoms | Change in discharge, itching, soreness, smell | Burning when peeing, needing to pee often and urgently, including at night |
| Discharge | Often changed | Usually unchanged |
| Urine | Normal, though peeing may sting on sore skin | May be cloudy, strong-smelling or have blood in it |
| Other signs | Pain during sex, sores, bleeding after sex | Lower tummy pain; back pain under the ribs or fever can mean a kidney infection |
| How it is diagnosed | Swab, sometimes urine test | Urine test |
Both need a doctor's advice. For a UTI, drinking enough water to keep your pee pale, and paracetamol for pain, can help while you wait to be seen; check the packet or ask a pharmacist. Get help quickly if you are pregnant, have diabetes, or have back pain, fever or shivering.
Habits that help prevent vaginal infections
No habit stops every infection, but these lower your chances and keep the vagina's own defences working.
- Wash the outside only. Rinse the vulva with plain water. The vagina cleans itself. Plain water is enough; if you prefer a wash, use a mild, fragrance-free intimate wash on the outside only.
- Never douche. Squirting water, vinegar, antiseptics or any liquid inside upsets the friendly bacteria that protect you, and the NHS advises against it.
- Do not put home remedies inside. Curd, garlic, coconut oil, tea tree oil, neem or alum may be suggested by well-meaning relatives or online videos, but there is no good evidence they help, and they can irritate delicate tissue.
- Skip perfumed products, including scented soaps, bubble bath, vaginal deodorants, sprays, powders and fragranced wipes.
- Wipe front to back after using the toilet.
- Wear breathable cotton underwear, and change out of sweaty or wet clothes quickly. In the monsoon, make sure underwear is fully dry before wearing it.
- Use a gentle detergent for underwear and rinse well.
- Pee soon after sex, which helps reduce UTIs.
- Use condoms with new or multiple partners. They lower the risk of most STIs, though they do not fully protect against herpes.
- Don't smoke, which is linked to BV.
- Keep diabetes well controlled, as high blood sugar makes thrush more likely.
Period care that helps
During your period, change pads every few hours so damp does not sit against your skin, and choose unscented pads and liners. If pads leave you itchy, a cotton-rich period panty with a built-in absorbent core and leak-resistant barrier can be worn for up to 8 hours depending on flow. Wash it in cold water with mild detergent and dry it fully in the sun; our guide on how to wash period panties has the steps.
See a doctor if
- Your discharge changes in colour, smell or texture
- You have itching, burning or soreness that does not settle
- You notice sores, blisters or lumps
- You have pain when you pee or during sex
- You bleed between periods or after sex
- Symptoms started after sex with a new partner, or a partner has an STI
- You are pregnant and your discharge changes
If an STI is possible, avoid sex until you have been checked and treated.
Get urgent help if
- You have a high fever, shivering or severe pain low in your tummy, which can mean an infection has spread
- You have back pain under the ribs with fever, which can mean a kidney infection
- You are pregnant and have bleeding, tummy pain, fever or leaking fluid
- You feel confused, very drowsy or very unwell
In India, call 112 or 108, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a vaginal infection without having sex? Yes. Thrush and BV are not sexually transmitted and can affect people who have never had sex.
Can period products cause infections? Pads or tampons left in too long, unwashed hands, and scented products can all raise the risk of irritation and infection. Change regularly and choose unscented options.
Do I need an intimate wash? No. Plain water is enough for most people. If you like a wash, choose a mild, fragrance-free one and use it on the outside only.
Does my husband or partner need treatment? For trichomoniasis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea, yes, partners must be tested and treated too. For thrush, only if they have symptoms. If your partner is a woman, she may also need treatment for BV.
Can stress cause a vaginal infection? Stress does not cause infections directly, but it can affect sleep and immunity, which may make thrush and herpes flares more likely.
Can I treat a vaginal infection at home? Only thrush, and only if a doctor has diagnosed it before and you recognise the symptoms. BV and STIs need a doctor's prescription.
Are vaginal infections dangerous in pregnancy? Some, such as BV and untreated STIs, can affect pregnancy, so always tell your doctor or midwife about any change in discharge.
Related reading
- Vaginal Yeast Infection (Thrush): Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
- Vaginal Itching Before Your Period: Causes and Relief
- Normal Vaginal Discharge: What to Expect Through the Month
- Yellow Discharge After Your Period: Normal or a Sign of Infection?
This article is for general information and doesn't replace advice from your doctor.
Sources: NHS: Vaginal discharge, NHS: Bacterial vaginosis, NHS: Chlamydia, NHS: Trichomoniasis, NHS: Urinary tract infections (UTIs)