What sort of symptoms do you have?

Vaginal Discharge (liquid coming out of your vagina)

Vaginal discharge is normal – most women and girls get it.  It's a fluid or mucus that keeps the vagina clean and moist, and protects it from infection.
Check if your vaginal discharge is normal. Vaginal discharge usually isn't anything to worry about if it:

  • doesn't have a strong or unpleasant smell
  • is clear or white
  • is thick and sticky
  • is slippery and wet

You can get vaginal discharge at any age. The amount of discharge varies. You usually get heavier discharge during pregnancy, if you're sexually active or if you're using birth control.


When can discharge be a sign of infection?

If your discharge changes, for example in texture, smell, amount, or if you have some other symptoms with it – this may be a sign of infection.  Click on the causes in the table to find out more:

 
Symptoms Possible Causes

 Fishy smell

   Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)

 Thick or lumpy like cottage cheese, may be itchy and sore

  Thrush (candida)

 Frothy, itchy, can have a strong smell

  Trichomonas Vaginalis (TV)

 With pelvic pain and bleeding after sex

 Chlamydia

 Gonorrhoea

 With blisters, cuts or sores on the outside skin

  Herpes

 

Pain when peeing

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Pain when peeing, often with urgency to pee and frequent peeing is commonly due to a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

UTIs are not sexually transmitted but the act of sex can trigger them off.

If you think you may have a UTI please go to your GP or local pharmacy in the first instance and order a self test kit. 

Click here to learn more about UTIs

 

 

You can also get pain on peeing, if there is broken skin close to where your pee comes out. If there are blisters, cuts or sores in this area you might have genital herpes or a skin condition and ought to get it checked at a Sexual Health Clinic. Please click here to book an appointment online. 

Learn more about genital herpes

Pelvic Pain (Pain below your belly button)

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Fir st things first...
If your pain is sudden and very intense, you should go to the Emergency Department


There are many medical causes of pelvic pain, but if you have had unprotected sex then there are two important causes you need to check for:

 

Ectopic Pregnancy

This is when a fertilised egg implants ouside the womb in the fallopian tubes. Learn more 

Please attend the Emergency Department. 

 

Pelvic Inflammatory disease (PID)

This is an infection in your womb and surrounding tissues commonly caused by a Sexual Transmitted Infection (STI). Learn more
 
If you think you may have PID please book an appointment online and ensure you write "PID" in the comments.  
 

Rash or skin changes (includes change in colour or texture of your genital skin)

strawberry There are many reasons why the skin on and around your genitals may change:

  • Sometimes it is simply due to dry skin, friction or a contact reaction with a new soap or washing detergent
  • Sometimes it is a sign of a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
  • Sometimes it is due to general medical or general skin condition (dermatological)

 

Ra sh or Skin changes: What to look for…

Checking for certain symptoms can help you decide what to do and where to go. Click on the causes below to find out more:

 
Symptoms Possible Cause
 Painless lumps that are growing on the skin  Genital Warts
 Painful blisters, cuts or breaks in the skin  Genital Herpes
 Painless bump (or bumps) that hasn’t changed for many years  Simple skin condition
 Areas of skin change with or without pain or itch or, anything else  Medical skin condition (dermatological)

 

Syphilis is an STI that often has no symptoms, but it can mimic almost any skin condition. The best test for syphilis is a blood test that you can get at your GP or by ordering a self-test kit here.