BROWN ITCHY DISCHARGE

Brown itchy discharge is not very common condition but many women suffer from it and cannot find the real cause of brown itchy vaginal discharge.

It should be mentioned that in most cases the brown itchy discharge has few causes and/or combination of different factors. And it is very important to know causes of both itchy discharge and brown discharge as causes could be very different or same.

ITCHY DISCHARGE

Itchy vaginal discharge can be pretty distressing and embarrassing.

Different types of bacterial infections are the most common cause of itchy vaginal discharge although other allergic and inflammatory factors could be responsible for vaginal itching. The close proximity of the vulva to the anus and the warm, moist environment within the vagina makes it prone to infections from bacteria around the anus.

During whole reproductive period of life the vaginal sensitivity can be changed depending on age and health status. It is well known that in girls before puberty there is a lack of endogenous estrogens – the lack of estrogens causes the vaginal lining to be extremely thin and deficient in glycogen, which makes the vagina highly susceptible to bacterial infections.

In women of reproductive age the vaginal epithelium matures under the influence of high levels of estrogens and there is a large amount of glycogen present in these cells. This produces lactic acid, resulting in an acidic environment which favors the growth of lactobacillus. From the time of puberty till menopause, the lactobacilli present in the vagina keep the vaginal environment acidic and thus discourage bacterial infection. But some other factors could dramatically increase the sensitivity of the vagina during this period of women life – regular sexual activities, contraceptives, vaginal douching, regular menstruations, vaginal tampons and tight, nonabsorbent, heat-retaining, synthetic clothing/panties.

In menopausal period the level of estrogens fall which make the vaginal epithelium and the vulvar skin thin and atrophic. At the same time menopausal women have have decreased vaginal acidity. All mentioned factors acting together and predisposing the delicate vaginal tissues to become prone to injury and infection. Postmenopausal atrophy can thus cause vaginal itching and dryness.

BROWN DISCHARGE

By the end of your menstrual cycle usually the thickened uterine lining and extra blood are shed through the vaginal canal. Menstruation is the shedding of the lining of the uterus (endometrium) accompanied by bleeding - menstruation represents the uterine wall being discharged from the body when the woman does not become pregnant. It is well known that normal color of menstrual flow is red and any discoloration commonly causes alarm.

Brown colored discharge during menstrual flow is fairly common among women.
In general, discoloration is commonly a result of the long menstrual period - the long period means that the blood has become oxidized thereby causing the change in color. When this is the reason for the discoloration of menstrual flow, there is no cause for alarm.

But in several cases brown discharge could be a signal for vaginal infections, hormonal dysfunctions, stress, polyps, fibroids, cancer, etc.