What causes watery discharge? Related conditions and treatments

Watery discharge is often a normal part of the menstrual cycle, occurring after a menstrual period and before ovulation. Each person’s amount and quality of discharge varies. Usually, watery discharge is not a cause for concern. However, if the pattern of discharge is different than normal or is accompanied by an odor, it is important to get evaluated by a healthcare professional, as it could be a sign of infection or other issues requiring medical treatment. 

Key takeaways:

• Watery discharge is a common symptom that may be caused by normal hormone fluctuations.
• Typically, watery discharge does not require immediate medical attention.
• Watery discharge typically resolves without treatment within a week.

What causes watery discharge?

“Watery discharge is caused by hormonal fluctuations during ovulation, pregnancy, arousal, or menopause,” says Monte Swarup, MD, board-certified OB-GYN in Chandler, Arizona, and founder of HPV HUB. Dr. Swarup says when ovulation is nearing, discharge is wet. But after ovulation, the “cervical mucus becomes thicker and dry,” with some people referring to it as tacky or paste-like. Some symptoms hint that there may be another health condition going on. 

Symptoms to look for include:

• Change in discharge color
• Itching, redness, and swelling
• Sores or blisters
• Discharge odor
• Pain with urination
• Pain with vaginal intercourse
• Change to the consistency of the discharge

There are a variety of conditions that cause watery discharge outside the norm, including bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and genital herpes. 

Bacterial vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis occurs most often in sexually active people and is a bacterial infection that occurs due to the imbalance of good and harmful bacteria and normal vaginal yeast. Symptoms include:

• White or gray vaginal discharge
• Pain, itching, or burning in and around the vagina
• Fish-like odor, especially after sex
• Burning during urination

Bacterial vaginosis is treatable with antibiotics. 

Yeast infection

A yeast infection, also known as vaginal candidiasis, is a common condition when yeast, a type of fungus, overgrows. Symptoms include:

• Thick, chunky white vaginal discharge
• Sour smelling odor
• Vaginal itching or soreness
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Pain or burning when urinating

Yeast infections are treated with antifungal medication applied topically or taken orally.

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by infection with a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. Many people do not have symptoms, but when they do, symptoms include:

• Fishy odor
• Clear, white, yellowish, or greenish vaginal discharge
• Itching, burning, redness, or soreness of the genitals
• Discomfort during urination or sexual intercourse
• Bleeding during or after vaginal intercourse or in between periods
• Increased urge to urinate

Medications such as Flagyl (metronidazole) and Tindamax (tinidazole) are used to treat trichomoniasis. 

Chlamydia 

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause an infection. Symptoms include any combination of:

• Abnormal vaginal discharge
• Burning during urination
• Pain, swelling, or itching around the vagina 
• Bleeding during or after vaginal intercourse or in between periods

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. If left untreated, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and related complications such as infertility. 

Gonorrhea 

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacterial infection. Many people are asymptomatic, but symptoms may include:

• Increased vaginal discharge
• Discomfort when urinating
• Bleeding during or after vaginal intercourse or in between periods
• Sore throat (less common)

Gonorrhea can have several complications if left untreated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a single 500-milligram intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone as treatment. 

Genital herpes

Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease caused by two types of viruses – herpes simplex virus type 1 and herpes simplex virus type 2. The most common symptom of genital herpes is painful sores on the genitals. Other symptoms include:

• Bleeding between periods
• Discharge that has an odor
• Burning while peeing

There is no cure for genital herpes, but it can be treated with antiviral medication that can prevent outbreaks or shorten their duration and reduce the likelihood of passing the infection on to sexual partners. 

Should I be worried about watery discharge?

Knowing your cycle patterns will help you discern whether your symptoms are affiliated with ovulation and menstruation. When aroused, starting or going through menopause, or pregnant, you may see changes or increases in discharge, which is usually normal if it is odorless and mostly clear.

“Many women confuse physiological or normal discharge with inflammation,” says Gloria A. Bachmann, MD, a clinician in obstetrics and gynecology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. But there’s usually no cause for concern.

Look out for symptoms outside of your norm. While pregnancy often causes an increase in discharge, a big uptick in watery discharge—especially as you end the term of your pregnancy—is something worth checking out. “If pregnant, it can be a sign of a broken bag of water around the fetus,” Dr. Swarup says. It can also be a sign of infection, something pregnant people can be more susceptible to. Often, excess discharge is normal and can be a possible sign of oncoming labor or leakage from the bladder. 

In people who aren’t pregnant, discharge typically isn’t a sign of something wrong. “When you may need to be concerned is if you have symptoms of an infection or STI,” Dr. Bachmann says. If someone tells you they have an STI, regardless of discharge, you should also be checked out, according to Dr. Bachmann.” In this scenario, you can see your regular primary care provider or a gynecologist.

Dr. Swarup advises to see a healthcare provider as soon as possible if your watery discharge lasts longer than a week and if you have pain in your pelvis or abdomen, fever, bleeding, or other symptoms of an infection. 

How is the cause of watery discharge diagnosed?

A healthcare provider will likely examine you to see if the increase in watery discharge has a medical reason outside of the norm. To discern the cause, they may do a pelvic exam or test for yeast, bacterial, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Sometimes they may make slides and look under a microscope for white blood cells, yeast, bacteria, or trichomonas.

Your doctor will likely ask you if you are sexually active, what kind of protection you use to prevent STIs, if you use any vaginal cleaning products, and if you are pregnant or might be pregnant. It’s important to always give your healthcare provider your complete health history and disclose any information that may pertain to your health.

How long does watery discharge last?

For most people whose watery discharge is affiliated with menstruation, watery discharge lasts for only that phase of the cycle. “It will resolve on its own within a few days,” Dr. Swarup says. People experiencing menopause or pregnancy may have different variations of watery discharge and should ask a healthcare provider if it isn’t like their normal discharge or if they are concerned. For people with conditions requiring treatment, the duration of discharge will vary but should also resolve within a couple of days of treatment. 

How to stop watery discharge

For normal watery discharge, there is no recommended treatment. Douches and other cleaners are not recommended as they can cause infections. “There’s no need to manage your watery discharge as it is your body working to clean and keep your vagina healthy. You can use a liner if you have a concern about too much fluid,” Dr. Swarup says. It is important to avoid scented liners as they can also cause vaginal irritation.

Bachmann emphasizes that each individual has a different amount of discharge within their range of normal. There’s “no such thing as too much or little. Some women have a lot of secretion when they’re getting ready to ovulate, and some women hardly notice any discharge. In order to stop or change the amount of watery discharge, Dr. Bachmann says, “You’d have to change what your body is normally exposed to with the hormonal changes in ovulation.” 

Most importantly, watery discharge is usually normal

Most importantly, watery discharge is normal and not a cause for concern. However, see a healthcare provider if the watery discharge doesn’t stop within a week and is accompanied by pain, odor, or fever. It could be a sign of infection and require treatment. Only your healthcare provider can rule out infection or other serious health conditions. Visit your provider to determine the best treatment for watery discharge.