If you go to your GP with a sore back, knee pain or a headache, you'll probably feel quite comfortable telling them what's going on. But when the body part that's causing you trouble is inside your underwear, it's often a different story. Women will ignore symptoms that involve their vulva or vagina because they feel embarrassed or ashamed.

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Cervical fluid = part of discharge
Clue is on a mission to help you understand your body, periods, ovulation, and so much more. Start tracking today. Vaginal discharge, cervical fluid, and arousal fluid: are they all the same thing? Not quite. Here, we explain how they vary, how to identify each one, and what you should do if your vaginal fluid starts to look, smell, or feel abnormal. Discharge is an umbrella term for fluid that comes out of the vagina. Cervical fluid is an aspect of discharge—it changes throughout the cycle to prevent or facilitate sperm from moving past the cervix. Arousal fluid is created within the vagina as part of the human sexual response cycle.
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A douche is a device used to introduce a stream of water into the body for medical or hygienic reasons, or the stream of water itself. Douche usually refers to vaginal irrigation, the rinsing of the vagina , but it can also refer to the rinsing of any body cavity. A douche bag is a piece of equipment for douching—a bag for holding the fluid used in douching. To avoid transferring intestinal bacteria into the vagina, the same bag must not be used for an enema and a vaginal douche. Douching after sexual intercourse is not an effective form of birth control. Thus, its use is not recommended. The word's first known use is in Douche came into English via French , from Italian : doccia "conduit pipe" and docciare "pour by drops" to douche, from doccia water pipe, probably back-formation from doccione conduit, from Latin : duction- , ductio means of conveying water, from ducere to lead. Vaginal douches may consist of water, water mixed with vinegar , or even antiseptic chemicals. Douching has been touted as having a number of supposed but unproven benefits.
W hich of the following should go nowhere near your vagina: a penis, a finger, a tampon or talcum powder? Talc consists mostly of the mineral silica. However, because silica and asbestos are often mined near each other, talc could be contaminated with asbestos. Deathly baby powder sounds like something Q would make for , but the idea that talc could be linked to cancer has been percolating for decades, although conclusions are still debated vigorously. Some studies have found a slightly increased risk; others have not.