Brown leucorrhoea before menstruation: normal or pathological
The appearance of brown discharge a few days before menstruation is observed in many women. Gradually the leucorrhoea intensifies and turns into menstruation. This is a normal condition that does not require special treatment.
A doctor can determine the nature and exact cause of brown vaginal discharge before menstruation after a gynecological examination and a series of laboratory and instrumental studies.
If brown vaginal discharge occurs a week before menstruation, this may be a manifestation of inflammation of the genitourinary organs. Also, pathological discharge can be triggered by hormonal disorders, taking oral contraceptives, using an intrauterine device or ring, frequent stress, and sudden changes in weight.
A qualified doctor can determine the cause and nature of vaginal discharge, as well as select an appropriate treatment regimen (if necessary), after a series of clinical studies.
Diagnostics
Symptoms may vary, but an accurate diagnosis can only be made by a specialist after examination and obtaining the results of the necessary laboratory tests. It is better to visit a gynecologist during the period when unusual discharge appears. This will give the doctor the opportunity to take biomaterial for analysis.
In order for the clinical picture to be correctly drawn up, it is necessary to describe in detail all the symptoms that have arisen. The doctor will examine the woman using gynecological speculum and give the necessary directions. Ultrasound, flora and infection tests may be required.
Light brown discharge before menstruation with endometriosis
The appearance of brown leucorrhoea on the eve of menstruation may be a manifestation of uterine endometriosis. In this case, vaginal discharge is accompanied by the following pathological symptoms:
- Aching pain in the lower abdomen. Their intensity and severity depend on the severity of the disease.
- Pain in the pelvic area. Before the onset of menstruation, they intensify, and after completion they weaken. In the interval between menstruation, pain in the pelvis is not pronounced.
- Changing the shade of the discharge. With endometriosis, they can be black, light or brown.
Endometriosis can be triggered by the consequences of abortion, trauma, and surgical interventions on the uterus.
Spotting for threatened miscarriage
With an incomplete miscarriage, brown discharge also occurs, but in this case it becomes bloody and includes clots. You will also feel cramps in the lower abdomen and pain.
In the case of a frozen pregnancy, menstruation is delayed and bleeding occurs, accompanied by abdominal pain. It is enough to donate blood for hCG and do an ultrasound to confirm or refute the death of the fetus in the womb. Here are the reasons why threats of miscarriage may arise:
- there is not enough progesterone in the body;
- there are diseases of the endocrine system;
- there are problems with the pituitary gland;
- the body is exposed to stress;
- excess physical activity;
- bad habits (smoking, alcohol and drugs).
If you do not consult a doctor in time if there is a threat of miscarriage, you will lose your baby and also risk having to have a curettage.
Leucorrhoea brown in infectious pathologies
Infectious inflammation of the uterine cavity (endometritis) can cause the appearance of dark brown premenstrual whiteness. Pathology develops after abortion or complicated labor.
With endometritis, brown leucorrhoea is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Unpleasant odor of menstrual bleeding;
- Constant pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the sacrum or lower back;
- Increased sweating;
- Compaction and enlargement of the uterus, which is determined during a gynecological examination;
- Apathetic mood;
- Loss of strength (especially at the beginning of menstruation).
Another reason for spotting brown discharge is genital infections (gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital warts, etc.) and inflammatory processes of the pelvic organs.
Symptoms of pathology
Brown spotting during women's days is in most cases a sign of internal pathology and requires treatment. When going to the gynecologist, it is important to be able to correctly describe all the phenomena that have arisen, namely the nature of the secretion: scanty or abundant, brownish or black daub. All these detailed characteristics will help the specialist accurately diagnose and provide better care.
The pathological nature of brownish discharge may be indicated by the following accompanying symptoms:
- nagging pain;
- burning when urinating;
- discomfort in the lower back;
- discomfort during sexual intercourse;
- itching in the perineum.
Black vaginal secretions may be associated with recent childbirth. If this was not the case and the woman is not pregnant, the doctor may suspect the development of oncological pathology.
Brown mucus usually warns of the occurrence of an inflammatory or infectious process. Sometimes spotting a week before your period is a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, which requires emergency surgery.
Cervical erosion
If there is spotting a week before your period, the cause may be a developing process of erosion. During this disease, the mucous membrane of the organ becomes covered with ulcers and scars. They may bleed, causing the woman to experience spotting.
Pink spotting before menstruation is also a symptom of bleeding erosion. The color of the mucus depends on how extensive the tissue area is damaged and how long the disease lasts.
The nature of the secretions released from the vagina may change frequently. Since erosion is considered a pathology with a small number of symptoms, in order to detect it in time, it is necessary to periodically visit a gynecologist. This is especially important when unusual mucus appears.
Leucorrhoea itself cannot provoke spotting, since this is a normal physiological phenomenon. However, copious cervical mucus, mixed with blood, looks like a brown spotting secretion.
Sexually transmitted diseases
Brownish vaginal discharge is a consequence of inflammatory processes in the body. They can be provoked by infection.
Spotting 3 days before menstruation or more may indicate the development of sexually transmitted diseases. A woman’s well-being will be accompanied by such phenomena as:
- pain during sexual intercourse;
- unpleasant odor of cervical mucus;
- burning sensation when going to the toilet;
- change in the color and consistency of vaginal secretions.
If you miss the onset of infection, you can cause irreparable harm to your health. The appearance of a brown smear is just one of the first signs of a problem. Advanced infections lead to female infertility and cause a decrease in the overall quality of life and immunity.
Ectopic pregnancy
During pregnancy, spotting is not considered normal. The appearance of any bloody discharge warns the woman of serious problems. Regardless of the abundance and consistency of brownish mucus, urgent consultation with a doctor is necessary.
An ectopic pregnancy is a serious condition in which a fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tubes rather than in the uterus. The growth and development of the fetus is impossible there. The absence of surgical intervention to remove the embryo along with the tube leads to severe internal bleeding and even the death of the woman. Continuing the pregnancy is excluded.
When the embryo attaches in the wrong place, a brownish smear appears on the underwear; it is usually released 10 days before the expected menstruation. This condition is characterized by a constant increase in the volume of mucus, which can lead to bleeding. If you suspect an ectopic pregnancy, you should immediately visit a doctor.
Cyst on the surface of the ovaries
Cystic pathology is a disease that more than half of women have encountered at least once in their lives.
Cysts come in different types, but most of them cause bloody discharge. In addition to unusual mucus, you may experience:
- change in the start date of menstruation;
- pain in the lower abdomen and lower back;
- Regulus duration failures;
- frequent delays.
If the cyst has recently formed and is small in size, spotting may appear and disappear again. Prolonged ignorance of the disease leads to more heavy bleeding that occurs outside of menstruation.
Endometriosis
If your periods are spotty at first and then come heavily, you may suspect the development of endometriosis. This disease is characterized by the sudden growth of the endometrium, a mucous layer that envelops the inner surface of the uterus. Normally, when pregnancy occurs, the embryo should be fixed in this part.
With endometriosis, brownish mucus appears not only before menstruation. This phenomenon can bother a woman after sexual intercourse. Early contact with a specialist allows you to cope with the pathology without consequences.
Hormonal disorders
If spotting appears, most often the cause of this phenomenon is hormonal imbalance. Imbalances lead to intermenstrual bleeding. This is due to a lack of necessary hormones or their excess.
Even a slight imbalance between estrogen and progesterone can provoke a number of pathological changes in a woman’s body. The failure is caused by the following factors:
- violation of the usual diet;
- changing the schedule and pace of life;
- taking oral contraceptives;
- moving to a different climate zone;
- frequent stressful situations.
Due to the use of hormonal contraceptives, spotting occurs most often. It is impossible to predict exactly how synthetic hormones will affect the female body. If brownish mucus appears repeatedly between periods, it is worth visiting the doctor again and, possibly, changing the chosen drug.
Brown leucorrhoea before menstruation due to tumor neoplasms
Premenstrual brown discharge may occur due to endometrial hyperplasia. This pathology develops after a serious psycho-emotional shock, heavy physical exertion and as a result of hormonal disorders.
Brown discharge with hyperplasia is accompanied by irregular menstrual function, the appearance of spotting in the middle of the cycle and cramping pain in the pelvis.
Another tumor pathology that manifests itself as premenstrual brown discharge is uterine fibroids. Malignant neoplasms of the reproductive organs lead to the appearance of black and dark brown vaginal discharge.
Is this normal?
Dark brown discharge is mainly caused by normal processes in the female body and means that the fetal egg has been attached. This phenomenon is called implantation bleeding. But if conception has occurred, then the daub may well indicate that violations have occurred. If you know for sure that you are pregnant and encounter spotting during the period when you usually had your period, this may mean:
- risk of miscarriage;
- ectopic pregnancy;
- fetal freezing;
- hormone failure;
- infections and inflammations;
- diseases of the cervix.
As a conclusion, if you have brown discharge, you need to consult a doctor in a timely manner and, of course, do a test. If the result is positive, you will know that conception has taken place, then you will need to do an ultrasound.
Other factors causing premenstrual brown discharge
The most common cause of brown leucorrhoea is the use of hormonal contraception, which leads to hormonal changes. The appearance of brown discharge is a consequence of the body’s adaptation to new changes. Leucorrhoea caused by hormonal drugs usually goes away after 3 months. In another case, you need to consult a doctor who will select a safer contraceptive drug.
In addition to hormonal contraceptives, the intrauterine device can lead to the appearance of brown leucorrhoea. The hormones in its composition affect the regularity of the cycle and the shade of the discharge. Also, spotting before menstruation can be observed during the initial stages of menopause or perimenopause.
Green vaginal discharge is a bacterial infection
Vaginal discharge with a characteristic greenish color often indicates a bacterial infection (vaginosis), which can be caused, for example, by pathogenic microorganisms of the species Gardnerella vaginalis.
Gardnerellosis is most often accompanied by burning and itching of the perineum, swelling of the labia, pain when urinating, as well as a characteristic fishy odor from the vagina. If these symptoms appear, consult a gynecologist, as ignoring them can lead to serious health problems - bacteria can enter the cervical canal.
Burning and itching of the perineum
Green vaginal discharge may also indicate atrophic vaginosis, which affects women during menopause and when estrogen levels in the blood are low.
Can brown discharge before period be a sign of pregnancy?
Immediately after fertilization, vaginal discharge changes color and consistency. The leucorrhoea begins to take on a brown tint.
Brown discharge is a sign of implantation bleeding, which occurs on the 12th day after conception, when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterus. The activity of the embryo provokes an increase in the volume of mucus; it becomes creamy and may have a yellowish or light brown tint.
Implantation bleeding occurs on the days of expected menstruation, so many women confuse them. However, the difference between them is significant. When the embryo is implanted into the uterus, light-colored discharge is observed if fertilization has occurred. And when vaginal discharge resembles menstrual bleeding, you need to see a doctor. The appearance of such leucorrhoea may be a sign of a threatened miscarriage, improper attachment of the embryo, frozen or ectopic pregnancy, and other pathologies of pregnancy.
Why does the color of menstrual discharge change?
The color changes because the discharge is a combination of menstrual blood, vaginal secretions, and loose uterine lining (these are the same clots you may have noticed when changing hygiene products). On different days of menstruation, their composition and consistency are not the same. As you already know, in the very first and last days the color of normal menstruation is dark, the rest of the time it is red or brownish. The cause of changes in the color of menstrual discharge can be hormonal fluctuations, taking oral contraceptives, stress, hypothermia, pregnancy, and various diseases.
What to do if premenstrual discharge appears
If brown leucorrhoea occurs a few days before menstruation and turns into full-blown bleeding, this phenomenon does not require special treatment. If the discharge has an unpleasant odor or is accompanied by painful sensations, consult a gynecologist.
Before selecting treatment, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive examination, which will determine the cause and nature of vaginal discharge. Having studied the results obtained, the gynecologist will develop therapeutic tactics. For the treatment of infectious pathologies, antimicrobial drugs (douching solutions, vaginal ointments, suppositories) are prescribed. Inflammation of the genitourinary organs is treated with anti-inflammatory tablets and suppositories. To restore reproductive function, hormonal drugs are prescribed.
Inaction in such cases is dangerous for the development of infertility, the formation of tumors and subsequent removal of the affected organs. Early diagnosis will make it possible to detect the disease at preclinical stages and take appropriate measures.
Attention!
This article is posted for informational purposes only and under no circumstances constitutes scientific material or medical advice and should not serve as a substitute for an in-person consultation with a professional physician.
For diagnostics, diagnosis and treatment, contact qualified doctors! Number of reads: 44502 Date of publication: 10/02/2017
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