Sexual health and vaginal symptoms
Understand changes in discharge or odour, vulval irritation and where to seek help. Find focused guides for thrush, dryness, painful sex and urinary symptoms.
Can I discuss sexual health or vaginal symptoms online?
Yes. A HerDoc GP can assess vaginal symptoms, provide treatment advice and request tests or referrals. The next step depends on your symptoms and history; an examination or sample collected locally may be needed to establish the cause.
Last updated 8 September 2026
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Find the guide that fits your concern
For more detail on thrush, ongoing dryness, painful sex or urinary symptoms, choose a guide below. You do not need to know the cause before seeking help.
Vaginal discharge or odour: what can change?
Discharge helps keep the vagina moist and healthy. It is often clear, white or creamy, and the amount and texture can change during your menstrual cycle. You may notice more during pregnancy and less after menopause. A mild natural smell can vary too; normal discharge does not need treatment.
Arrange a GP review if discharge changes from what is usual for you, develops a strong or unpleasant smell, or comes with itching or discomfort. Mention changes in amount, texture or colour, rather than trying to match them to a condition.
Possible causes include thrush, bacterial vaginosis (a change in the balance of vaginal bacteria), sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and irritation. Colour, smell or discharge alone cannot confirm a cause or tell you whether you have an STI. Pain, fever, sores or bleeding need the more prompt care described below.
A forgotten tampon or another object left in the vagina can also cause odour or discharge. If you think one may still be there or cannot easily remove it, seek local medical help as soon as possible. See the care advice below for symptoms that need emergency help.
Vulval irritation: itching, burning or soreness
The vulva is the external genital area around the vaginal opening. Irritation can feel itchy, burning or sore, with redness, swelling or small cracks in the skin. It may happen with or without a change in discharge.
Thrush is one possible cause, but products such as scented washes, pads or lubricants can also irritate the skin. Friction, eczema, dryness and infections can contribute. Hormonal changes around menopause or after having a baby may be part of the picture; they do not explain every new symptom.
Simple care while you arrange advice
Wash the outside gently and avoid perfumed products, deodorants and washing inside the vagina (douching). Change out of damp clothing and choose loose, comfortable underwear. Stop using a new product if it seems to worsen irritation.
If this is your first episode, symptoms keep returning or treatment has not helped, have the cause reviewed rather than repeatedly assuming it is thrush. A doctor or pharmacist can advise before you try further creams, which can sometimes add to irritation.
How can an online GP help?
A HerDoc GP can assess your symptoms, explain likely possibilities and provide treatment advice. This might involve reducing irritation, addressing dryness or treating an identified infection. The aim is a useful care plan, including what to do if symptoms persist or change.
A phone conversation cannot examine the skin or cervix, assess pelvic tenderness or rule out serious causes remotely. New, persistent or recurrent symptoms may need a local GP or sexual health clinic for examination and testing.
Which tests or examinations might help?
Tests answer different questions. The GP uses your symptoms, sexual history and previous results to decide what is useful; not everyone needs every test.
Many STIs cause no symptoms. Normal-looking discharge does not rule out an STI; testing can be useful after possible exposure even if you feel well.
- A vaginal swab can help investigate causes of changed discharge, including thrush or bacterial vaginosis.
- STI testing may use a swab, urine or blood, depending on the infection and type and timing of sexual contact. A test for one infection does not check for all STIs.
- Urine testing may help when urgency, frequency or burning suggests a urinary problem. A routine urine test for a UTI is different from an STI test.
- An examination can assess skin changes, sores, bleeding or pelvic pain that cannot be assessed by phone. The clinician should explain what it involves and ask for your consent. You can ask for a support person.
Agree on the next step
If tests or local care are recommended, ask where to go, how to get your results and who will follow them up. The collection arrangements depend on the test and local service. If symptoms continue despite treatment, return for review; a different cause or specialist assessment may need consideration.
What is useful to have handy?
A few notes can help. You do not need medical words or a perfectly recorded history.
- When symptoms began, whether they come and go, and how they affect sleep, daily life or sex.
- Where you feel discomfort, changes in discharge or smell, skin changes, bleeding and urinary symptoms.
- Your last period, contraception, whether pregnancy is possible and any menopause or breastfeeding context.
- Recent sexual contact, protection used, possible STI exposure and previous test results, if relevant.
- New washes, pads or lubricants, medicines including recent antibiotics, existing conditions and treatments already tried.
You can use your own words
You can use the words that feel comfortable to you. If you are worried about an intimate examination or a past experience of care, you can raise that before deciding on the next step.
Choose a private place for your appointment if you can. If a question feels difficult, you can ask why it matters or ask the GP to slow down. Read our privacy policy for information about how HerDoc handles personal and health information.
Other sexual health questions are welcome
You can also discuss changes in desire, contraception or concerns about sexual contact. If dryness or discomfort occurs alongside period changes or other menopause symptoms, the following guides may help you prepare.
When to seek urgent or local care
Use the care level below rather than waiting for an online appointment when symptoms need hands-on assessment.
Emergency care now
Go to an emergency department for any of the following. Call 000 if you collapse, are in immediate danger or need an ambulance.
- Severe pelvic or lower abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, fainting or rapidly worsening symptoms that make you very unwell.
- Possible pregnancy with severe pain, shoulder-tip pain or faintness.
- A retained tampon or other object with fever, a rash, dizziness, confusion, difficulty breathing, muscle aches or diarrhoea.
Contact a local service today
Seek same-day care from a local GP, sexual health clinic or urgent care service for:
- New or worsening pelvic or lower abdominal pain.
- Fever with vaginal or urinary symptoms, or feeling unwell with these symptoms.
- A tampon or other object you cannot easily remove, or think may still be in the vagina. Seek help as soon as possible.
Pregnancy or possible pregnancy
For vaginal bleeding or pelvic pain, contact a doctor, midwife or hospital immediately. Do not wait for a routine appointment. Use the emergency advice above for severe pain, shoulder-tip pain, faintness or heavy bleeding.
Discuss new irritation or unusual discharge with your doctor or midwife.
After sexual assault
Seek prompt specialist sexual assault or emergency care. Call 000 if you are in immediate danger.
Arrange prompt local review
Contact a local GP or sexual health clinic promptly for:
- New sores or blisters. Do not wait for them to heal before seeking advice; a sample may be needed.
- Unexplained bleeding, bleeding after sex or any bleeding after menopause, even if it is light.
- Persistent changes in vulval skin, such as patches, thickening or a sore that does not heal. An examination can help identify the cause.
Routine GP review
For discharge or irritation without these warning signs, a routine GP appointment is a useful starting point. Arrange review if symptoms persist, recur or change, or you are unsure of the cause.
If you cannot get timely care for urgent symptoms or become very unwell, go to an emergency department. If you are unsure how urgently to seek help, call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
FAQs
Can I seek help if I am not sexually active?
Yes. Vaginal and vulval symptoms can have causes unrelated to sexual contact, including irritation, dryness and skin conditions. You can seek care regardless of whether you are sexually active. The GP will ask about sexual contact only where it helps assess your concern.
Can I discuss more than one concern in an appointment?
Yes. Symptoms can overlap, so mention the concerns you would like help with and which matters most to you. The GP can help prioritise them. Some concerns may need another appointment or an examination to assess fully.
Sources and further reading
These Australian resources support the information in this guide and offer more detail. They have not reviewed or endorsed HerDoc.
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