Symptoms of Discharge: Discharge is a fluid that comes out of the body. It leaves your body through your vagina, anus, or urethra. Most discharge is normal and doesn’t cause any problems. However, when it changes color or becomes stringy or has an odor, you may need to see a healthcare provider to make sure there isn’t something wrong with your body.
Instructions for taking a sample
There are a few ways to take a sample of discharge. The most common method is to use clean hands or a sterile swab, which can be obtained from a health care provider. When taking the sample, you will need to apply it directly in the vagina and around the external opening of the cervix so that you can collect any discharge. Once the sample has been collected, you should freeze it for later analysis if it is not time-sensitive.
Testing the white blood cell count
White blood cells are small white blood cells that fight infection and kill other cells. These white blood cells also help to destroy cancerous cells, remove debris from the lungs, and migrate to the sites of inflammation or injury. This is often tested as a way of knowing how well the body’s immune system is doing. When there are too few white blood cells, it means that the body doesn’t have enough to fight infections effectively.
Bacterial culture
Discharge is a common symptom of a bacterial infection. It can be a clear, yellow, green or white liquid and it could come out at an unexpected time. Discharge typically occurs when the body is fighting off an infection. Symptoms may include increased pain, fever, redness around the site of discharge, chills or sweating.
Yeast culture
Symptoms of discharge may vary depending on the type of yeast. Common symptoms include a reddish-colored vaginal discharge, itchiness, mild vaginal odor, and burning when urinating. It can be alarming to experience these symptoms but remember that yeast infections are generally harmless.
Strep culture
Strep throat is the most common symptom of a cold or flu-like illness and can also occur in men who have sex with men (MSM). Other symptoms that might indicate strep include a fever, chills, difficulty breathing, cough, sore throat, muscle aches and pains, headache, fatigue or feeling irritable.
Urinalysis
Lab work is a routine lab test done on urine. The lab technician tests the urine for various substances including protein, glucose, and ketones. Most of the time, the results from this lab test are sent to a doctor. If you have symptoms that your doctor thinks might be caused by an excess of uric acid in your body, they may order a urinalysis to check the levels of chemicals like albumin and glucose in your urine.
Urine test strips
If you’re experiencing a discharge, you may be able to test your urine. There are urine strips that will help you determine whether the fluid is urine or other types of fluids such as blood, tears, sweat, and semen.
What does discharge look like?
The discharge of the eye is generally a normal process that occurs as the eyelids protect the eye from foreign objects and protect the eye from irritation caused by things such as tears, mucus produced in the airways, and oil secretions. Discharge is usually a symptom of an infection – some infections can cause more than one discharge. The most common type of discharge is a watery discharge that has formed in one or both eyes.
Conclusion
If you notice any of the below symptoms, it can be an indicator of a possible discharge.
-A discharge that is usually pink or yellow in colour
-An increased discharge after sex, just after a period
-A burning feeling when urinating
Durga Awasthi 
Sonal Mitra 
Health News