If something funky is going on down stairs – it’s probably a sign that things aren’t quite right! We look at five key vaginal health problems that could go wrong - what you should look out for and what you can do…

Remember, if you have any health issues or concerns, always consult your doctor or health professional!

1: Thrush
Vaginal thrush is a yeast infection which most women will have at least once during their lives, and many will have it more than once. Recurrent thrush can affect a woman’s sex life and self-image, and may be a sign of a more serious health problem. The most common symptoms of thrush include itching and burning, as well as soreness, swelling and pain, and a white vaginal discharge.

There are several reasons why thrush develops, these include starting a new course of antibiotics, taking the pill, a change in diet, diabetes, a vaginal secretion change in the menstrual cycle, sex, tight clothing, a weak immune system, pregnancy and washing powder. Luckily, thrush is easily treatable with antifungal drugs and creams from the pharmacy.

2: Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacteria chlamydia trachomatis. When transmitted through sexual contact, the bacteria can infect the urinary and reproductive organs. Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics. But in many cases, there are no symptoms, so people can be infected without even knowing it. If chlamydia infections go untreated, they can lead to more serious health problems, such as infertility.

In females, chlamydia symptoms can include vaginal irritation, vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain and a burning feeling with urination. Untreated chlamydia can also can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

3: Genital warts
Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and generally two-thirds of people who have sexual contact with someone who has genital warts, develop them within three months. Most vaginal warts occur without symptoms except from the wart itself. The warts can appear as soft, raised masses with a surface that can be smooth or rough with many fingerlike projections. Others may appear pearly, cauliflower-like, or rough with a slightly dark surface. Some may be flat with only slight elevation above the skin surface. Infection with HPV may be dormant or undetectable.

Treatment can include cryotherapy, a technique which freezes the wart using liquid nitrogen or a laser treatment or by using a technique called electrodesiccation, which uses an electric current to destroy the warts

4: Irregular periods
Irregular menstrual periods are usually the result of hormonal signals that have been thrown out of sync. Signals can be thrown out of sync by pregnancy, stress, diet, exercise, menopause or hormonal birth control. Irregular periods aren't unusual and can affect about 30% of women in their reproductive years. An irregular period is any type of bleeding that is abnormal when compared to your usual menstrual cycle. This can include a late period, an early period or bleeding between periods. It can also appear as particularly heavy bleeding or scanty bleeding.

Many women also experience irregular periods in the form of a missed period, continuous periods, or periods that occur twice in one cycle. For most women, an irregular period is nothing to be worried about and most women will eventually develop a regular cycle with regular periods. Sometimes though, underlying complications can be the cause of these period problems, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, where a cyst grows on the ovary or inflammatory bowel disease with inflammation of the lower intestine occurs.

5: Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is one of the oldest sexually transmitted diseases around. Around 25% to 40% of the women who are infected with gonorrhea also have chlamydia. Despite popular belief, gonorrhea cannot be transmitted from toilet seats as it cannot live outside the body for more than a few seconds. It can on survive on surfaces within the body and is found most commonly in the vagina, and, more commonly, the cervix. It can also live in the urethra and can even exist in the back of the throat (from oral-genital contact).

Over 50% of infected women have no symptoms, especially in the early stages of the infection. However, symptoms that can occur, include burning or frequent urination, a yellowish vaginal discharge, redness and swelling of the genitals, and itching of the vaginal area. If not taken care of, gonorreha can lead to inflammation of the Fallopian tubes and ovaries, which can then lead onto a pelvic inflammatory disease or PID.