Unusual and Usual Causes of Odor

Successful Ways to Solve Vaginal Odor Issues!

For women with minor vaginal infections there can be a slightly fishy or sour odor to the vaginal discharge. The discharge itself is usually the culprit of the odor, but the physiology of the vaginal is the real cause of the presence of smell. When the odor is particularly strong, or resistant to the normal bathing and health routines, there are a few other conditions some common, some less common to think about. Once diagnosed, cure is around the corner!

The causes include:

●Neglected foreign body (including retained tampon). Wouldn’t be likely just a few threads of an old tampon would cause odor. 

●BV (yeast infections itch and aren’t likely to cause such an odor), but some BV breaks down to amines. 

●Trichomoniasis

●Infectious ulcer/pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

●Pelvic fistula or tract that has developed connecting the bladder or bowel to the vagina

●Hidradenitis suppurativa which is a chronic inflammatory glandular problem that leads to scaring and oozing of the glands around the vagina, the vulva, the insides of the thighs, or in the under arm

●Chronic constipation and chronic gas

●Urinary incontinence and not changing your pads enough

●Fecal incontinence

●Poor hygiene, particularly after sex

●Malignant ulcer, or a malignant cervical cancer, but even non-cancerous chronic infections, much like pimples can cause an odor

●Excessive genital perspiration and local bacterial colonization related to obesity

●Trimethylaminuria (Fish Odor syndrome) rare disorder where the body can’t breakdown trimethylamine a compound found in fish, eggs and some legumes. The odor will come out through sweat, urine and vaginal secretions. 

●Pelvic TB, while seen in third world countries, this is very uncommon in the US. 

●Ketosis from extreme dieting or uncontrolled diabetes, or just simply eating keto can produce ketones that when excreted through breath or even the vaginal area. 

●Excessive genital perspiration and local bacterial colonization related to obesity

●Trimethylaminuria (Fish Odor syndrome) rare disorder where the body can’t breakdown trimethylamine a compound found in fish, eggs and some legumes. The odor will come out through sweat, urine and vaginal secretions.