Smelly Vagina: Dealing with vaginal odour can be tricky, it’s a touchy subject for many of us. However, it’s essential to note that the scents your genitals emit can act as a potent health indicator. Let’s explore more about vaginal odours and what your body might be trying to communicate through them.
What Causes Smell In Vagina?
Your vagina has a unique scent, shaped by factors like what you eat, your hygiene habits, hormonal fluctuations, and even your stress levels. Identifying what’s normal for you is key to flag any unusual changes that could hint at health issues.
What’s a Normal Vaginal Odour?
Usually, a healthy vagina will be slightly acidic – it keeps thing balanced and wards off nasty bacteria. So, a scent that’s musky or mildly sweet can be considered normal. Plus, you’d find that the scent changes along with your hormonal shifts throughout your menstrual cycle.
Symptoms To Look Out For
Scent of fish: A potent fishy smell could mean that you’ve got bacterial vaginosis. The condition arises with a bacterial imbalance in the vagina.
Odour of yeast or bread: Like fresh bread or yeast? You might be dealing with a yeast infection. It’s a result of yeast overgrowth. You could also feel itchy, have a burning sensation or see a strange discharge.
Ammonia-like odour: A piercing ammonia-like smell can be a sign that you’re dehydrated or you need to rebalance your diet. Adequate hydration and wholesome food should help ease this smell.
Rotting smell: If you have a pungent, decaying smell, it could hint at something serious – maybe a stuck tampon or a forgotten object. These are times when a doctor’s visit is non-negotiable.
What To Keep In Mind? If your vaginal odour smells off and you also have itching, burning, abnormal discharge or pain, it’s time to ring up your doctor. Pushing these symptoms under the rug can do more harm and delay the right treatment.