Like any human secretion, vaginal discharge can also have very different characteristics in terms of abundance, texture, color and smell in relation to age, hormone levels, the type of diet followed, the medications taken or the fact of being in a state of illness or well-being.
For women, learning to recognize the possible cause of a change in the appearance of vaginal mucus or the development of intimate bad smell is particularly important because it allows you to quickly take actions that can not only eliminate the embarrassing discomfort, but also and above all to reverse the disorders that have determined it and protect intimate and reproductive health and prevent any complications and relapses. In this regard, it should be remembered that the presence of a vaginal infection increases the likelihood of contracting others during unprotected sex, including those caused by hepatitis B and C viruses and HIV.
The main causes of bad intimate odor
At the origin of the appearance of more abundant vaginal secretions and / or with characteristics different from the usual, in most cases, genital infections caused by pathogenic bacteria or protozoa contracted by an infected partner (although often asymptomatic) during unprotected sexual intercourse are recognized. Another cause is “dysbiosis”, i.e. transient alterations of the vaginal ecosystem that lead some types of potentially harmful microorganisms to prevail over the protective component, consisting mainly of lactobacilli.
The onset of dysbiosis can depend on very different causes united by the ability to alter the balance of the natural vaginal bacterial flora; The main risk factors include:
– reduction of immune defenses or local therapies or by mouth with antibiotic or antifungal active ingredients;
– inadequate intimate hygiene (insufficient, excessive or conducted with aggressive/poor quality products);
– use of vaginal douches or products of various types (cosmetics, spermicides, deodorants, etc.);
– presence of specific systemic diseases (in particular, diabetes);
– alterations in hormone levels, linked to endocrine dysfunctions or physiological states such as pregnancy or menopause;
– intense psychophysical stress.
The infections associated with an alteration of vaginal secretionsmost commonly contracted by women during sexual activity are determined by bacteria such as Ureoplasma and Mycoplasma or by protozoa such as Trichomonas vaginalis, responsible for trichomoniasis.
The main dysbioses characterized by the appearance of intimate discharge, often abundant and well recognizable, are, instead, bacterial vaginosis and vaginal candidiasis. The former are determined by the excessive proliferation of bacteria belonging mainly to the genera Prevotella and Mobiluncus (usually present in low concentration also in healthy vaginal microflora) and Gardnerella vaginalis, while Candida vaginitis is mainly caused by Candida albicans fungi and, with less frequency, by C. glabrata and other strains, which can also proliferate excessively in other parts of the body, such as the oral cavity and intestines.
Other sexually transmitted bacterial infections very frequent especially in adolescents and young adults (under25), such as gonorrhea (caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae) and chlamydia (caused by Chlamydia trachomatis), in the vast majority of women (70-90%) do not cause any significant symptoms. The fact of not observing vaginal secretions with suspicious characteristics nor of perceiving itching, pain, burning or other discomfort does not mean that these contaminations are less serious than the others, on the contrary, it makes them particularly insidious for the woman’s health because they prevent a timely diagnosis and treatment, exposing them to the risk of serious complications.
Among the main long-term complications of gonorrhea and chlamydia should be mentioned:
- pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a chronic, often asymptomatic but sometimes painful inflammatory condition involving the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovary, impairing their function
- increased risk of extra-uterine pregnancy
- the reduction of fertility, up to infertility.
To avoid these problems it is important to consult your gynecologist and implement proper prevention:
- avoiding the use of do-it-yourself natural remedies that can be ineffective, as well as counterproductive
- following a healthy lifestyle
- using condoms during every sexual intercourse
- carrying out a check-up by specialists (gynecologist for women, andrologist for men) from the first symptoms or, in any case, at least once a year.
Fishy smell: hallmark of bacterial vaginosis
To trace the possible cause of abnormal vaginal discharge it is necessary to consider three key elements: color, texture and smell of secretions. The amount of mucus produced, on the other hand, is not a reliable criterion either to recognize the origin of the disorder or to establish its severity, since the extent of the losses is very variable from woman to woman and, often, even in the same woman, from episode to episode.
When Candida causes female genital discomfort (whose abnormal proliferation can be favored by a diet rich in simple sugars and the use of underwear that does not allow adequate transpiration of the intimate areas), the losses are white, lumpy and uneven, very similar in appearance to soft ricotta, and devoid of distinctive / unpleasant odor. These characteristics are decisive for the formulation of a diagnosis because secretions of similar color, but more viscous and homogeneous are not to refer to candidiasis or other vaginal infections, but more likely to a hormonal problem, not necessarily pathological. To further support the suspicion that it is Candida vaginitis is the presence of symptoms such as vaginal dryness, burning, inflammation and intimate itching, which can also become very intense and disturbing, particularly during sexual intercourse and urination. If the pain and burning during urination occur in the absence of abnormal vaginal secretions, but in association with the need to urinate more frequently and in some cases the presence of blood in the urine, the cause could be a urinary tract infection, which in turn causes cystitis, or inflammation of the bladder.
If the losses have a greyish-white color and are fluid, milky, sticky, sticky/homogeneous and are accompanied by an unmistakable unpleasant intimate smell of spoiled fish, the present disorder is undoubtedly bacterial vaginosis. As a rule, the unpleasant smell is very intense, it is not eliminated even by proper daily intimate hygiene and is the main reason why the woman goes to the doctor or undergoes a specialist visit to the gynecologist. With the exception of embarrassing secretions, in fact, in most cases bacterial vaginosis is not accompanied by other significant signs or symptoms. In a few cases itching and burning may occur, but these are mild discomforts, to which great importance is not attributed, while voiding pain is almost never present. The smell of fish tends to be more pronounced after sexual intercourse (especially if a condom is not used), on days when the menstrual cycle is present (due to hormonal variations and the presence of blood that make the pH of the vagina less acidic) and after a few hours since the last wash.
The third fairly common type of vaginal discharge is that associated with Trichomonas vaginalis infections. In this case, color and consistency are the main guiding elements for diagnosis: the losses are typically greenish-yellow and have a foamy appearance, thus being easily distinguishable from those characteristic of candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis. The smell is unpleasant and constitutes a certain element of discomfort, but it is less accentuated than that associated with the secretions of bacterial vaginosis and different: more similar to stale material (mold) and less pervasive. Other signs and symptoms that should point toward trichomoniasis include the presence of intense vulvar itching and significant burning when urinating.
Below is a summary table of the characteristics of vaginal secretions typical of the infections just described.
Color | Consistency | Smell | |
---|---|---|---|
Candida | White | Lumpy and uneven, similar to cottage cheese | Normal smell |
Bacterial vaginosis | Greyish-white | Fluid, milky, sticky/homogeneous | Smell of spoiled fish |
Trichomonas vaginalis infection | Greenish-yellow | Foamy appearance | Unpleasant odor similar to stale material (mold) |
A diagnostic parameter less immediately evident, but very useful to distinguish candidiasis from bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis is the vaginal pH, which can be self-measured at home with a practical swab in a simple and reliable way, thanks to an intuitive colorimetric test, freely purchased in pharmacies and carried out in a few minutes. Combined with the evaluation of the other symptoms mentioned, the finding of an increase in vaginal pH over 4.5 with the test must probably be considered indicative of bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis, while if the vaginal pH remains below this value in all probability the microorganisms responsible for intimate discomfort are others.
Anti-vaginal odor prebiotic gels
Once it has been established that the unpleasant smell of vaginal secretions is determined by bacterial vaginosis (which can be favored by a vitamin D deficiency), all that remains is to undertake the appropriate treatments with the help of the doctor, usually based on the use of antibiotics by mouth (for example in capsules or powder for oral suspension to be dissolved in water) or to be applied topically. This treatment allows the vast majority of women to completely resolve the infection within about a week. A period all in all short, but that can seem very long if you have to live constantly with an intense smell of spoiled fish, which creates embarrassment in couple life and social relationships.
To mitigate it more quickly and effectively, it is possible to use, in addition to the antibiotic therapy prescribed by the doctor, vaginal gels based on glycogen and lactic acid able to promote a more efficient restoration of the balance of healthy endogenous flora (lactobacilli) and physiological acid pH (between 3.5 and 4.5). The proper prebiotic component (glycogen) supports the energy metabolism of lactobacilli, promoting their multiplication at the expense of pathogenic microorganisms, while lactic acid helps to normalize the local pH, creating an optimal vaginal environment for the protective microflora.
To get the maximum benefit from the ingredients of the prebiotic gel, the preparation should be applied directly into the vaginal canal, once a day, after a delicate hygiene of the intimate parts, with good quality cleansing solutions, specific for the genital area and with an acid pH (about 4.0-4.5).
Studies conducted in women with bacterial vaginosis have shown that the application of prebiotic gels to lactic acid and glycogen, in addition to the antibiotic treatment provided in these cases, can allow to obtain a more rapid attenuation of the symptoms of vaginosis and helps to decrease the likelihood of recurrences in the following months. The most appreciated benefit deriving from the use of the prebiotic gel consists in the elimination of the unpleasant and embarrassing smell of spoiled fish, characteristic of vaginal secretions during episodes of vaginosis and resistant to other remedies tested so far.
This very useful anti-odor action of the prebiotic gel is based on a very simple principle, which sees lactic acid as the protagonist. The foul-smelling substances produced by the bacteria responsible for vaginosis (cadaverine, triethylamine), in fact, become volatile and are dispersed in the air only when the pH increases, approaching neutrality. By bringing the pH back to more acidic normal values (i.e. less than 4.5), lactic acid counteracts the release of these compounds, restoring greater serenity to the woman, in couple life and in interpersonal relationships.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
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