Vaginal Odor Causes
Having a vaginal scent is normal and not considered a problem in itself. Uncovering the cause of a new or recurring vaginal discharge and vaginal odor is an intensely personal and private matter which is confronted each day by thousands of women worldwide. Worrying if others can smell your vagina makes you feel insecure. What is a typical vaginal odor cause? Vaginal odor is caused by vaginal bacterial overgrowth known as bacterial vaginosis, which has a “fishy” or “musty” smell. It is hard to prevent bacteria build up or foreign parasites from entering the vagina but you can most certainly help to control the problem.
Possible vaginal odor causes include:
- Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the chief causes of vaginal odor. The causes of Bacterial Vaginosis are not fully understood, a woman can get it regardless of whether she has multiple sexual partners or none at all.
- While yeast infections are common causes of vaginal discharge, they do not generally cause a “fishy” vaginal odor.
- Trichomoniasis causes a vaginal discharge that is yellow-green, foamy, and awful smelling.
- The offender is sometimes an infection called Gardnerella which leads to bacterial vaginosis.
- A change in partners could cause a rank vaginal smell as well since semen (if the partner is male) mingling with your own fluids during intercourse alters your natural smell.
- Douching with over the counter perfumed douches can actually cause and aggravate your vaginal odor problem because they alter the vagina’s pH, which should ideally be around 3 or 4.
- Being on your period can cause an unpleasant vaginal odor as well.
- Forgetting to remove a saturated tampon will cause infection and a pungent vaginal odor.
- Not washing the vagina properly.
The above list are some of the possible causes of vaginal odor as a symptom. As a quick recap, changes in vaginal odor can occur throughout the menstrual cycle but can also result from yeast infections, sexually transmitted infections, Trichomoniasis, or Bacterial Vaginosis.
Wondering if everyone else around you can smell you? Constantly worrying about how you smell down there? Even when you notice a recent difference in your vaginal odor, it is not necessarily an infection. If you are embarrassed by vaginal odor, you’re probably afraid to have sex. Please see a doctor to treat the vaginal odor causes.