Normal Vaginal Odor: How to Know When There’s a Problem

Most women wonder whether they have normal or bad vaginal odor at one time or another.  They may think that their vagina should be completely odorless, or that any kind of odor means there’s a problem.  The truth is, all vaginas have their own scent.

What is normal?
A normal vaginal odor isn’t too strong, and doesn’t smell unpleasant or sour.  The smell of your vagina may change slightly, or get a tiny bit stronger at different parts of your menstrual cycle.  This is normal.  It’s also common for women experiencing hormonal changes, like menopause or pregnancy, to have some changes in vaginal odor.  However, the odor rarely becomes unpleasant unless there’s a problem.  There are a few scents you should be on the lookout for.

Fishy smell
Your normal vaginal odor shouldn’t smell fishy.  Sometimes there can be a bit of a fishy odor after eating a meal of seafood, but this will fade after a day or so.  When the fishy odor doesn’t go away, and is accompanied by other symptoms, this indicates an infection.  Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an overgrowth of the bacteria Gardnerella, and is known to cause an unpleasant fishy smell.  A change in discharge and irritation symptoms like itching and burning are noted with this infection as well.  There are a few risk factors that make women more susceptible to bacterial vaginosis.  The more sexually active a woman is, the more likely she is to develop the infection.  Sexual activity also exposes you to STDs, some of which can also cause poor vaginal odor.

Sweaty or urine-like smell
These two scents can sometimes mix into your normal vaginal odor just enough to be detectable.  They’re usually a result of poor hygiene.  Baby wipes are a great way to prevent this kind of odor from happening.  After exercise, if you don’t shower, you should wipe the vaginal area and pubic hair with the baby wipe to remove sweat.  You can also use baby wipes instead of toilet paper, as the wetness will more effectively remove urine.  They’re fast to use and can easily be taken anywhere in a purse.

Unusually strong smell
Sometimes your vaginal scent may smell like it normally does, but be stronger than usual.  This can happen at different parts of your cycle, or be caused by irritation.  When something irritates your vagina, it produces more discharge to try to heal itself.  This discharge is often what carries your vaginal odor, so when there’s more discharge, there’s more odor.  Irritation is most frequently caused by things like scented or dyed feminine hygiene products, strong soaps, or flavored lubes or condoms.  You should replace these with gentler products if your vaginal odor seems to get stronger after coming into contact with them.

What to do about odor that won’t go away

This kind of problem is something that women do not usually talk about due to embarrassment. But the ugly truth is that there are really women out there who cannot have the normal vaginal odor. But due to their hesitations on sharing the problem and asking for help, they miss the opportunity on learning the right methods to deal with the problem. Instead, they try to implement other ways that they think would eliminate the odor. In the end, their condition just worsens.

Luckily, there are simply ways that you can do in restoring back your normal vaginal odor. Furthermore, these methods are not even that arduous to accomplish plus you won’t be spending a large amount of money for these.

Generally, having a weird vaginal odor is triggered by the imbalance of the natural bacteria living within the vagina. Under normal circumstances, these natural bacteria are not really that harmful to the woman’s health most especially if the pH level is slightly acidic. However when the pH level is abnormal, that is the moment when the harmful bacteria will grow and proliferate which can lead to various diseases such as bacterial vaginosis.

Performing a good personal hygiene is always one of the best ways to maintain a normal vaginal odor. Proper hygiene should be implemented together with some methods in strengthening the immune system of the body. This way, the body can combat the harmful bacteria and prevent them from causing more damage. A lot of people believe that frequent washing of the vagina is a great method to remove the foul smell. But doing this can definitely worsen the situation. By performing many washes, you are already disrupting the pH of balance and the natural bacteria that are supposed to provide benefits are washed away.

Douching should also be minimized when you’re experiencing a weird vaginal odor. Douching products usually contain harsh chemical ingredients that can also remove those ‘good’ bacteria that the vagina needs.

The right technique in dealing with this problem is through washing the genitals with plain clean water together with a mild soap when you’re having a shower. During your menstrual periods, it is important to frequently change your napkins to prevent the smell of blood from accumulating which can be an added factor in removing the normal vaginal odor.

Aside from performing these appropriate methods, you should never forget the importance of engaging in a healthy lifestyle by having the proper diet plan as well as having regular exercises. Moreover, drinking plenty of water can also aid the removal of toxins that are causing the abnormal vaginal odor. It is suggested to drink eight to ten glasses of water per day.

Finally, if you have done everything that is mentioned above and still the normal vaginal odor is not restored, it is highly advised to consult this matter to an ob-gynecologist. Through a consultation, the doctor can determine if you have another underlying disease. By observing these appropriate tips, you would surely have no problems in having a healthy life.