Researchers from Dartmouth, Yale and Connecticut
Healthcare Symptoms found that 51 per cent of post-menopausal women deal with
vaginal and vulvar problems. But despite the severity of these problems, 33 per
cent of women with these symptoms had not seen a gynecologist in the last two
years. Because… they considered these symptoms being embarrassing…
And one of the medical conditions, which has been
included in the research statistics, was related to the appearance of the
strong vulvar odor during menopause, the issue we are going to discuss in this
post.
Hormonal changes
and vaginal odor
Several researches confirmed that the potential cause of
unusually strong and unpleasant smell is related to the hormonal changes on
women, associated with normal menopause, during which reduced estrogen levels
cause vaginal tissue to thin and become less acidic. Many women undergoing
menopause notice a smelly, watery discharge.
Falling estrogen can affect the production of mucus in
the vagina and this in turn can cause dryness, irritation and even infection.
The lack of mucus, which is slightly acidic to help prevent infection, can also
affect the balance of friendly bacteria in the vagina; and both these factors
can result in a different smell.
But, there is something else you should consider. Falling
estrogen can actually affect your sense of smell and taste during the menopause
– a bit like hormonal changes in pregnancy causing a liking for foods you once
didn’t like or vice versa, or that your favorite perfume now makes you feel
sick. This hormonal change can cause a heightened sense of smell too; so
although you think you are ‘a bit smelly’, no one else actually notices it!
What normally
causes odor in the perineal and vaginal area?
Perineal odor is caused by oils in sweat gland
secretions, vaginal secretions and urine if a woman is having urine leakage.
All sweat gland secretions are basically the same components as urine so it is not
uncommon to have a urine "smell" in the vulvar area which is really
from sweating rather than from losing urine. Some people would describe urine
odor as somewhat like ammonia.
Many of the foods we eat have odorous oils that end up
being secreted in sweat. The more fat we ingest, the more oils are secreted.
Vegetarians will have less "sweat odor" than meat eaters unless they
are consuming a lot of pungent, spicy foods.
Skin bacteria can also react with sweat and produce
noxious odors although some scientists question that this occurs to any major
degree. It is very likely that some women have different genetic metabolism
than others so that they produce different acids in sweat that give distinctive
smells.
Finally, sweat glands can be depleted of their oils
(temporarily) after they are excreted during sweating. After a vigorous
workout, most women and men will tell you that subsequent sweating does not
produce as heavy a body odor as when they first broke sweat.
You have probably noticed that yourself if you have been
outside working on a hot day and then go shower, subsequent sweating produces
less "smell" than it did before the shower. In this case you not only
depleted the sweat oils but also reduced the skin bacteria that convert some of
the sweat substances to acids and compounds that are odorous.
What about a fishy
odor from the perineal area? What causes that?
The most common cause of bad odor coming from the vagina
is a condition called bacterial vaginosis, also called gardnerella. The odor
stems from an overgrowth of certain bacteria in the vagina that causes a strong
fishy odor. The odor is worse after intercourse because the pH of the semen
causes more of the odor to be released. Prescription pills or cream can usually
eliminate the bacterial imbalance. In premenopausal women, a not uncommon cause
of bad odor is a forgotten tampon. Removal of the tampon will correct the
problem. Gentle cleansing of the vulva with clean water is usually sufficient
for hygiene. Any soap can be irritating to the vulva and in some cases can
cause dermatitis, skin irritation, or rash. In most cases, douching is not
recommended.
There is also a metabolic syndrome called fish odor
syndrome (trimethylaminuria) which is caused by abnormal excretion of trimethylamine
in the breath, urine, sweat, saliva and vaginal secretions. The trimethylamine
is produced by bowel bacteria that break down certain amino acids, carnitine
and choline that occur in high concentrations in marine fish, egg yolks, soy
beans and liver.
While this is a rare condition, it goes to show that
bowel bacteria, skin bacteria and your own genetic metabolism interplay with
ingested food to produce body odors beyond normal sweat gland oils and acids.
If you at all think that the perineal odor smells fishy,
be sure to see you doctor for a vaginal exam to rule out bacterial vaginosis as
well as eliminating liver, fish, soy beans, egg yolks and any nutritional
supplements that may contain choline and carnitine.
What about sex
odors?
We still do not know very much about pheromones which are
compounds that give a "sexual smell" in both males and females. In
women these substances are thought to originate from the vagina but it is more
likely that they come from vulvar sweat glands.
Vaginal Odors
after Sex
Many people have a problem with a foul odor in the vagina
after intercourse. This is especially true if your partner ejaculates inside of
you. The pH of the semen, along with the extra secretions during sex can create
a cocktail of odorous proportions. In a report by LiveStrong Organization, it
was determined that some women are actually ‘allergic’ to their partner’s
semen, which can eventually cause bacteria to build up, yeast infections and
urinary tract infections.
One reason that the problem is pronounced after sex is
because the natural movement of intercourse tends to push the bacteria higher
into the reproductive organs. If you have this problem, you should ask your
partner to ejaculate outside or use a condom. However, many women also have a
bad reaction to the latex and chemicals on condoms as well.
If the odor primarily comes after sex, then simply wash
the vagina with warm water and mild soap afterwards. You might also want to
start taking a pro-biotic or eating yogurt on a daily basis to build up your
beneficial flora.
What can I do
practically about the odor?
It is best to try to control body odors by natural means
rather than deodorant and antiperspirant cover ups because many women can get
an irritant vulvitis from chemicals placed on the vulvar region. This does not
happen with all women but does with some. If you think the odor is originating
from vaginal secretions, be sure to see your doctor to be checked for bacterial
vaginosis rather than using douche solutions. Chronic douching can actually
cause a vaginitis.
Other things to do to help:
* Have a daily aerobic workout before going to work -
this can help dissipate sweat gland compounds.
* Change your lifestyle to lose some weight if you have
few extra pounds. That will lower the amount of sweat generated due to the
regular physical activities.
* Bath or shower before work to remove as much skin
bacteria as possible - this will help daytime odors.
avoid seafood, liver and egg yolks as well as pungent
vegetables such as onions, garlic asparagus etc., for a while to see if this
makes any difference.
* Minimize stress and any sweating at work if possible -
if you feel you have excessive sweating, ask your doctor about medications to
help this.
* Dehydration may be a factor, so remember to drink
plenty of plain water every day.
* Choose a good quality cotton fabric that absorbs
moisture and dries quickly. It is better to avoid wearing underwear and pants
during the night, it is more appropriate to use pajamas or even sleep naked.
Underwear’s and cloths should be changed immediately when they get wet after
exercise or swimming.
* For women complaining of persistent wet vulva, the best
prevention is by wearing cotton underwear that dry quickly and also using
natural moisturizers and oils.
* Tampons are safe to use but their frequent use or when
the amount of bleeding is not much, tampons become harmful, causing irritation
of the vulva, increase in vaginal secretions and thereby releasing an
unpleasant odor.
* It is advisable not to wear daily use pads, but if you
are suing them, it is recommended to change every 6-8 hours.
* Always wipe front to back after bowel movements to
avoid spread of rectal bacteria.
* As long as you are not on any hormonal contraception or
HRT you could try a fermented soya supplement. This is traditionally used to
gently raise and balance estrogen, so may help increase the vaginal mucus. You
could also add in a daily Sea Buckthorn Oil supplement to counter dryness.
* Some doctors recommend Acidophilus as the magical
remedy to remove the odor. Several human trials report benefits of acidophilus
for bacterial vaginosis. There are no documented side effects, and it can be
purchased over-the-counter, but talk to your doctor first.
Keep the reasonable expectations. There is no way to have
a "nice floral scent" in the perineal area by altering diet and skin
bacteria. You will have to use some type of covering deodorant. Be very careful
that you do not develop an irritant vulvitis.
Sources and
Additional Information:
