Menstrual days are always a discomfort for the fair sex. Even with a normal course, in the absence of pathology and infection, these days do not bring joy, but rather some trouble. Because of the bleeding, the girl is tormented by various fears: that the pad may leak, that others may smell an unpleasant odor. In fact, the girl smells blood. During normal functioning of the body, menstruation smells like iron or resembles the smell of raw meat. When something is wrong in the body, namely in the female genital organs, the smell can change and intensify. Then the discharge begins to smell like rotten meat.
Smell during menstruation: deviations and norms
During menstruation, the inner layer of the uterus, that is, the endometrium, separates. This whole process is also accompanied by the release of blood from the body. The amount of blood may be large, but in some cases the discharge is quite scanty. Normally, the fluid that comes out of the vagina during menstruation should smell like meat or iron. The blood contains a huge amount of vital microelements, in particular iron. This is where this specific smell comes from. As you know, raw meat also smells of iron. That's why the smells are comparable. As a rule, only a woman feels a smelly period when she changes a tampon or pad.
If a woman does not follow the rules for using sanitary pads, then harmful microorganisms begin to multiply in them very quickly. When their number becomes large, the usual smell of menstruation becomes very unpleasant. If the pad is not changed for more than 5 hours, you will experience a smelly period and a rotten smell. Discharge begins to accumulate on the surface of the skin of external organs.
Possible causes of odors
Why does an unpleasant odor occur during menstruation? The way menstrual flow smells is an indicator of the functioning of a woman’s reproductive system, and sometimes the whole body. There are various reasons, and all possible ones are discussed in detail below.
Improper hygiene
The putrid stench of discharge acquires with rare changes of sanitary pads. If they are replaced less than once every 4-5 hours, then the blood released from the genital organs, in contact with the skin and mixed with sweat during a woman’s active movements (for example, walking), becomes a favorable environment for the proliferation of millions of types of pathogenic microorganisms. Your period takes on the smell of rotten meat and becomes darker.
Important! Unpleasant odors occur due to irregular washing during menstruation.
Vaginal candidiasis
Vaginal candidiasis is popularly called “thrush” because of the characteristic odors that occur when milk begins to sour, turning into kefir. The discharge has a cheesy consistency and white color, smells like a sour dairy product and is accompanied by discomfort and itching. The discharge is present throughout the menstrual cycle and can persist during menstruation, mixing with the blood. This aggravates the situation and gives the discharge a pronounced sour smell and an uneven pink color.
For your information! The causative agents of thrush, Candida fungi, are present in the body of every woman and are included in the natural microflora. They are activated and multiply, causing unpleasant symptoms, with a decrease in immunity associated with hypothermia, stress, poor nutrition, climate change, and serious illnesses.
Excess of certain substances in the body
Substances present in the body are carried in the blood and can enter various tissues. If permissible concentrations are exceeded several times, human physiological fluids acquire odors characteristic of the compounds.
What to do about unpleasant odor during menstruation?
To prevent unpleasant odor from appearing during menstruation, you should adhere to the rules of personal hygiene. In addition, so that smelly discharge after menstruation never bothers you, you should wash yourself at least 2 times a day. If possible, these procedures should be performed more often during menstruation. The gaskets should be replaced with clean ones as they become full. However, the interval between replacing them should not be more than 4 hours. It should be noted that modern hygiene products contain a special scented gel that muffles the natural odor of menstrual discharge when absorbed.
So, we figured out why you have smelly periods, accompanied by the smell of iron. However, if the smell is not similar to the usual one, then it is customary to talk about some kind of deviation. In some cases, the cause of smelly periods lies in the development of some disease or pathological process in the female body. This is exactly what will be discussed in the following sections.
Unsuccessful pregnancy
Another reason for unpleasant odor during menstruation is an unsuccessful pregnancy.
You can talk about an unsuccessful pregnancy when menstruation does not start on time, and later bleeding appears with a terrible smell. It resembles rot, which indicates the release of a fertilized egg that has stopped developing. A frozen pregnancy later causes a spontaneous miscarriage, but sometimes the embryonic tissue does not come out completely. In this case, curettage of the uterus is performed.
Inflammation
We continue to look at why a woman can have smelly periods. Most often, an inflammatory process of the vaginal mucosa is observed. Various colpitis is provoked by bacteria, pathogens, and fungi. The inflammatory process is facilitated by prolapse of the vaginal walls, operations, injuries, non-compliance with personal hygiene rules, hidden infections, as well as a woman’s age after 40 years.
In fact, there are many different causes of inflammation. This should include inflammation in those organs that are located adjacent to the genitals. For example, this kind of process can develop in the bladder, intestines, and kidneys. The mucus that is secreted by the cervix begins to irritate the walls of the vagina. As a result of such prolonged exposure, an infection develops, causing inflammation of the female organ. Before menstruation, a woman’s body undergoes restructuring, which causes a decrease in the body’s protective function. During menstruation, the negative effect on the mucous membrane of the vaginal walls is also complemented by the release of blood. Pathogenic bacteria actively multiply, so your periods are very smelly with the smell of rot.
In parallel with this, the condition of the female genital organs changes. Swelling and redness appear. In addition, the woman begins to be bothered by pain, as well as changes in the shade of the discharge.
Bacterial vaginosis
In the female body, healthy patients have a whole set of bacteria that are in balance. Disturbances in this balance can provoke the formation of bacterial vaginosis. The main causes of this disease are hormonal imbalances, as well as a decrease in immune defense. In this case, provoking factors include medications, nervous stress, hypothermia, and much more.
An excessive desire for hygiene can also provoke imbalances in microorganisms inside the vagina. If a woman often douches, this will cause the protective layer on the vaginal walls to be washed away. The number of lactobacilli in this case is greatly reduced, causing other bacteria to rapidly increase their numbers.
The use of intimate cosmetics can also affect the condition of the female genital organ in exactly the same way. Gardnerella bacteria begin to actively reproduce during menstruation. An unpleasant odor is formed, somewhat reminiscent of rotten fish. In parallel with this smell, the color and consistency of menstruation changes. They show a whitish color, and then the liquid becomes mixed with greenish or yellowish tint. In parallel with this, there is a burning sensation in the genitals, discomfort in the vagina, as well as pain during intercourse.
The presence of bacteria in intestinal dysbiosis is sometimes also the cause of the development of bacterial vaginosis.
Nonspecific colpitis
In gynecology, colpitis is called inflammation of the mucous membranes covering the vagina. This disease acquires nonspecific status when a pathogen containing pathogenic flora is diagnosed:
- Staphylococcus.
- Escherichia coli.
- Proteus.
- Streptococcus.
The diseases have pronounced symptoms. This includes:
- the presence of a strong unpleasant, in most cases, sour odor of discharge;
- discomfort in the groin area;
- pain during sexual intercourse;
- sharp cutting pain during urination.
Thrush or candidiasis
Candidiasis is the most common gynecological disease nowadays. This is due to the fact that there are a huge number of predisposing factors that provoke the development of the disease. The true cause of thrush is the growth of bacteria belonging to the genus candida. This process is facilitated by a weakened immune system, hidden infections, and hormonal imbalance. In addition, the cause of thrush may lie in hypothermia, nervous tension, hygiene products, medications, contraceptives and much more. Under the influence of harmful bacteria, the amount of beneficial dairy products decreases, which is why an unpleasant odor is formed, reminiscent of sour milk. This smell intensifies during menstruation, as blood will contribute to the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. Along with the unpleasant smell of menstruation, the following symptoms appear:
- burning and itching of the genitals;
- the appearance of cheesy white discharge between periods;
- pain at the end of urination;
- discomfort during sexual intercourse;
- a white coating that forms on the walls of the vagina and on the external genitalia.
STD (sexually transmitted) infection
This disease can be transmitted sexually. Sometimes you can become infected with this disease if you use hygiene items from a sick person. The main symptoms of infections are a frothy, yellow or green discharge between periods. All other signs are similar to those of any other gynecological disease.
The unpleasant odor during menstruation also increases. The liquid may taste rotten or fishy. Everything will depend on the pathological microorganisms prevailing in the vagina. In addition, before menstruation, a woman experiences other symptoms, such as weakness, increased body temperature, nausea, pain in the lumbar area, as well as in the lower abdomen. After critical days, a large amount of discharge also remains. They often frighten women with their terrible smell and yellowish or greenish tint. It is felt strongly in the evening or in the morning.
The presence of pain and frequent urination indicates the onset of the inflammatory process. If appropriate treatment is not prescribed in time, the disease may become chronic or latent. Mild symptoms in women appear periodically. In this case, the cycle is disrupted, and a large amount of bloody discharge is observed during menstruation.
How to overcome an unpleasant odor?
If, apart from the unpleasant smell, nothing else bothers the woman, then her attitude to hygiene should be reconsidered. Washing during menstruation is recommended to be done with clean warm water without adding any cosmetics. In order to reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms, it is allowed to add a small amount of potassium permanganate to the water. Washing must be done in the morning and evening. If there is severe bleeding, the procedures are carried out 4 times a day if possible.
Gaskets should be changed as often as possible. Do not use personal care items with greater absorption capacity than necessary. Also note that they should be left for no more than 5 hours. As for tampons, they should be changed every 2-3 hours. You should not use large amounts of intimate cosmetics during menstruation.
What to do to make the smell disappear or decrease
If a girl is only bothered by the unpleasant odor during her period, and does not observe the other symptoms described above, then the problem may be insufficient hygiene. The following rules must be followed:
- During menstruation, you should wash yourself more often than usual . It is recommended to go to the toilet at least 4 times a day. When on other days it is advisable to wash 2 times a day;
- reduce or eliminate the use of detergents . They wash away the protective layer of the vaginal mucosa and external genital tract. You can wash the areas where the skin is located with soap solutions. Where the mucous membrane is located, soap products are contraindicated. They alkalize the environment, which has a detrimental effect on the natural permanent inhabitants of the vagina and promotes the development of pathogenic bacteria;
- to improve the condition of the external genitalia, you can use lotions from chamomile decoctions ; you can add a few drops of potassium permanganate to boiled water;
- Gaskets need to be changed as they are filled , but this time should not be more than 4 hours. Tampon - every 2 hours. It is advisable to choose these products without additional aroma. Paradoxically, fragrances provoke a faster development of bad odors. The presence of chemicals - preservatives - helps to increase the rate of development of pathogenic organisms and pseudo-pathogenic flora.
If you have other symptoms, you should urgently consult a gynecologist, where flora tests will show the cause of the disease. The doctor will select etiological treatment and symptomatic therapy, which will help a speedy recovery and prevent complications.
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Diagnostics
First of all, the doctor must conduct an oral interview, clarify the complaints and symptoms that bother the woman. Then a palpation and visual examination of the internal and external genital organs is done. The specialist examines the vagina and cervix through a mirror, and if necessary, an examination is carried out using an optical device. Then a smear is taken on the flora, with the help of which the presence of mucus or purulent contents is determined. A swab is also taken for bacteria and fungi. If necessary, an ultrasound is prescribed.
