On certain occasions, and with issues related to our own body and our health, both men and women feel shame or discomfort when raising some issues that concern us, even if they are raised with health professionals.
A clear example of this situation, in this case referring to women, is everything related to menstruation, the menstrual cycle and the genitals of the female sex. Although anomalies can be discovered in any of them, many women do not know how to raise these doubts with the professional and are often not able to solve them, and this can also lead to health problems due to the simple embarrassment of formulating the question. One of the most common questions is why my rule smells fishy. In we explain the different causes why your period can generate that smell.
Fishy smell syndrome
One of the main reasons why the rule smells fishy is the so-called fishy smell syndrome. It is a condition that makes all the secretions of our body have this characteristic smell: saliva, sweat, urine, flow, menstruation …
People who suffer from this problem often do not notice it because they get used to their own smell. However, those who, in one way or another, do, end up feeling so embarrassed by their body aroma that they try to remedy it with deodorants, perfumes or strong mouthwashes, all without any result; what's more, sometimes it can even get worse.
If you think you may be suffering from fishy smell syndrome, it is best to go to the doctor as soon as possible so that he can help you solve this problem.
Foul-smelling menstruation due to bacterial vaginosis
One of the causes of this characteristic unpleasant smell may be the development inside the vagina of a pathology known as bacterial vaginosis. Within this cavity there are naturally and functionally a series of microorganisms and bacteria that help maintain an acidic pH inside the vagina. This acidic condition is necessary for balance to be maintained and unwanted bacteria to proliferate and cause problems. Therefore, as soon as, for whatever reason, a breakdown of that balance occurs, the pH inside the vagina changes and there is a growth of bacteria that can cause bacterial vaginosis.
Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis
One of the most prominent symptoms of this disease is, precisely, the smell of the flow or fishy ruler. But it also presents others such as:
- Itching and stinging in the genital area.
- Bleeding outside the period of menstruation.
- Abdominal pain.
The alteration in the pH balance can be produced by different factors, but the most common are the change of sexual partner, the use of some antibiotics or, although it does not seem logical, vaginal douching.
Fishy smell of the period by pregnancy and sexual intercourse
When for one reason or another our rule or flow smells fishy, this can be made worse by having sex, since our own smell would mix with that of our partner's secretions. If you want more information about it, in this other article we explain why my flow smells bad after having sex.
On the other hand, pregnancy also causes changes in the smell of the flow, since there is a fairly important alteration at the hormonal level. However, we must remember that the smell of fish is not normal and is due to some type of infection or condition. For more information, you can read this other article about How vaginal discharge is during pregnancy.
Things that make foul-smelling bleeding worse
Many women, no matter if they already have a fishy-smelling discharge or period or not, tend to use products such as deodorants or vaginal perfumes, or douche very frequently. Of course, this increases in case the unpleasant smell appears or increases, since in any situation, whether in a meeting with family or friends, or while they are with their partner, both when they are going to have sex and at any other time, they think that the rest of the people will be able to detect the smell., which, obviously, generates a very great feeling of discomfort and discomfort. Therefore, they usually increase the use of products for feminine hygiene, achieving the opposite effect to the desired one, that is, that the smell is even more evident.
This occurs because the use of these products cause the area to be continuously wet, which further favors the proliferation of bacteria that can generate infections and, therefore, the smell of fish. In addition, the chemicals contained in these cosmetics also attack the mucosa, so unwanted reactions are provoked in the genital area.
Remedies for bad period odor
First of all, we recommend that if there has been a change in the smell of your period or your vaginal discharge go to your gynecologist, as it may indicate some pathology, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as itching or burning of the genital area, abdominal pain or increased flow or period.
We advise you to keep the area clean, but without abusing intimate hygiene products. Stop using deodorants, perfumes and other cosmetics and simply use a neutral soap specific to the intimate area. Wash this part only once a day and keep it as dry as possible to avoid the proliferation of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms.
Avoid very tight underwear and synthetic materials, as they cause an increase in sweating, which causes a bad smell in the area.
Now that you know why my rule smells fishy, you may also be interested in this other article on Why I Have the Rule So Dark.
