In the article, we will understand why, after menstruation, an unpleasant odor can occur.
The woman’s body is arranged in such a way that after a certain time period, critical days come for her every month. They last from three to seven days. The amount of discharge can be small, plentiful and normal, odorless or with an unpleasant odor. Such symptoms indicate a disease that needs immediate treatment.
The main causes of bad odor after menstruation from the vagina
With an increase in the period of menstruation and in the event that an unpleasant odor appears after menstruation, you need to go to the gynecologist. Based on the results of the examination, the cause of the appearance of this pathology is determined, appropriate therapy is prescribed.
The provoking factors that there was a discharge with an unpleasant odor after menstruation are:
- Weakening of the protection of local immunity of the organ mucosa . During menstruation in the female body, hormonal disorders occur, which entails a slight weakening of the immune system. Conditionally pathogenic microorganisms are revived, due to which there is an imbalance of representatives of the vaginal flora. What are the other causes of bad smell after menstruation?
- At the final stage of the cycle, menstrual blood comes out in a smaller volume, gets a dark brown tint and does not go out completely, stagnating in the vaginal folds. Why else can an unpleasant odor appear after menstruation?
- The mucus and menstrual blood that feed the microorganisms located in the vagina during critical days are good soil for the emergence of pathogenic microflora.
- Non-observance of personal hygiene. A number of women believe that if menstrual blood is sparingly excreted, it is not worth changing the pads often, and this is a very big mistake. Even if there is a very small amount of secretions, they decay when interacting with oxygen, the color changes, an odor appears. To avoid this, it is necessary to frequently change the gaskets, as well as wash. After menstruation, an unpleasant smell alarms many women.
- Disorders of the hormonal background of the body. Women's health depends on the activity of the endocrine system. Despite the fact that critical days are a natural process of the female body, changes in the hormonal background occur during this period. This condition can be one of the causes of a violation of the vaginal microflora and an unpleasant odor.
- The presence of other diseases. Most often, after menstruation, an unpleasant odor occurs due to sexually transmitted pathologies with their characteristic symptoms: a special pain syndrome and the smell of rotten fish. In addition, the patient may have gynecological diseases.
Set of factors
A bad smell can appear due to a combination of several factors - reduced body resistance, the presence of virulent microorganisms and non-observance of personal hygiene rules.
Discharge with an unpleasant odor after critical days can occur due to many reasons. That is why in this case you can not do without the help of a specialist. It will help determine why there is an unpleasant odor after your period.
Smells of discharge after critical days: types and deviations
The smell from the female genital organs after menstruation is of varying degrees of intensity. It depends on the type of microbes that are in the vagina, may be evidence of a disease caused by pathogenic bacteria, and may also be an independent symptom.
The smell of fish indicates the presence of bacterial vaginosis, with it the number of vaginal lactobacilli decreases, and conditionally pathogenic microbes are activated. They secrete amines, reminiscent of the smell of rotten fish.
With candidiasis, an acidic odor may be present. During this disease, candida mushrooms multiply intensively against the background of weakened local immunity and a decrease in the defenses of a woman's body. Allocations of a curdled type, white, sometimes with a greenish tint.
After a menstrual discharge with an unpleasant odor, they indicate inflammation or infectious manifestations in the vagina. This appears when a large amount of gardnerella is in the vagina. There are discharge of off-white color.
The smell of onions means that diseases caused by fungi develop in the female body. The smell becomes especially pronounced after an intimate relationship and with a change in the hormonal background.
Garlic odor appears due to the active functioning of pathogenic microbes in the vaginal environment with dysbiosis. This smell is a kind of "litmus test" for certain foods consumed by a woman.
And what does brown discharge with an unpleasant odor mean after menstruation? With the smell of iron, spotting and pathological changes in the mucous membrane of the uterine neck are observed. The smell intensifies after sexual contact.
The smell of acetone
It may indicate:
- the presence of an endocrine system disease, i.e. diabetes mellitus;
- eating with a small amount of carbohydrates;
- fluid deficiency in a woman's body;
- pathologies of the urinary system;
- metabolic disorders in the female body;
- hormonal disruptions.
How to determine exactly why, after menstruation, an unpleasant smell of secretions appears?
Diagnostics
Any specialist is based on a gynecological examination, medical history, ultrasound examination and laboratory data, due to which he accurately diagnoses.
The gynecologist at the reception interviews the patient about the possible causes of this condition and complaints, chronic diseases. An objective complete collection of information and trust in a specialist will help to accurately determine the diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.
Examination of female reproductive organs on a gynecological chair is an easily accessible method that allows you to establish the presence or absence of diseases, to describe the appearance of the genital organs.
During palpation of the pelvic organs of a woman, the gynecologist determines their size, position, shape, evaluates the state of discharge (type, consistency, smell).
Smear
For laboratory studies, a swab from the vagina is always taken. In this way, the microflora of secretions, the content of red blood cells, white blood cells and other components of the analysis are determined.
Pathogens of sexually transmitted pathologies are determined. Deviation from normal smear values ​​indicates the presence of an infectious or inflammatory process. Often, gynecologists in medical practice recommend an ultrasound examination of the genitals to confirm the diagnosis or its definition.
The more thorough the examination, the more effective the treatment will be. That is why you can not hesitate to visit a doctor, it is recommended to provide a complete picture of pathological symptoms at a consultative examination.
The main methods of treatment
If there are reasons leading to the appearance of an undesirable odor, it is not necessary to hope that after the completion of critical days the problem will disappear by itself. Self-medication and the use of alternative methods of treatment will not have the desired effect and will only exacerbate the pathological process, causing the development of various complications.
A woman must definitely consult a gynecologist so that he correctly and correctly determines the source of the disease, offers a comprehensive examination and, in accordance with its results, treatment.
The main task in the fight against bad smell after critical days is the elimination of the factors of the appearance of such a problem - changes in the microflora of the female genital organs, inflammatory pathologies and infections.
Complex therapy
Treatment must be comprehensive. These are antibacterial agents of a different spectrum of action that are used internally, as well as the injection of drugs.
For local treatment, vaginal suppositories are used. Their assortment is so wide that it is impossible to cope with the choice of the drug. That is why you need to visit a specialist who, being familiar with all the unpleasant manifestations after critical days, will choose the right medicine.
Suppositories not only have a therapeutic effect, but also eliminate a bad smell, interfere with the development and growth of colonies of pathogenic organisms, and normalize the vaginal microflora.
Other therapies
Syringing of the benzalkonium vagina with chloride, tomicide and other means is also carried out.
Depending on the severity and duration of the disease, antibiotics of a wide spectrum of influence, low toxic and modern, are used to eliminate symptoms.
When eliminating the source of pathology, the problem of the appearance of an unpleasant odor after menstruation automatically disappears.
Recommendations
Experts advise to refrain from sexual intercourse if, after menstruation, an unpleasant smell has appeared. During the treatment course, you must use condoms. Such precautions help to restore the balance of the vaginal microflora in the shortest possible time, and also help to avoid a relapse of the pathology.
The effectiveness of treatment is achieved provided that all doctor's prescriptions are carefully observed. The modern pharmaceutical industry provides an extensive list of medicines, which allows you to choose the most suitable treatment for each patient.
Preventive actions
Everyday small discharge with a specific slight smell from the female genital organs is a natural process and is normal. The intensity of the manifestation of their smell is determined by the hormonal state, age, the ratio of conditionally pathogenic and pathogenic microorganisms in the vagina, the presence of various diseases, etc.
If the above factors are violated, an unpleasant odor appears, but it can be prevented if you do the following:
- observe the rules of personal hygiene;
- carry out thorough body care, it is advisable to take a shower on critical days;
- several times throughout the day and at night, you need to wash the external genitalia with an intimate gel;
- changing underwear is mandatory in the mornings and evenings, if necessary more often;
- linen is best worn from natural fabrics;
- it is necessary to abandon tight-fitting linen;
- it is undesirable to save large swabs and sanitary pads;
- the use and constant replacement of daily gaskets;
- it is undesirable to abuse the douching procedure;
- to increase the defenses of your immunity (good nutrition, normalization of your emotional state, rest and work, etc.);
- mandatory use of condoms during sexual intercourse;
- complete and timely treatment of diseases.
Conclusion
If you carry out all the preventive measures, then any woman will feel confident. In addition, it will help maintain good health.
We examined why after menstruation there is a discharge with an unpleasant odor.