The color and smell of vaginal secretions can say a lot about a woman’s health status. Often, patients turn to the doctor with complaints that the discharge smells like fish. Why does an unpleasant odor occur? Most often, its cause is a serious imbalance of beneficial and harmful microorganisms in the genital tract. Doctors call this condition vaginosis or dysbiosis. It appears with a decrease in the number of sour milk bacteria. In the article we will consider in detail why the discharge smells like fish and how to treat microflora disturbance.
Normal discharge
A secret is constantly formed in the reproductive organs of a woman. It is secreted by special glands of the vulvar mucosa. In the female body, cyclical hormonal changes occur that affect the consistency and color of secretions. For example, after menstruation, the mucus becomes cloudy and clammy. During ovulation, the secret thickens and resembles an egg white.
If a woman is healthy, then the mucus does not have a pronounced unpleasant odor. Normally, the secret should also not contain impurities. However, often patients find that the discharge smells of fish. Why is there such a smell? This always indicates the presence of unwanted microorganisms in the mucus.
The most common cause of fish smell is bacterial vaginosis. This is a very common disease, which in the initial stages proceeds without obvious symptoms. A feeling of discomfort in the intimate area appears already in advanced cases. Next, we will consider in detail the causes, manifestations and therapy of this pathology.
Bacterial vaginosis
Both beneficial and harmful microorganisms live in the female genital organs. Normally, a certain balance is maintained between these two types of bacteria. If a woman is healthy, then lactobacilli predominate in the genital tract. They do not allow the pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora to multiply excessively.
Under the influence of various adverse factors, the number of beneficial lactobacilli can significantly decrease. This leads to the fact that their place is occupied by pathogenic microorganisms, for example, anaerobic bacteria or gardnerella. Doctors call this imbalance bacterial vaginosis.
With vaginosis, female discharge smells like fish. What does it mean? Gardnerella bacterium gives a fish smell to mucus. In about half the cases, it is this microorganism that causes a violation of the vaginal microflora. Gynecologists call this type of bacterial vaginosis gardnerellosis.
Gardnerella refers to opportunistic bacteria. This microorganism is located on the vulvar mucosa in most women and does not cause any disease under normal conditions. The danger is only the excessive reproduction of this microbe.
Doctors do not attribute gardnerellosis to sexually transmitted diseases. This pathology is only a violation of normal microflora. However, in the acute period of bacterial vaginosis, the transmission of microbes through sexual contact is quite possible. Most often, people with weak immunity or intestinal dysbiosis become infected.
With gardnerellosis, the secretion of the glands acquires a grayish-white color. But the mucus is separated in small quantities and there are no traces of it on the pad or underwear. A woman notices that the discharge smells of fish, and often this is the only sign of pathology. It is very difficult to independently detect gardnerellosis in the early stages.
Causes of Vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis usually does not develop in one day. The number of beneficial lactobacilli decreases over time. The cause of gardnerellosis can be a negative impact on the microflora of both external and internal factors.
The following diseases and conditions of the body can provoke the development of bacterial vaginosis:
- decreased immunity;
- menopause
- pregnancy;
- violation of the intestinal microflora;
- atrophic changes in the vaginal mucosa (kraurosis);
- inflammatory processes in the genitourinary organs;
- hormonal disruptions;
- abortion (artificial or spontaneous);
- pathology of the endocrine system;
- polyps and cysts on the walls of the vulva;
- deformation of the reproductive organs after childbirth or surgery.
Quite often, the microflora of the vagina is disturbed due to the negative effects of the following external factors:
- the use of barrier contraceptives with spermicides;
- treatment with vaginal suppositories with a wide spectrum of action;
- the use of hygienic tampons and intrauterine devices;
- chemotherapy
- radiation therapy;
- frequent changes in sexual partners;
- ingress of foreign objects into the genital tract;
- long-term use of antibiotics, antifungal drugs, cytostatics.
It is important to remember that poor genital hygiene also leads to the development of gardnerellosis. However, often very clean patients notice that the discharge smells of rotten fish. Why is there such a smell? The reason for this may be excessively frequent washing with soap or gel, as well as douching with chlorine preparations. The constant exposure to detergents and antiseptics destroys beneficial bacteria, which leads to disruption of microflora.
If the discharge smells like rotten fish, then frequent washing and douching will not help get rid of the unpleasant odor. In many cases, this only exacerbates the situation. You need to contact a gynecologist and undergo a thorough examination. The smell disappears only after normalization of the vaginal microflora.
Symptomatology
At the initial stage of bacterial vaginosis, the nature of the secreted mucus does not change. The patient does not experience any discomfort or discomfort. Sexual dysfunction is indicated only by the fact that female secretions smell like fish. Why is bacterial vaginosis so weak at an early stage? This is due to the fact that the pathological process with gardnerellosis develops very slowly. Therefore, severe symptoms appear far from immediately.
If you do not engage in treatment at an early stage, then after a few months, pronounced signs of gardnerellosis appear:
- Allocations become more plentiful, viscous and frothy. In the initial stage, they have a white or gray color, in advanced cases, the mucus acquires a greenish tint.
- There is discomfort after intimate contact.
- Itching and burning sensation in the vulva, as well as discomfort during urination, can occur.
A characteristic feature of bacterial vaginosis is the absence of an inflammatory process. During a gynecological examination, redness and swelling are not detected on the walls of the vulva. However, if secondary bacterial infection joins the gardnerellosis, then the occurrence of inflammation in the vagina (vaginitis) cannot be ruled out.
There are times when an unpleasant odor occurs only on certain days of the menstrual cycle. For example, a patient notices that before menstruation the discharge smells of fish. Why is this happening? In the premenstrual period, the level of estrogen in a woman’s body is quite low. Such hormonal fluctuations contribute to the death of beneficial lactobacilli and increase the number of gardnerella. Therefore, bacterial vaginosis is often exacerbated before critical days.
Possible complications
Bacterial vaginosis is far from a harmless disease. Gynecologists are always alarmed if the patient's discharge smells like fish. Why do doctors consider gardnerellosis a rather serious pathology?
Gardnerella bacterium can live not only on the vaginal mucosa. Often this microorganism penetrates the uterus and appendages. To date, there is no accurate evidence that gardnerella is capable of causing inflammatory diseases of the endometrium or fallopian tubes. However, such an opportunity cannot be completely ruled out. With bacterial vaginosis, favorable conditions are created for other pathogens, which can cause the following diseases:
- vaginitis;
- endometritis;
- adnexitis;
- cervicitis.
Often there are cases when curdled white discharge smells like fish. Such symptoms indicate candidiasis (thrush), proceeding against the background of bacterial vaginosis. Fungal infection and gardnerellosis are quite common at the same time. Usually, candidiasis has a sour milk smell. However, if thrush is combined with gardnerellosis, then the white curd mass may emit a fishy smell.
What is vaginosis dangerous during pregnancy
Often during pregnancy, the discharge in women smells of fish. Why is this happening? During gestation, hormonal changes in the body occur. For this reason, vaginal microflora is often disturbed in pregnant women. If a woman previously suffered from gardnerellosis, then during the gestational period she has frequent exacerbations of the pathology. Therefore, doctors recommend treating bacterial vaginosis at the planning stage of pregnancy.
If during pregnancy the female discharge smells of fish, then this is a rather alarming sign. Gardnerella itself does not pose a direct danger to the fetus. This bacterium cannot penetrate the placenta. However, against the background of vaginosis, other dangerous microorganisms can be activated.
Approximately 80% of adult women are carriers of ureaplasma. Under normal conditions, this microorganism is not particularly dangerous. Its excessive reproduction is restrained by lactobacilli. But with a violation of microflora, ureaplasma begins to show its pathogenic properties. Ureaplasmosis, proceeding against the background of gardnerellosis, is a danger to the unborn child. Such a combined infection can cause miscarriage, fading pregnancy, fetoplacental insufficiency.
What to do if during pregnancy the discharge in women smells of fish? It is urgent to report such symptoms to the attending obstetrician-gynecologist. Therapy of bacterial vaginosis during the period of gestation is quite possible. However, oral antibiotics are contraindicated for pregnant patients, so treatment is limited to the use of local drugs.
Do men suffer from gardnerellosis?
Men rarely suffer from gardnerellosis .. However, the probability of such a disease cannot be completely ruled out. In male patients, this pathology often proceeds with erased symptoms, in the form of a sluggish inflammatory process in the urethra.
In men, gardnerellosis is not a violation of microflora, but an infectious disease. Two reasons can provoke the occurrence of pathology:
- Decreased immunity. Gardnerella is part of the normal microflora of the urethra in men. But with a weakening of the body's defenses, this bacterium can multiply excessively. Often other microbes join it, which causes urethritis.
- Infection from a partner. If a woman suffers from chronic bacterial vaginosis, then she can transmit this bacterium to a man through sexual contact.
Therefore, doctors believe that both partners should undergo treatment for gardnerellosis.
At the initial stage of the disease, the patient does not experience any unpleasant sensations. If the urethral discharge smells of fish, then this is a sign of a neglected form of gardnerellosis. In this case, the mucus has a greenish color. In the later stages, burning and itching are felt in the urethra. On the glans penis, you may notice small red spots and darkening of the skin.
Are there any other causes of fish smell
There are cases when laboratory diagnostics reveal sexual infections in a patient, for example, trichomoniasis, mycoplasmosis, chlamydia. But at the same time, the symptomatology of the pathology is very similar to vaginosis, and the discharge smells like fish. Why is this happening? Such diseases very often occur against the background of gardnerellosis. With disturbed microflora, the vulvar mucosa is very susceptible to infection.
Fish smell of mucus is not characteristic of sexually transmitted infections. If the discharge in women smells of fish, then this is a sign of gardnerellosis. However, with vaginosis in patients very often secondary sexual infections are detected. Any inflammatory processes can be accompanied by a fishy smell, if they occur against a background of chronic microflora disturbance.
Diagnostics
With an external gynecological examination, it is very difficult to detect signs of gardnerellosis. After all, this bacterium does not always cause severe inflammation. Only with the help of laboratory diagnostics can we precisely determine why the discharge in women smells of fish.
The main method for detecting bacterial vaginosis is to take a swab from the vagina. However, the study of biomaterial using PCR diagnostics is considered uninformative. After all, gardnerella lives in the genital tract and in healthy women. Therefore, the detection of this bacterium in a smear does not indicate the presence of pathology.
The following laboratory signs of gardnerellosis exist:
- In the smear, the number of sour milk bacteria is sharply reduced. In some cases, beneficial microorganisms are completely absent.
- An alkaline reaction of the vaginal mucus is noted. This indicates a sharp decrease in the number of lactobacilli.
- When mucus is mixed with potassium hydroxide, the smell of rotten fish appears.
- A large number of desquamated cells are found in the biomaterial.
If one or more of the above symptoms is noted, then doctors will diagnose bacterial vaginosis.
Treatment methods
Treatment of pathology is carried out in two stages. First, it is necessary to suppress the excessive reproduction of gardnerella and other harmful bacteria. Then you need to normalize the microflora of the vagina.
In order to stop the active reproduction of harmful bacteria, the following types of antibiotics are prescribed in the form of oral tablets and vaginal suppositories:
- "Trichopol".
- Clindamycin.
- "Tinidazole".
- Metrogil.
- Ornidazole
Antibacterial agents in the form of creams are also prescribed. The following gels and ointments are used:
At the first stage, antibiotic therapy is supplemented with the appointment of vitamin complexes with ascorbic acid. This helps restore and strengthen the immune system.
The course of antibiotic therapy lasts about 7 to 10 days. Long-term use of antibiotics is undesirable, as this can lead to even greater imbalance in bacteria.
Then proceed to the second stage of therapy. It is necessary to restore the normal number of lactobacilli. For this purpose, probiotics in the form of suppositories are prescribed:
- Apilak.
- "Bifidumbacterin."
- "Acylact."
- Lactozhinal.
- "Bifikol."
Throughout the course of therapy, the patient must adhere to a diet. Spicy, spicy and sweet dishes should be excluded from the diet. Such food contributes to the propagation of opportunistic microflora. Sour milk products should be used more often, this will help saturate the body with beneficial lactobacilli.
Prevention
The following recommendations of gynecologists will help prevent a violation of vaginal microflora:
- Intimate hygiene must be carefully observed, but excessive washing and douching should be avoided.
- It is necessary to monitor your hormonal status. If endocrine disruptions are detected, pathologies must be cured in a timely manner.
- Any antibiotics should be taken only as directed by a doctor. Long-term use of antibacterial drugs can provoke not only vaginosis, but also intestinal dysbiosis.
- Accidental and unprotected sex should be avoided.
- At least twice a year, you need to undergo a gynecological examination and take a smear on the microflora.
These measures will help minimize the risk of developing bacterial vaginosis.