Quite often, gynecologists turn to women who are worried about the fishy smell spreading from the perineum without discharge or with it. The cause of this condition is a disease - gardnerellosis. It is well studied by doctors. The cure in the general case does not present any particular problems, but you will have to strictly follow the recommendations of a specialist.
general information
Gardnerellosis, which provokes the appearance of a fishy smell of secretions in women, has an alternative official name - bacterial vaginosis. This is a relatively widespread disease. Its cause is a change in the balance of the vaginal microflora. A specific “aroma” appears if the proportion of gardnerella in the medium increases. Normally, these bacteria are necessarily present in the vaginal microflora, but they are relatively small, the concentration remains stable due to self-regulation mechanisms. If the balance of gardnerella and lactobacilli is disturbed, symptoms of gardnerellosis appear.
Where did the trouble come from?
The cause of fish odor is gardnerellosis, caused by an imbalance in the local environment in the reproductive system. This is often observed if the woman’s intimate life is messy, she has many partners. There is a possibility of such a pathological condition if a woman uses daily pads every day. Lack of hygiene during monthly bleeding leads to gardnerellosis. If the lady changes the pads out of time, if the tampon change frequency is violated, the likelihood of microflora imbalance is very high.
The cause of the disease can be hormonal imbalance. This is observed during puberty, characteristic of many women bearing a child. Quite often, gardnerellosis bothers those who use tight underwear made of synthetic material. Similar problems arise with intestinal dysbiosis, against the background of a long course of antibiotics, with weak immunity.
Important factors
Sometimes the fish smell is disturbing due to internal factors, sometimes external. The bad ecology and pollution of the environment in which the woman lives play a role. The more often sexual intercourse that is not accompanied by the use of barrier contraception occurs, the higher the risk of disturbing the balance of microflora in the vagina. If a woman eats improperly, inadequately, unbalanced, if she is forced to adhere to a diet due to which she receives little lactic acid nutrition, the risk of gardnerellosis is significantly higher than average. Increases the likelihood of illness and excessive use of antibiotics, the use of intrauterine contraceptives. According to doctors, the more often a woman uses contraceptives (any), the greater the danger of microflora imbalance.
Everything is interconnected
Fish smell often worries those who have STDs and other pathologies localized in the genitourinary system. There is a higher likelihood of developing a problem against a background of chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Gardnerellosis threatens to suffer from endocrine diseases, especially common in diabetics. Due to a violation of the concentration of sugars in the blood, the local alkaline balance changes, so the conditionally pathogenic microflora gets the opportunity to actively develop. There is a possibility that a fishy smell will bother if a woman suffers from neurological diseases, if she has immunity diseases.
How to notice?
A typical sign of gardnerellosis is discharge with a fishy smell. The amount of substance released is relatively large. Allocations are uniform, in shade - white with a gray undertone, for some they are slightly yellow. A characteristic specific smell is that, in the first place, it is possible to suspect what kind of disease caused them to appear.
On average, every second woman against the background of gardnerellosis develops vaginitis, that is, the vagina becomes the area of localization of the focus of inflammation. Such a complication indicates burning, local itching. Sensations become stronger when the bladder is empty, intimate contact.
Noticing the characteristic symptoms, you need to get to the doctor as soon as possible. Self-medication is not allowed and does not bring a pronounced effect. If you do not start therapy on time, there is a high risk of vaginitis, colpitis, and other pathologies of the reproductive system.
Is it possible to get infected from a partner?
Men do not need a fish smell treatment. Gardnerellosis is a disease that occurs only and exclusively in women. In case of intimate contact, the bacteria can enter the urethra. This is more threatening to people with weakened immune systems. The situation is accompanied by the risk of urethritis, which indicates a burning sensation, itching when the bladder is empty. If the immune system is normal, but the bacterium has entered the body, the person becomes a carrier. Each intimate contact with such a person is accompanied by a risk of getting sick. If a lady notes frequent relapses of gardnerellosis, she should go to the gynecologist's appointment and ask her regular partner to go to the urologist. The man may also have to undergo treatment.
Diagnosis
Having noticed a fishy smell from an intimate zone, a woman should consult an experienced gynecologist. The doctor prescribes studies to determine the cause. The study shows that one fifth of the total composition is the "key" cells. The level of acidity of the medium is more than 4.5 units, the discharge is uniform and resembles a cream. Conducting a KOH test with a concentration of 10% gives a positive result.
In laboratory conditions, microbiological research approaches, PCR, RIF are practiced. The first word denotes a polymerase chain reaction. The second abbreviation means immunofluorescence reaction. In practice, the biological sample obtained from a patient is most often examined under a microscope, the materials are stained with brilliant green, and analyzes are performed in accordance with Gram technology and also RIF.
Diagnostic nuances
If the reason for going to the doctor was a fishy smell, a woman should be prepared for what the gynecologist will send to the laboratory for the delivery of biological samples, which will then be examined by the methods indicated earlier. As materials for the examination, cervical canal discharge, samples from the vaginal walls, vaults are taken. You need to get a small amount of urine. The doctor will massage the urethra, and then take a small amount of discharge. For work, use a Volkman spoon or a specific probe. Urine is given in vitro or obtained using a sterile catheter. To obtain samples of the uterine neck, tweezers are required.
How to fight?
In case of fish smell from the intimate area, it is better to entrust the treatment to the doctor. The doctor will prescribe drugs that are dangerous for gardnerella. To increase the effectiveness of the course, they will additionally recommend taking medications that contain lactobacilli that are useful for a sick woman. The drug course involves two steps. They are both required. First, they suppress the development of a conditionally pathogenic microorganism. Usually use antibacterial drugs. Clindamycin, Metronidazole are especially widespread. They are prescribed for local administration: suppositories, gels. Sometimes the doctor decides to prescribe a sick pill for systemic effects on the body. The duration of treatment varies from a week to ten days.
The doctor, explaining how to get rid of fish smell, will also tell you about the second block of treatment. This stage of the program is considered by many to be more difficult than taking antibiotics. It is necessary to populate the vaginal area with beneficial bacteria. Before you start using drugs that stabilize the balance of microflora, you need to undergo an additional examination, which will confirm the effectiveness of the first step of treatment. It is important to check if there is candidiasis, often formed due to the use of antimicrobial agents. For local use, the medicines Lactobacterin, Lactormorm are used. Atsilakt has a good reputation. In addition to suppositories, the doctor may prescribe funds for oral administration. More often than not they prescribe Lactonorm Plus, Lactobacterin.
Nuances and efficiency
To get rid of the fishy smell from the vagina was effective and quick, a strict diet should be followed during the treatment period. It is advised to exclude alcohol from the diet and refuse spicy, seasonings, spices. Fried foods are harmful. Useful products in which there are lactic acid bacteria. You can eat kefir, cooked at home on a special sourdough, special yoghurts and kefirs enriched with lactobacilli, sold in stores.
If the reason for going to the doctor was a fishy smell from the vagina, the doctor will not only diagnose gardnerellosis, but also assess the risks of intestinal dysbiosis. Most patients are prescribed additional drugs to prevent this disease. The most useful prebiotics. They can be found in any pharmacy - these are Linex and Normoflorin. Quite often, doctors recommend Bifidumbacterin, known for its reliable effect.
Multifaceted approach
Usually, a fishy smell from the intimate area bothers women with weakened immune system activity. If gardnerellosis is diagnosed, it is recommended to introduce drugs that increase the body's natural protective level into the drug program. To eliminate the weakness of the immune system, pharmaceutical products modulating the work of this system are prescribed. Multivitamin complexes are useful. Among the often prescribed drugs, it is worth noting the preparations "Vitrum", "Biomax". No less useful are medicines made from plant products - extracts, concentrates of magnolia vine, echinacea.
What is the result?
Undergoing treatment due to gardnerellosis, which provoked a fishy smell from the intimate area, it is necessary to avoid sexual intercourse until the moment of full recovery. If this is not possible for some reason, the only way to protect against unwanted conception for a period of illness is the barrier. Checking the effectiveness of the selected program is carried out a week after the completion of the drug course and stopping all the specific manifestations of the disease. A month or a half after this, it is advised to do a follow-up examination.
Do not try to cope with the disease on your own. If you are concerned about the characteristic fishy smell, you need to see a doctor. The treatment will be performed by a gynecologist. Pathology is not infectious, is not classified as an STD, and is not considered an infection that spreads through sexual contact. Therefore, visits to a venereologist can be avoided. In general, it is recommended to consult a gastroenterologist. This is especially important if intestinal dysbiosis is disturbing against the background of gardnerellosis.
Is it possible to warn?
To exclude the development of pathology, it is necessary to study the factors that provoke the development of the disease, and eliminate their effect on the body. If the disease has already happened, measures must be taken to prevent relapse. The best protection against undesirable consequences and illness is given by proper nutrition and use of medicines strictly prescribed by the doctor. When using contraceptives, you also need to consult a doctor first. You can not use vaginal suppositories, tablets without a preliminary examination of the gynecologist.
Since there is a higher likelihood of disturbing the balance of microflora in the event that a woman leads an disordered sexual life, the exclusion of such contacts is one of the reliable options for preventing the disease. Whenever possible, each contact should be accompanied by the use of barrier contraception. Forms for oral use, intrauterine methods for preventing pregnancy do not protect against possible dangers.
What to look for?
One of the important aspects of prevention is maintaining calm in any situation. A woman should exclude stressful factors, dangerous moments from her life. Nervous tension leads to a variety of disorders in the body, including the active reproduction of opportunistic microflora.
Important aspects of everyday life, eliminating gardnerellosis - a responsible attitude to hygiene and high-quality, fairly long sleep. It is necessary to control the diet, eat balanced, fully. With food, a woman should receive all the important minerals and vitamins. It is important to have fermented milk products in the diet on a regular basis, giving preference to enriched with beneficial bacteria.
Simple and reliable
In order not to encounter the problem of fishy smell in the crotch area, you should reconsider your wardrobe and get rid of synthetic underwear, especially tight-fitting. To replace it, you need to choose cotton products that suit the dimensions of the body.
You should introduce the habit of walking outdoors every day.
If it was possible to transfer gardnerellosis and the disease was successfully cured, the doctor will give recommendations on preventing relapse, starting from the causes that provoked the problem. To exclude the development of repeated pathology, you need to carefully observe his advice.
Norm and not very
Do not panic when you discover discharge on your laundry or panty liners. In a small volume, any woman has such. On average, they are about 4 ml per day. Specific volumes are determined by age, reproductive activity, the presence of diseases. Much depends on the degree of sexual arousal. The current moment of the menstrual cycle plays its role. The peculiar smell of spoiled fish comes from volatile amines. These substances are the waste products of opportunistic microflora, which actively multiply if a colony of lactobacilli is inhibited. Some women try to mask this characteristic odor using deodorants. This solution is ineffective and does not bring benefits, the condition only gets worse due to the chemically active components of the hygiene product.