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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Strong Vaginal Odor?

I m not sure if I have a vaginal infection but I m pretty sure it is. Discharge comes out but it s so foul smelling it s horrible. I can t sit down because the smell starts spreading and other people can smell it, they usually remark how bad something smells. I can t go to school without feeling like the smell is going to spread, it s embarassing to sit down and have people smell the horrible aroma. I don t know how to make the smell go away while I seek an appointment.
Tue, 24 Feb 2015
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hello
Welcome to HCM

It's normal for your vagina to have a slight odor. But, a strong vaginal odor — for instance, a "fishy" smell — might be abnormal and could indicate a problem. An abnormal vaginal odor is usually associated with other vaginal signs and symptoms such as itching, burning, irritation or discharge. The most common source of vaginal odor is an infection. This can range from yeast infections, to bacterial infections, to STDs/STIs. The best practice to make sure that this is not the case is to go to the doctor and have them check you out.
The vagina is kind of like a rich ecosystem. Everything has to exist in perfect balance, and that balance can be really easily upset. If you use soap, antibacterial, take baths that are too hot, go in pools frequently, use scented pads, use lotion too close to your vagina, don't change your underwear often enough or use underwear of the wrong material, or a large number of other things, you can cause your little ecosystem to get totally out of whack. Basically, avoid using those things and just be very careful about washing every day with water (no soap!) and wearing clean clothes.
Methods to get a better smell:
Wear cotton underwear
Wear perfume
Apply a mixture of tea tree oil and water to the vaginal area
Watch your diet
Try using wet wipes

Hope it Helped!
Best Regards
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What Causes Strong Vaginal Odor?

Hello Welcome to HCM It s normal for your vagina to have a slight odor. But, a strong vaginal odor — for instance, a fishy smell — might be abnormal and could indicate a problem. An abnormal vaginal odor is usually associated with other vaginal signs and symptoms such as itching, burning, irritation or discharge. The most common source of vaginal odor is an infection. This can range from yeast infections, to bacterial infections, to STDs/STIs. The best practice to make sure that this is not the case is to go to the doctor and have them check you out. The vagina is kind of like a rich ecosystem. Everything has to exist in perfect balance, and that balance can be really easily upset. If you use soap, antibacterial, take baths that are too hot, go in pools frequently, use scented pads, use lotion too close to your vagina, don t change your underwear often enough or use underwear of the wrong material, or a large number of other things, you can cause your little ecosystem to get totally out of whack. Basically, avoid using those things and just be very careful about washing every day with water (no soap!) and wearing clean clothes. Methods to get a better smell: Wear cotton underwear Wear perfume Apply a mixture of tea tree oil and water to the vaginal area Watch your diet Try using wet wipes Hope it Helped! Best Regards