Bad Body Odor: What It Says About Your Health From Head To Toe, What Foul Smells Signal

Everybody has an occasional case of bad body odor or foul-smelling breath. It's embarrassing, but often easily cured by a quick shower or swish of mouthwash. But what do you do if the odor persists – or it's coming from a more private place? Read on for common smells that diseases release and what you can do to prevent them... Many body odors are normal, but when they take your breath away, that could signal an illness. “Diseases change the balance of chemicals in the body,” explains William Hanson, professor of anesthesiology and critical care at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, in Philadelphia. Those chemicals can trigger small changes in the scent of breath, urine and other body fluids. “Generally, our sense of smell isn't sensitive enough to pick all these up,” Hanson says. But machines and dogs can. Researchers have developed prototypes of electronic noses that can pick up the early odor changes caused by cancer and pneumonia. Dogs, with their sensitive sense of smell, are sometimes able to pick up changes in scents that indicate a disease, such as cancer. (To read more about how dogs spot illnesses, read Beyond Guide Dogs.) But you don’t need an electronic nose or Fido to figure out what some odors signal. Here’s a guide to common smells and what they say about your health. Bad body odor #1: “An overpowering, foul odor, like rotting garbage,” says Natasha Johnson, M.D., director of the Vulvovaginal Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. The condition: A forgotten object, such as a tampon, in your vagina. “Occasionally, a woman just forgets she already has a tampon in,” says Miriam Greene, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at NYU Langone Medical Center, in New York City, and co-host of the show "Sexual Health" on Sirius/XM Channel 81, Doctor Radio. If that's the cause, within about 24-48 hours, you'll notice a “very pungent smell caused by vaginal bacteria multiplying,” she says. Other symptoms: You may also have a feeling of pressure or general discomfort – but for many women the smell is the only symptom, Greene says. Expected treatment: Check to see if you forgot a tampon. But, Greene admits, “Once my patients can’t find the string, they're afraid to dig too deep.” Whether or not you remove the tampon, follow up with a doctor because there's a chance that while it sat there, bacteria grew and caused an infection. “I always like to treat with an antibiotic cream just in case the overgrowth of bacteria leads to an infection,” Greene says. Bad body odor #2: A vaginal discharge with a pasty, yeasty smell, like bread dough. The condition: Vaginal yeast infection caused by an overgrowth of the naturally occurring fungus candida. It occurs naturally in the vagina, but its growth is usually kept in check by acid produced by another naturally occurring bacteria, lactobacillus. When this balance is disrupted – often by antibiotic use, pregnancy, diabetes or a compromised immune system – a yeast infection can result. Because it grows best in a warm, moist environment, an infection can also develop when you wear tight, damp clothing, such as a bathing suit, for long periods. Other symptoms: A thick, white discharge. “You'll have a lot of itching,” Greene says. “Your tissues will become inflamed and may eventually crack, which can cause a lot of pain,” she adds. Expected treatment: Try an over-the-counter antifungal remedy for three days, Greene advises. If symptoms worsen or don’t improve, then see your doctor. You may need a stronger prescription cream or even an oral antifungal medicine, such as fluconazole, she says. The odor may also have another cause, such as a bacterial infection, Johnson says. “When they have a discharge, most of my patients assume it's a yeast infection,” she says. “Often that’s not the case, so I prefer to see them to confirm the diagnosis.” Bad body odor #3: A strong foul-smelling or fishy odor from your vagina. The condition: Bacterial vaginosis, which develops when “good” bacteria (lactobacillus) gets outnumbered by “bad” bacteria – the kind that causes infections – in the vagina. The odor is often most noticeable after sex or during or just after your period, Johnson says. That's because semen and menstrual blood have a high pH (and are acidic), which causes the bacteria to release amines, organic compounds that cause foul smells, she explains. Other symptoms: You'll probably also see a white or gray discharge, pain, itching and burning. Expected treatment: Your doctor may analyze a culture to confirm the diagnosis. If you have bacterial vaginosis, the standard therapy is an oral antibiotic, usually either metronidazole or clindamycin. Bad body odor #4: A pungent urine smell that hits your nose as soon as your stream hits the toilet bowl — and lingers in the air. The condition: Urinary tract infection in the kidneys, bladder, ureters and/or urethra. The most common sites of infection are the bladder and urethra (the canal that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body). Other factors – such as vitamins, medications and foods you've eaten – can change your urine's scent. For example, “Asparagus can change the odor of your urine, but that usually lasts through only one or two voids of your bladder,” Johnson says. If you're taking vitamins or medications daily, the effects can last longer, she says. Other symptoms: A urinary tract infection will usually be accompanied by other symptoms: burning, urgency, leaking, pain and possibly cloudy or bloody urine. If you develop nausea, lower back pain, or fever, you may have a kidney infection. Expected treatment: Your doctor will culture your urine and prescribe an antibiotic. He may also suggest these strategies to make you feel better during an infection and prevent future ones: Drink lots of water. This helps flush bacteria out of your system. Drink cranberry juice. There is some evidence, although not definitive, that cranberry juice helps prevent, but not treat, UTIs, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). When you have to go, go. This flushes bacteria out of your bladder. Always wipe from front to back to avoid bringing fecal bacteria toward your urinary tract. Bad body odor #5: A sweet or fruity smell in your urine. “If you notice this, it may be because you're spilling sugar in your urine,” Greene says. “This can be a sign of diabetes.” The condition: Diabetes, which occurs when blood glucose, or sugar, levels are too high. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body use the glucose in foods to produce energy. When your body doesn’t make insulin, as in type 1 diabetes, or doesn’t use it well, as in type 2, you can develop the disease. Untreated diabetes can eventually lead to blindness, kidney failure, damaged nerves, heart disease and stroke. Between three and eight out of every 100 pregnant women will develop gestational diabetes, which lasts for the length of the pregnancy. Untreated gestational diabetes can harm both the mother and the fetus. Other symptoms: People with diabetes will be excessively thirsty and urinate frequently. They may also have frequent infections, including urinary tract and yeast infections. Other symptoms are poor circulation, including numbness in feet and hands, wounds that don’t heal, and blurred vision. Expected treatment: There are several blood tests to diagnose diabetes: Fasting plasma glucose test (FPG), in which the level of glucose in your blood is measured after eight hours of fasting Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), in which you drink a glucose-containing beverage after eight hours of fasting. Two hours later, your blood glucose level is measured Random plasma glucose test, a simple test of the glucose in your blood The test results should be confirmed by a second test on a different day, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC). While there’s no cure for diabetes, it can be managed with diet, physical activity and medications. Learn more in our Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Health Centers. Bad body odor #6: Your breath smells foul, like you haven't brushed or flossed in a decade. The condition: Sinusitis, an inflammation of tissues in the sinuses – hollow spaces in the bones that connect with your nose. It can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection or allergies. Your breath smells bad because infected mucus from your sinuses drains into the back of your throat, explains Michael Perskin, M.D., director of Faculty Group Practice at NYU Langone Medical Center, in New York City. Other symptoms: A sinus infection can cause intense nasal congestion and pressure, a decreased sense of smell, a postnasal drip and cough. You may also notice a thick or colored nasal discharge. It’s even possible to develop ear, tooth or jaw pain from the pressure caused by the inflamed sinuses. You may also have a slight fever. Expected treatment: Some cases of sinusitis get better without treatment. If symptoms don’t improve or get worse after several days, visit your doctor. Also, see a physician immediately if you develop swelling around the eyes or forehead, a severe headache, a stiff neck, vision changes or shortness of breath. Your doctor may list all your symptoms, examine your nasal passages and take a culture. If you have a bacterial infection, a physician probably will prescribe oral antibiotics. Bad Body Odor #7: Taking off your shoes is an ordeal – the smell is so bad it fills the entire room. The condition: Bromhidrosis, a fancy term that means smell caused by sweat. “The sweat on your feet doesn’t smell on its own,” says Mark Kosinski, a podiatrist, and professor at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, in New York City. “The sweat creates a moist environment which, in your dark, warm shoes, is a perfect setting for growth of bacteria and fungi.” Those organisms cause the odor. “It’s a metabolic byproduct of the bacteria and fungi living on your feet,” Kosinski says. Other symptoms: Your feet may itch, and skin may redden. "Itching, which starts between the webs of toes and spreads, is a sign of fungal infection," says Zeina Tannous, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "Other signs are redness and flaking or scaling skin." Expected treatment: Start with over-the-counter products, Kosinski suggests. To stop the sweat, you can use a deodorizing foot powder or even a regular underarm spray antiperspirant. Stay away from cornstarch, Kosinski advises. That's because it provides food for the bacteria and fungi on your feet. His other tips: Spray both shoes and feet with an athlete’s foot spray powder Try activated charcoal insoles to combat the smell in your shoes Don’t wear the same shoes every day Buy shoes with breathable uppers, such as leather or canvas Wear cotton socks when possible because they allow feet to breathe better than synthetic fabrics At the end of the day, don’t throw your shoes in a dark closet. Instead, allow them to air out in a well-lit, ventilated spot If these steps don’t work, see a podiatrist, who might prescribe a stronger antifungal medication. They may also do tests to determine another cause for the excessive sweating. For example, an overactive thyroid can cause palms and feet to sweat. If you have extreme sweating on your feet, your doctor may try a treatment to control it. For example, Botox injections block the secretion of the chemical in the nervous system that activates the sweat glands. Iontopheresis, in which water is used as a conductor for a small electric current, also blocks the flow of sweat. One caution: If you have diabetes, visit a doctor at the first sign of odor. Fungal and bacterial foot infections progress quickly and become more severe in people without diabetes.