A mild vaginal odor is perfectly healthy. Most women have grown accustomed to the natural odor of the vagina and recognize when the smell is unusual. Some women may notice a slightly stronger smell close to and shortly after their menstrual period. A change in odor can follow intercourse as well. When the odor becomes foul or is persistently unusual, it can be a sign that something is wrong.
Causes
Yeast overgrowth is one of the most common causes of vaginal infection. When the balance of healthy bacteria and yeast is disrupted, such as by using antibiotics to treat an illness, the yeast can reproduce rapidly, resulting in a yeast infection. Most women will not experience an odor with yeast overgrowth, but when they do, it is mild, often described as bread-like in smell.
Various types of infections cause vaginal odors that are strong and often foul. Bacterial vaginosis is similar to yeast overgrowth in that bacteria thrive naturally in the vagina, but can overproduce. However, odor associated with bacterial vaginosis is typically foul and often described as "fishy." Other types of infections that result in foul vaginal odor include chlamydia or gonorrhea. These infections are sexually transmitted and can infect a partner. MayoClinic.com suggests that a woman can forget about a tampon they inserted into the vagina and experience foul odor, but that this rarely occurs.
Symptoms
Most causes of vaginal smell will be accompanied by other symptoms. Yeast infections are likely to produce copious amounts of thick, white discharge that is often said to resemble cottage cheese. Bacterial infections of all types can cause an increase in vaginal discharge that can be clear, white, yellow, brown, green or pinkish.
A vaginal odor is likely to be accompanied by some amount of visible and physical irritation. The vagina and surrounding tissues may be red from inflammation. Itching and burning may be frequent. Intercourse can exacerbate discomfort felt in the vagina and surrounding areas when an infection is present.
Diagnosis
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that a doctor will examine the vagina in a variety of ways to determine the cause of the odor. A visual exam can give the doctor many clues. Using a speculum to open the vagina and reveal the cervix, a doctor can swab the cervix to obtain a sample of the cells, which will be examined to identify the organism causing the vaginal odor. A sample of the woman's discharge may also be examined for the presence of certain organisms.
Treatment
An infection of the vagina can be treated with medications. Antifungal creams, suppositories and oral tablets are given for yeast infections. These treatments should start working in three to seven days. Bacterial infections are treated with an oral antibiotic.
When an infection is not to blame for the odor, a woman may be advised to change her hygiene practices. Douching and strong soaps can exacerbate and cause vaginal odor problems.
Complications
More serious causes of vaginal odor include cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease and rectovaginal fistula, according to MayoClinic.com. These conditions are rare, but can be diagnosed through Pap testing and other screenings through testing of cells. With the exception of pelvic inflammatory disease, a treatment plan will consist of surgery to remove cancer tissues, surgery to repair the fistula that allows fecal matter to leak through the vagina and chemotherapy to destroy the cancer cells. Pelvic inflammatory disease is treated with strong antibiotics and is monitored for improvement.
