Man is designed in such a way that on the surface of his body there is a huge number of special skin glands through which sweat comes out. Most people don't worry too much about sweating. But for some, this becomes a real problem, preventing them from fully working and relaxing.
What is sweat?
Sweat itself is 98% water. The remaining 2% are s alts, fatty and amino acids, cholesterol and hormones. These components are not volatile, so it is almost impossible for a person to catch their smell. In this regard, ordinary sweat does not have an unpleasant odor, therefore it does not cause any serious trouble to a person.
The smell of sweat itself is individual and not prone to major changes. Certain changes can be observed in a person with age or with an excess of malnutrition (for example, when eating a large number of spicy or fatty foods, spices).
It's different if the sweat smells sour. As a rule, the discharge acquires an unpleasant odor due to the presence inthe human body of certain bacteria or diseases.
Reasons
There are many reasons why sweat smells sour. Most often it is a progressive disease in the human body. Therefore, if an unpleasant odor appears, as well as profuse sweating, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. After all, it is the doctor who, based on the smell and other symptoms, will be able to make an accurate diagnosis by conducting tests.
So, the most common reasons why sweat smells sour are:
- diabetes mellitus;
- liver and kidney disease;
- diphtheria;
- tuberculosis;
- disruption of the digestive system;
- metabolic disorder;
- adrenal problems and kidney failure.
Symptoms
There are a number of symptoms, upon detection of which a person is advised to immediately consult a doctor. These include:
- sudden increase in sweat;
- excessive sweating at night;
- appearance or change in the smell of sweat.
If these symptoms appear, it is worth making an appointment with the doctor, during which the real problem of excessive sweating and the odor that accompanies it will be established.
Treatment prescribed by a specialist will most likely be accompanied by the use of medical antiperspirants (which are sold in pharmacies),masking an unpleasant smell. The doctor may also prescribe the use of aluminum chloride.
Each illness has its own smell
Sweat may seem to always have the same bad smell. However, it is not. Experienced doctors know and can easily determine which disease corresponds to a particular sour smell of sweat.
- The putrid and at the same time sweet smell of sweat indicates the presence of a fungal or bacterial infection of human tissues (for example, diphtheria). As a rule, such a "flavor" is accompanied by redness and various rashes on the skin.
- A very unpleasant smell of boiled cabbage or sheep's wool indicates that the owner of this "aroma" suffers from kidney or liver disease, has serious problems with the adrenal glands.
- Kidney failure is characterized by sweating, which has a pronounced smell of ammonia. This is due to the fact that in case of violation of the work of the kidneys, a sufficiently large amount of substances of a nitrogenous nature begins to be released with sweat. Sweat in this case leaves white marks on clothes.
- With a disease such as diabetes, the patient has sweating, the smell of which is similar to the smell of rotting apples. The smell of sweat in this case is rapidly increasing, which is associated with the vital activity of bacteria.
- The disgusting, pronounced sour smell of sweat is nothing but one of the most important symptoms of tuberculosis. An important sign of the presence of this disease is profuse sweating at night, which leads to an unpleasant "aroma"body after a certain time after the awakening of a person.
- Disruption of the digestive system is accompanied by the presence of the smell of hydrogen sulfide. But in case of metabolic disorders, an unpleasant fishy tint will certainly be present.
Every woman's nightmare
The body of a woman physiologically releases less sweat compared to men. In this regard, with a sufficient level of hygiene, the sour smell of sweat in women is a rather rare phenomenon.
This is also due to the fact that the composition of the microflora of female skin contains fewer bacteria that secrete compounds that have an unpleasant odor.
In addition to the above diseases, which are most often accompanied by increased sweating, there are other factors that affect the fact that there is a sour smell of sweat in women. The reasons for this "unhappiness" may be as follows:
- Emotional stress. When stressful situations arise, the body releases adrenaline, which significantly increases the activity of the sweat glands.
- Hyperhidrosis is an unreasonable increase in sweating in various areas of the skin, which occurs as a result of disorders in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system.
- Change in the nature of the skin or, more simply, an increase in body weight. So, with obesity, the skin becomes more favorable for the growth of bacteria that cause the putrefaction of sweat.
- Changes in hormonal levels, which may be associated, for example, with long-term use of hormonal drugs.
- Changing the nature of nutrition. Increased sweating accompanied by an unpleasant odor can occur due to the consumption of a large amount of spices, spicy and fatty foods.
Do babies sweat?
The baby's sweat glands begin to function normally by the end of the first month of life. Moreover, reacting to the heat, the baby's body emits sweat, which normally has absolutely no smell.
However, sometimes you can smell the sour smell of sweat in a child. Many parents do not pay attention to the specified "bell". However, the appearance of an unpleasant odor when sweating is a signal for immediate medical attention.
The sour smell of sweat in a small child may indicate the development of diseases such as rickets and disorders in the nervous system.
In older children, the appearance of a sour smell of sweat can mean the presence of a number of diseases, such as: tuberculosis, neuralgia, high sugar, heart problems, rickets, endocrine system malfunction, viral infection, intestinal parasites.
Thus, you should not "close your eyes" to the child's profuse sweating, accompanied by the corresponding "aroma", and attribute this to his excessive mobility or heavy weight. If an unpleasant odor appears, it is necessary to show the child to a pediatrician who will diagnose and prescribeappropriate treatment.
All men sweat…
It is generally accepted that men experience great physical exertion in everyday life. In this regard, they should sweat more intensively. Moreover, if for almost all the fair sex the problem of excessive sweating and the corresponding "aroma" is serious, then for many men the smell of sweat is not a problem at all. There are those who do not even consider it necessary to “mask” it with deodorants.
At the same time, the sour smell of sweat in men, as well as in women and children, in most cases indicates the development of a certain disease in the body.
Unpleasant odor can accompany a man suffering from liver disease (often associated with a lack of choline), kidney disease, fungal or viral infection, thyroid dysfunction, and even mental illness.
Why does men have a sour smell of sweat? The reasons for this may be the most banal. So, a similar smell can be a consequence of the use of certain drugs, for example, penicillin, glaucoma drugs and cancer drugs. Often, an unpleasant "smell" accompanies those representatives of the stronger sex who like to "put on the bottle."
Combat odor
Reducing excessive sweating is possible only by contacting specialists and establishing the cause of this ailment. But you can “disguise” an unpleasant smell yourself.
The main methods of dealing with odor resulting from excessive sweating are:
- wearing natural fabrics;
- compliance with hygiene rules (daily water procedures, use of clean linen);
- use of deodorants (at the same time, in order not to increase the smell of sweat, deodorants must be applied to clean skin);
- exclusion from the diet of spicy and fatty foods, spices, drinks containing caffeine.
Summing up
So, what does the sour smell of sweat indicate? In most cases, it signals the appearance and development of a disease or infection in the human body. That is why it is extremely important to address such a problem to a specialist in a timely manner.
Also, do not delay going to the doctor for those people who have excessive sweating and an accompanying unpleasant odor that appeared abruptly and for no reason.
Treatment prescribed by a doctor, in most cases, will be accompanied by the use of special deodorants.
And in order to prevent the occurrence of such a "disease", you should follow the rules of hygiene, wear clothes made from natural fabrics, follow the regimen and rules of proper nutrition, and, of course, take care of your he alth.
