The color and smell of vaginal secretions can tell a lot about a woman's he alth. Often, patients go to the doctor with complaints that the discharge smells like fish. Why does bad odor occur? Most often, its cause is a serious imbalance of beneficial and harmful microorganisms in the genital tract. Doctors call this condition vaginosis or dysbiosis. It appears with a decrease in the number of lactic acid bacteria. In the article, we will take a closer look at why the discharge smells like fish and how to treat a microflora disorder.
Normal highlights
A secret is constantly formed in the reproductive organs of a woman. It is secreted by special glands of the mucous membrane of the vulva. In the female body, cyclic hormonal changes occur that affect the consistency and color of the discharge. For example, after menstruation, the mucus becomes cloudy andsticky. During ovulation, the secret thickens and resembles egg white.
If a woman is he althy, then the mucus does not have a pronounced unpleasant odor. Normally, the secret should also not contain impurities. However, patients often find that the discharge smells like fish. Why is there such a smell? This always indicates the presence of unwanted microorganisms in the mucus.
The most common cause of a fishy smell is bacterial vaginosis. This is a very common disease that in the initial stages proceeds without obvious symptoms. The feeling of discomfort in the intimate area appears already in advanced cases. Next, we will consider in detail the causes, manifestations and therapy of this pathology.
Bacterial vaginosis
The female genital organs are inhabited by both beneficial and harmful microorganisms. Normally, a certain balance is maintained between these two types of bacteria. If a woman is he althy, then lactobacilli predominate in the genital tract. They do not allow pathogenic and opportunistic microflora to multiply excessively.
Under the influence of various adverse factors, the number of beneficial lactobacilli can significantly decrease. This leads to the fact that pathogenic microorganisms, for example, anaerobic bacteria or gardnerella, take their place. Doctors call this imbalance bacterial vaginosis.
With vaginosis, female discharge smells like fish. What does it mean? The gardnerella bacterium gives the mucus a fishy smell. In about half of the cases, it is this microorganism that causes a violation of the microflora of the vagina. This typebacterial vaginosis is called gardnerellosis by gynecologists.
Gardnerella refers to conditionally pathogenic bacteria. This microorganism is found on the mucosa of the vulva in most women and under normal conditions does not cause any disease. The danger is only the excessive reproduction of this microbe.
Doctors do not classify gardnerellosis as a venereal disease. This pathology is only a violation of the normal microflora. However, during the acute period of bacterial vaginosis, sexual transmission of microbes is quite possible. People with weak immunity or intestinal dysbacteriosis are most often infected.
When gardnerellosis, the secret of the glands acquires a grayish-white color. But the mucus is separated in small quantities and its traces on the pad or underwear do not remain. A woman notices that the discharge smells like fish, and often this is the only sign of pathology. It is very difficult to independently identify gardnerellosis in the early stages.
Causes of vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis usually doesn't develop overnight. The number of beneficial lactobacilli decreases over a long period of time. The cause of gardnerellosis can be a negative impact on the microflora of both external and internal factors.
The following diseases and conditions of the body can provoke the development of bacterial vaginosis:
- decreased immunity;
- menopausal period;
- pregnancy;
- violation of intestinal microflora;
- atrophic changes in the vaginal mucosa(kraurose);
- inflammatory processes in the urinary organs;
- hormonal disruptions;
- termination of pregnancy (artificial or spontaneous);
- pathology of the endocrine system;
- polyps and cysts on the walls of the vulva;
- deformations of the reproductive organs after childbirth or surgery.
Quite often, the microflora of the vagina is disturbed due to the negative impact of the following external factors:
- using barrier contraceptives with spermicides;
- treatment with broad-spectrum vaginal suppositories;
- use of sanitary tampons and intrauterine devices;
- chemotherapy;
- radiotherapy;
- frequent change of sexual partners;
- get foreign objects into the genital tract;
- long-term use of antibiotics, antifungal drugs, cytostatics.
It is important to remember that poor hygiene of the genitals also leads to the development of gardnerellosis. However, often very clean patients notice that the discharge smells like rotten fish. Why is there such a smell? The reason for this may be excessively frequent washing with soap or gel, as well as douching with chlorine preparations. Constant exposure to detergents and antiseptics destroys beneficial bacteria, which leads to a violation of the microflora.
If the discharge smells like rotten fish, then frequent washing and douching will not help get rid of the unpleasant odor. In many cases, this only exacerbates the situation. You need to contact a gynecologist and undergo a thorough examination. The smell disappears only after the normalization of the vaginal microflora.
Symptomatics
At the initial stage of bacterial vaginosis, the nature of the secreted mucus does not change. The patient does not experience any discomfort or discomfort. The trouble in the genital area is indicated only by the fact that the female secretions smell like fish. Why is bacterial vaginosis so mild in its early stages? This is due to the fact that the pathological process in gardnerellosis develops very slowly. Therefore, severe symptoms do not appear immediately.
If you do not treat at an early stage, then after a few months there are pronounced signs of gardnerellosis:
- Discharge becomes more abundant, viscous and frothy. In the initial stage, they are white or gray in color, in advanced cases, the mucus becomes greenish.
- Discomfort after intimate contact.
- You may experience itching and burning in the vulva, as well as discomfort during urination.
A characteristic feature of bacterial vaginosis is the absence of an inflammatory process. During a gynecological examination, redness and swelling are not found on the walls of the vulva. However, if a secondary bacterial infection joins gardnerellosis, then the occurrence of inflammation in the vagina (vaginitis) cannot be ruled out.
There are times when bad smell occurs only on certain daysmenstrual cycle. For example, the patient notices that before menstruation, the discharge smells like fish. Why is this happening? During the premenstrual period in a woman's body, the level of estrogen is quite low. Such hormonal fluctuations contribute to the death of beneficial lactobacilli and an increase in the number of gardnerella. Therefore, bacterial vaginosis often worsens before critical days.
Possible Complications
Bacterial vaginosis is far from a harmless disease. Gynecologists are always wary if the patient's discharge smells like fish. Why do doctors consider gardnerellosis a rather serious pathology?
Gardnerella bacteria can live not only on the vaginal mucosa. Often this microorganism penetrates the uterus and appendages. To date, there is no clear evidence that gardnerella is capable of causing inflammatory diseases of the endometrium or fallopian tubes. However, this possibility cannot be completely ruled out. Bacterial vaginosis creates a favorable environment for other pathogens that can cause the following diseases:
- vaginitis;
- endometritis;
- adnexitis;
- cervicitis.
It is not uncommon for a cheesy white discharge to smell like fish. Such symptoms indicate candidiasis (thrush), occurring against the background of bacterial vaginosis. Fungal infection and gardnerellosis quite often occur simultaneously. Usually, with candidiasis, the discharge has a sour-milk smell. However, if thrush is combined with gardnerellosis, then white curdledthe mass may emit a fishy smell.
What is the danger of vaginosis during pregnancy
Often, during pregnancy, discharge from women smells like fish. Why is this happening? During gestation, hormonal changes in the body occur. For this reason, the vaginal microflora is often disturbed in pregnant women. If a woman previously suffered from gardnerellosis, then during the gestational period she has frequent exacerbations of the pathology. Therefore, doctors recommend treating bacterial vaginosis at the stage of pregnancy planning.
If during pregnancy, women's discharge smells like fish, then this is a rather alarming sign. By itself, gardnerella does not pose a direct danger to the fetus. This bacterium cannot cross the placenta. However, against the background of vaginosis, other dangerous microorganisms can be activated.
Approximately 80% of adult women are carriers of ureaplasma. Under normal conditions, this microorganism does not pose a particular danger. Its excessive reproduction is restrained by lactobacilli. But if the microflora is disturbed, ureaplasma begins to show its pathogenic properties. Ureaplasmosis, which occurs against the background of gardnerellosis, is a danger to the unborn child. Such a combined infection can cause miscarriage, pregnancy failure, placental insufficiency.
What should I do if my discharge smells like fish during pregnancy? It is urgent to report such symptoms to the attending obstetrician-gynecologist. Therapy of bacterial vaginosis during the period of gestation is quite possible. However, pregnant patientsoral antibiotics are contraindicated, so treatment is limited to topical agents.
Do men get gardnerellosis
Men quite rarely suffer from gardnerellosis. However, the possibility of such a disease cannot be completely ruled out. In male patients, this pathology often occurs with erased symptoms, in the form of a sluggish inflammatory process in the urethra.
In men, gardnerellosis is not a violation of the microflora, but an infectious disease. Two reasons can provoke the occurrence of pathology:
- Decreased immunity. Gardnerella is part of the normal microflora of the urethra in men. But with the weakening of the body's defenses, this bacterium can multiply excessively. Often other microbes join it, causing urethritis.
- Infection from partner. If a woman suffers from chronic bacterial vaginosis, then she can pass this bacterium to a man through sexual contact.
Therefore, doctors believe that both partners should undergo treatment for gardnerellosis.
At the initial stage of the disease, the patient does not experience any discomfort. If the urethral discharge smells like fish, then this is a sign of an advanced form of gardnerellosis. In this case, the mucus has a greenish color. In the later stages, there is a burning sensation and itching in the urethra. Small red spots and darkening of the skin may be seen on the glans penis.
Are there other reasons for the fishy smell
There are cases when laboratory diagnostics reveal sexual infections in a patient, for example, trichomoniasis, mycoplasmosis, chlamydia. But at the same time, the symptoms of the pathology are very similar to vaginosis, and the discharge smells like fish. Why is this happening? Such diseases very often occur against the background of gardnerellosis. With a disturbed microflora, the vulvar mucosa is very susceptible to infection.
The fishy smell of mucus is not characteristic of sexually transmitted infections. If the discharge from women smells like fish, then this is a sign of gardnerellosis. However, with vaginosis in patients, secondary sexual infections are very often detected. Any inflammatory processes can be accompanied by a fishy smell if they occur against the background of a chronic violation of the microflora.
Diagnosis
When external gynecological examination is very difficult to detect signs of gardnerellosis. After all, this bacterium does not always cause severe inflammation. Only with the help of laboratory diagnostics can one determine exactly why the discharge from women smells like fish.
The main method for detecting bacterial vaginosis is to take a vaginal swab. However, the study of biomaterial using PCR diagnostics is considered non-informative. After all, gardnerella lives in the genital tract and in he althy women. Therefore, the detection of this bacterium in a smear does not indicate the presence of pathology.
There are the following laboratory signs of gardnerellosis:
- The number of lactic acid bacteria is sharply reduced in the smear. In some cases usefulmicroorganisms are completely absent.
- There is an alkaline reaction of the vaginal mucus. This indicates a sharp decrease in the number of lactobacilli.
- Mixing slime with potassium hydroxide gives off a rotten fish smell.
- A large number of desquamated cells are found in the biomaterial.
If one or more of the above signs are present, doctors diagnose bacterial vaginosis.
Treatment methods
Treatment of pathology is carried out in two stages. First, it is necessary to suppress the overgrowth of gardnerella and other harmful bacteria. Then it is required to normalize the microflora of the vagina.
In order to stop the active reproduction of harmful bacteria, the following types of antibiotics are prescribed in the form of perioral tablets and vaginal suppositories:
- "Trichopolum".
- "Clindamycin".
- "Tinidazole".
- "Metrogil".
- "Ornidazole".
Antibacterial creams are also prescribed. The following gels and ointments are used:
- "Metrogil".
- "Rozeks".
- "Dalacin".
At the first stage, antibiotic therapy is supplemented with the appointment of vitamin complexes with ascorbic acid. It helps restore and strengthen the immune system.
The course of antibiotic therapy lasts about 7 - 10 days. Long-term use of antibiotics is undesirable, as this can lead to an even greater violation.bacteria balance.
Then proceed to the second stage of therapy. It is necessary to restore the normal number of lactobacilli. For this purpose, probiotics are prescribed in the form of suppositories:
- "Apilak".
- "Bifidumbacterin".
- "Acilact".
- "Laktozhinal".
- "Bifikol".
Throughout the course of therapy, the patient must adhere to a diet. Spicy, spicy and sweet foods should be excluded from the diet. Such food contributes to the reproduction of conditionally pathogenic microflora. You should consume sour-milk products more often, this will help saturate the body with useful lactobacilli.
Prevention
The following recommendations from gynecologists will help prevent the violation of the vaginal microflora:
- Intimate hygiene should be meticulous, but excessive washing and douching should be avoided.
- You need to monitor your hormonal status. If endocrine disruptions are detected, pathologies must be cured in a timely manner.
- Any antibiotics should be taken only as directed by a doctor. Long-term use of antibacterial drugs can provoke not only vaginosis, but also intestinal dysbacteriosis.
- Avoid casual and unprotected sex.
- At least twice a year, you need to undergo a gynecological examination and take a smear for microflora.
These measures will help minimize the risk of developing bacterial vaginosis.
