No one wants to go down on the woman with the stinky vagina. So, here is some information that will insure your hoo-ha gets the amount of oral attention you want. Poor hygiene is a common cause of bad vaginal odor. Good personal hygiene is just the use of plain soap and clean water to remove schmegma (Vagina cheese) and the associated odor. Wear loose cotton clothing to help eliminate vaginal odor. Leather g-strings, lace teddies, and synthetic material thongs aren’t the best for your vagina and contribute to odor. Wearing granny panties temporarily can help. It is recommended that you avoid douching. Douching can alter the PH of the vagina and this can cause a shift in the normal bacteria that live in the vagina facilitating pathologic organisms to grow unchecked.
There are several pathologic conditions that can lead to vaginal odor. These include serious sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea and Chlamydia, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Vaginal odor can also be caused by vaginal cancer and structural problems such as a rectovaginal fistula (a connection between the rectum and the vagina, so that the sewer empties into the vagina!) A rare cause is the forgotten tampon. This can lead to toxic shock syndrome, sepsis and death.
Bacterial vaginosis is the most common cause of abnormal discharge and a cause of odor. The signs and symptoms are thin, homogenous vaginal discharge of varying color and amount, a vaginal PH greater than 4.5 (normal vaginal PH is less than 4.5), and a positive whiff test. A whiff test is when a drop of potassium hydroxide is added to vaginal secretions and a strong fishy odor results. The definition of a medical student: person that performs a whiff test at 3 am, because their intern made them. The typical treatment for B.V. is Flagyl (metronidazole) 500 mg twice a day for seven days or Clindamycin 300 mg twice a day for seven days. Prevention of B.V. includes fastidious cleaning of toys between uses because this can be a source of infection.
Another infection that can cause a strong vaginal odor is Trichomonas infection caused by a flagellated protozoan. There is an estimated 5 to 8 million new infections in the U.S. per year. It is sexually transmitted and up to 50% of those infected can be asymptomatic. Symptoms include inflammation a greenish-yellow frothy vaginal secretions and itching. Ten percent of those infected will present with a “strawberry” cervix or vagina on examination and damage caused by Trichomonas increases the woman’s susceptibility to an infection by the HIV virus. The most effective drug for treatment of Trichomonas is Metronidazole, either a single, 2,000 mg dose; or 500 mg twice daily every day for seven days.
The last major infectious cause of vaginal odor is yeast infection. During a lifetime, 75% of all women are likely to have at least 1 yeast infection, and up to 45% have 2 or more. Women tend to be more likely to get vaginal yeast infections if they have a poor diet, lack of sleep, are diabetic, or when they are pregnant or taking antibiotics. Vaginal yeast infection is caused by Candida. Infection is characterized by itching, burning, pain during intercourse and/or urination, and vaginal discharge. The vaginal discharge is often described as a thick, curd like discharge. Treatment of yeast infections is by intravaginal medications such as Monistat, or by a single dose of Diflucan 150 mg orally.
Bottom line, if you take care of your vagina, it will smell nice and take care of you. If you have persistent vaginal odor, see your doctor.
Disclaimer- This presentation has attempted to put to together some health information for alternative sexualities. Health Information does not constitute doctors advice. If you have specific questions please consult your doctor.
Originally posted July 15, 2010