Believe it or not, but your body odor can tell you a lot about your health.
It can tell you if your personal hygiene is a bit off, if you're ingesting something you
shouldn't — and can even be a marker for certain diseases.
No need to panic, however.
The best thing to do is to be informed, and if you have a smell on you — or coming out
of you — that's a bit iffy, get yourself to the doctor.
Here are some of the most common body odors and what they could mean about your health.
Consistent bad breath
Nobody wants halitosis — the term Listerine invented for "bad breath."
But while the word may have been a mad-up marketing ploy, bad breath is real...and it
stinks.
People who spend lots of time worrying about it buy gum, mints, breath spray and more to
combat it.
But if you have consistently bad breath, it could be a sign of something more than just
a bad breakfast choice.
Research says that in 90 percent of cases of people who have consistently bad breath,
the cause comes from the oral cavity — better known as your mouth.
This can be because of bacterial buildup on the tongue, or actual tooth decay can cause
a bad smell.
And when people have poor oral hygiene or a propensity for it, they develop gingivitis
and periodontitis.
So unless you want this to happen in the next staff meeting ...
"You have bad breath caused by gingivitis"
…remember to brush and floss regularly, avoid tobacco, and see a dentist twice per
year for cleanings and to check the health of your gums.
If none of that helps, the smell might be coming from sinus issues, or even from gastrointestinal
problems.
When in doubt, have a doctor check it out.
Sweet breath
If your breath is sweet, you could have a different problem altogether.
"All gone Homie."
"Aw… ah…"
"Could I at least smell your breath?"
Fruity-smelling breath can be a sign of diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition that occurs when
the body's unable to break down glucose as fuel because of a lack of insulin.
The body uses fat as fuel instead, which releases ketones into the bloodstream.
High levels of ketones are dangerous and life-threatening.
Have your doctor check your sugar and insulin levels to make sure you're not diabetic.
It's worth noting that another sign of diabetes is sweet-smelling sweat.
Some people report a maple syrupy smell because there's actually sugar that builds up on the
skin.
If your breath is sweet and kind of musty, it's a bad sign that you could have liver
problems.
Doctors are now using breath analysis to try to detect liver problems.
If you have this symptom, schedule a liver test with your doctor to make sure you're
in the clear.
Sour or rancid sweat
Everyone knows that some body odor is normal, especially after a slackening of ordinary
hygiene routines.
"I haven't taken a shower since we got here."
"I know.
You stink.
I love it."
If your body odor is worse than usual, you could be due for a change in your diet, or
your hormones might have something to do with it.
Drink plenty of water to avoid this embarrassing issue, and see your doctor if you start having
night sweats for no reason.
That may be a sign of infection or disease.
Also, if you start sweating way more than normal with no clear reason, this might be
an indicator of hyperthyroidism.
And if you start to smell bleachy, you should really get a medical opinion immediately because
that could be an indication of a liver or kidney problem.
Foul urine odor
Urine usually has no scent, and when it does, it's usually a bit ammonia-like.
If it has a stronger smell, the top culprit is dehydration.
Drink lots of water and it'll clear right up.
However, if your urine smells even more like ammonia than usual, or it smells sort of sickly
sweet, you could be getting a urinary tract infection.
This will be accompanied by discomfort when you urinate, so get to a doctor right away
to get an antibiotic.
Speaking of which … Having some amount of genital discharge is normal, but when it's
accompanied by a smell, it's time to go to the doctor.
Yeast infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and other infections like bacterial vaginosis
can all cause smells "down there" — and all require a doctor for treatment.
Of course, there are some nether region battles that affect everyone.
Unusually foul-smelling flatulence
Everybody has flatulence.
It's a normal part of digestion.
In fact, most people pass gas 10 to 20 times every day.
It never smells great, but if it's particularly foul, you could be facing a digestive absorption
issue, lactose intolerance, or even a bacteria or virus in your gut.
"Well, you have milk in the taters, milk in the gravy, parmesan crust, your lactose intolerant
boyfriend will turn into a gas-filled Macy's day balloon!
"
So, if the foulness becomes unidentifiable and intolerable, it's probably best to rule
out any potential digestive problems, just in case.
Fishy odor
If someone smells like fish all the time, it's likely they have fish odor syndrome,
or trimethylaminuria.
Yes, this is a real thing.
It's rare, but there is a genetic condition that makes people smell like rotting fish.
It might not affect a lot of people, but when someone does suffer this off-putting condition,
it tends to take a major toll on their social and romantic lives.
Know what's normal
We can't smell like fresh flowers or soap all the time.
Even healthy bodies can smell a little funky sometimes.
"You're a fat loser and you have body odor."
"Alright!"
Our natural pheromones are part of what makes us who we are.
However, if you have body odors that concern you, it's a good idea to see a doctor.
There's a fine line between your natural "stink" and a health problem that is displayed with
a particular odor.
The good news is that your nose knows the difference between what's ordinary...and what's
not.
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