Diagnosis “by smell”: the doctor explained what diseases smell like

Why does my body smell like fish? Sweating is a natural process that performs important life support functions for the body:

• regulation of body temperature;
• removal of toxic substances;
• skin cleansing.

The smell of sweat is specific for each person, but if hygiene standards are observed, it is quite natural and does not cause unpleasant sensations . Unpleasant odors may appear when taking certain medications as a result of illness. This is due to the excretory function of the skin, which through the pores, together with the liquid base, removes some waste products that have a specific odor.

What does a healthy person's skin smell like?

The sweat of healthy people should not smell like anything. Each person is universal, has his own body aroma depending on how he lives and takes care of his health. Theoretically, people can be divided into 3 main groups:

1. Sweat doesn't smell. This suggests that there is no large accumulation of toxins and bacteria in the body of such a person. Most likely, he leads a healthy lifestyle, watches his diet, exercises moderately and visits doctors. Or he was simply lucky to be born with a good immune system that does not allow viruses and bacteria. Strong immunity reduces the risk of catching a sore and acquiring the smell of viburnum from the body.
2. Nice smell. 50% of people think their scent has a pleasant note. Men especially hold this opinion. In fact, this also happens. Some smell like paprika, rose, dessert. But a tasty body odor does not always indicate the proper functioning of organs. However, if you feel great and take care of your hygiene, then there is no point in steaming.
3. The smell of hydrogen sulfide from a person. Nutritionists say that a person smells what he eats. And this is so, since fatty, spicy, high-calorie foods can negatively affect all organ systems. The more waste products remain in our body, the more toxins accumulate in it. And toxins come out through sweat and give off an unpleasant body odor.

The main thing to remember is that sweat is not to blame. On the contrary, with the help of sweating, all the “rubbish” comes out of a person, led by bacteria and harmful toxins. It also supports thermoregulation at different ambient temperatures. And the smell of sweat depends on the type of bacteria, and not on their number in the body.

Have you noticed that there are people who sweat a lot, but don’t smell at all? And there are people who sweat a little during physical activity, but have a strong odor. This once again proves that it is not a matter of quantity, but of quality. In our case, the quality of the state of the body.

Prevention

Prevention of sweat with an unpleasant odor is based on the following recommendations:

• Minimum consumption of hot and spicy foods;
• Wearing clothes preferably made from natural materials;
• Using antibacterial soap;
• Moderate consumption of tea, coffee;
• Avoidance of stimulant medications;
• Maintaining personal hygiene;
• Timely medical examination by all necessary doctors.

Reasons for a strong odor from a person?

Interesting fact: Did you know that of all earthly creatures the only creatures that do not sweat are dogs, cats, piglets, and birds. They do not have sweat glands, and thermoregulation occurs through the respiratory system. Therefore, when dogs actively breathe after a summer walk, this helps to cool down.

This does not happen in humans; sweating is a natural and vital process for us. But many people are not satisfied with their body odor; girls especially suffer from this. After all, wet, yellow stains on clothes, an unpleasant aroma mixed with perfume, drive you into complexes and spoil your mood. But not everyone wants to get rid of the causes and symptoms of unhealthy odor by changing their lifestyle.

What could be the reasons for the appearance of a harsh spirit?

• Poor nutrition. It is not for nothing that it comes first, because this is the main and most common problem. Spicy, rich seasonings; fast food on a regular basis; fat meat; chocolate in large quantities - have the effect of enhancing heat transfer. The body begins to work more actively to digest the food received, which means that all other processes are launched. Sweating takes on a more pungent and sour odor.
• Bad habits. Alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs affect increased sweating. Thermoregulation is disrupted, toxins accumulate in the body, and as a result, bad body odor.
• Synthetic clothing. If it seems that you are starting to smell “not so good”, then reconsider your wardrobe. Clothing with low breathability prevents moisture from completely evaporating. The body sinks under the material, and the process of sweating is inhibited.
• Personal hygiene. It is important to take care of yourself, since the presence of hair on the genitals and in the armpit area does not allow sweat to fully evaporate and retains an unpleasant odor.
• Lack of sports. If you don’t exercise or are overweight, your body won’t thank you. Minimal physical strain will be accompanied by profuse sweating. Because the body will take the opportunity to expel toxins from itself as long as the person is doing something.
• Diseases. “In American clinics, the method of diagnosing diagnoses using dogs is becoming very popular. Dog handlers say that by the smell of sweat, a dog can detect whether a person is sick with something or not. Upon sensing an unfavorable odor from the patient, the dog sits up and barks.” Diseases and symptoms provoke the body to release toxins more actively for a faster recovery. An unhealthy odor from people indicates decay within the body. Therefore, do not delay treatment until later if your body aroma has changed significantly.

Trimethylaminuria

A rare genetic immunological disease. A fishy smell of sweat, urine, and exhaled air occurs due to the accumulation of trimethylamine in the body. The pathology is not dangerous for the patient’s health, but it causes a lot of inconvenience in the personal, social, and intimate sphere. Metabolic abnormalities are associated with the inability of the liver to form a special protein necessary to break down trimethylamine. The enzyme acts as a catalyst for natural biological processes. As a result, a new, odorless enzyme appears from trimethylamine and leaves the body with urine and sweat.

In medicine, 100 cases of the disease have been registered. They do not seek help because the disease does not lead to health problems; the smell is not always noticed by the person himself. If others do not point out the problem, the patient continues to lead his usual lifestyle without doing anything.

Currently reading: Why does sweat smell like acetone - reviews and treatment

Trimethylaminuria can be primary or secondary. In the first case, the situation is associated with a genetic disorder, in the second - with an unhealthy lifestyle, bad habits, chronic diseases of the digestive tract, liver, kidneys, and hormonal imbalance.

Trimethylamine is generated in the intestine from choline under the influence of bacteria. The compound is found in some medicines and food products - soy, beef, liver, wheat, kidney, egg yolk, brewer's yeast. When ingested, trimethylamine N-oxide is present in the meat of some fish.

Drug-induced trimethylaminuria occurs when taking certain medications, dietary supplements containing choline, L-carnitine, and lecithin. Used by athletes to increase physical abilities, people with Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease.

The smell of disease

There are two types of sweat glands:

Eccrine	Apocrine
Distributed evenly throughout the body. From birth they begin active work, regulating the internal temperature of the body. The glands secrete a colorless, odorless secretion.	The glands are located in “stress areas of the body”: forehead, armpits, genitals. Activation occurs during adolescence. They do not take part in thermoregulation, but are activated at the moment of fear, stress, or during physical activity. The secretion includes all breakdown products: proteins, fats, carbohydrates.

When a person gets sick or is already sick, both glands begin to work actively. Eccrine cells fight to normalize temperature, while apocrine cells signal internal problems.

People and doctors have learned to separate unpleasant body odors into “aromas” of different substances. Each smell indicates a particular pathology and allows the doctor to quickly establish a diagnosis.

Unnatural body odor = illness:

• The smell of acetone from a person. The first signal of insufficient insulin production. If insulin is not raised to normal in a timely manner, it is possible to develop diabetes. Moreover, low insulin is accompanied by back pain, swelling throughout the body, and painful urination.
• The smell of mold from a person. It is necessary to check the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. A moldy spirit warns of the appearance of stomach ulcers.
• The smell of rotten apples. We don’t want to scare anyone, but this scent is considered the most dangerous. There is a possibility that a hypoglycemic coma is beginning to develop and hospitalization is urgently needed.
• The body smells sour. The symptom indicates a deficiency of B vitamins, or an infectious disease.
• Sweet body odor, which may be due to the development of diphtheria. It affects the oropharynx, so contact an ENT specialist immediately.
• The person smells like fish. This symptom often occurs in women; it is probably vaginosis. When the disease occurs, the microflora is disrupted and a specific odor appears from the genitals, and with it irritation and discomfort.
• The man smells like rotten meat. The most difficult and alarming fact: the smell of rotten meat appears in cancer patients.

Each person’s body smells or does not smell differently, the main thing is to promptly pay attention to deviations in the usual sensation and to any changes inside or outside oneself.

Body odor and human illness, which doctor should I contact?

People do not know how to diagnose diseases on their own; most often they turn to the Internet to search for information. But if you don’t want to be scared by surfing sites with unconfirmed facts, consult a doctor right away.

Initially, the patient is seen by a general practitioner in a clinic or a personal family doctor. He can make a primary diagnosis and prescribe treatment. If this is not his specificity, then send him for examination to a specialized colleague. Regarding unpleasant body odors with patients:

• They conduct a conversation where they find out how the unhealthy person eats and what recent symptoms he has discovered in himself.
• Tests (blood, urine) are prescribed. Is there enough information? – they stop there, establish a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
• An oral swab is taken.

Having unsatisfactory test results, they may order an ultrasound of the organs to find out how they function. But the treatment of each person requires an individual approach and specificity. Therefore, it is pointless to predict where and to whom you will be sent. The main thing you should do is see a therapist, and not leave treatment for later.

Thank you for reading our material. Remember, smell is of great importance; it signals possible diseases. A healthy body should not have a strong smell, or even better, there should be no scent at all. Treat your health with care and lead a healthy lifestyle, then you won’t have to look for possible causes of diseases.

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Treatment methods

The type of treatment is determined by the reason why the man and his sweat smells like fish. In most cases, the use of medication is sufficient. Surgery is rarely required.

Drugs

The drugs are necessary if there is an infection or inflammation with a fishy odor in men. Types of prescribed medications:

• antibiotics – destroy pathogenic microorganisms;
• antifungal - used for thrush;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – relieve pain, reduce inflammation;
• ointments with an antibacterial effect - relieve itching and burning;
• antiseptics – disinfect the skin of the genital organs;
• probiotics – used after antibiotics to normalize microflora;
• creams and ointments that accelerate regeneration are prescribed for the presence of microcracks on the penis.

A complex of drugs works most effectively. All medications can be used by a man only after undergoing tests and consulting a specialist.

Operation

Surgical intervention if a man smells fishy is extremely rare. It is necessary only for phimosis, which is a consequence of the lack of treatment for balanoposthitis.

Another likely option that requires surgery is abnormalities in the structure of the genital organs, which impede personal hygiene and cause the accumulation of dirt in the folds of the skin. This condition is detected and corrected in childhood.

Folk remedies

Alternative medicine recipes can be used if a man and his sweat smell of fish. As an independent method of treatment, they are effective in the following cases:

• excessive sweating;
• hygiene after intimacy to prevent STI infection;
• endocrine diseases.

In the presence of other conditions and pathologies in which a man smells like fish, folk remedies are used as an auxiliary therapeutic method. They can be used in conjunction with medications. The most effective recipes:

1. Sitz baths. The base is a decoction of oak bark, chamomile, and a solution of soda. Perform once a day for 15-20 minutes for 10 days.
2. Washing. Decoctions of calendula, yarrow, plantain, soda solution. Rinse the penis and scrotum 3-5 times a day after washing with baby soap or a special intimate hygiene product.
3. Compresses. Soak a gauze swab with aloe juice, plantain juice or a decoction of a plant with an antibacterial effect. Apply to the affected area for 15-20 minutes.

Frequent use of these remedies for the smell of fish and sweat in men is prohibited due to the high risk of drying out the mucous membranes. This will provoke a burning sensation on the head of the penis or intensify its manifestation.