If you feel that the body odor is not just due to sweat but can be a sign of some disease, then do not take it lightly. Contact a specialist doctor today and get tested at the right time. Your alertness can save your health from serious diseases.
Body Odor Warning Signs: Body odor is a common but sometimes embarrassing condition. This usually happens when sweat combines with the bacteria present on the skin and produces a kind of odor. But sweat is not the only reason for this; there are many other reasons that can cause body odor. Often, people ignore the odor coming from the body, thinking it is just sweat.
But when this smell persists despite bathing every day and applying deodorant, then taking it lightly is not safe. Because a strange or strong smell coming from the body is sometimes a sign of some serious disease. If there are rashes, itching or redness on the skin along with a foul or unusual smell (like fruity, urine-like, fishy) or excessive sweating occurs without any reason, then medical help should be sought.
It is normal to sweat in the heat or after heavy work, but when the body starts smelling constantly and that too with different types of smells like ammonia, sweet, or fishy, then it can be a sign of some problem going on inside you. Know below about five such diseases in which the smell of the body changes, and which are very important to understand.
- Diabetes and sweet body odor
If the sugar level in diabetic patients increases too much and there is a lack of insulin, then a condition of ketoacidosis (DKA) develops in the body. In this condition, the body smells sweet or fruity. This can be a dangerous condition which can lead to coma or death without treatment. If such a smell starts coming from the body of a diabetic person, then contact the doctor immediately. Also, bad breath can also be a part of this.
- Liver or kidney disease and strong odor
The job of the kidney and liver is to remove toxins from the body. If there is any problem in these organs, then these toxins start accumulating in the body. The body of kidney failure patients may smell like urea or urine. Patients with liver damage often start smelling like raw meat or fish, which is called "fetor hepaticus". These signs are very serious and require immediate medical examination.
- Thyroid problems and bad sweat smell
Thyroid hormone controls the metabolism of our body. When this balance is disturbed (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism), the body may sweat excessively or the skin may become dry. In hyperthyroidism, the body remains extremely hot and sweaty, which can cause more odor. Whereas, in hypothyroidism, due to the skin being dry, the risk of fungal infection increases, which causes odor.
- fungal or bacterial skin infection
Fungal infections are common in some parts of the body (such as armpits, waist, between the thighs) during the rainy and summer seasons. During this time, there may be redness, itching and foul smell on the skin. Bacteria called Corynebacteria cause pungent odor in the underarms and feet. Fungal infections like Tinea corporis also cause increased odor and sweating. Do not ignore them, they can be cured with timely treatment.
- Malfunction of the digestive system
If your digestion is not working properly, you have gas, acidity or constipation, then your body may emit a strange odor. Sometimes the body is unable to eliminate toxins, which releases them through the skin or breath and causes odor. Impurity in the stomach, imbalance of bacteria in the intestines and lack of fiber are common causes of this.
