Bromhidrosis, also known as osmidrosis or ozochrotia, is an unpleasant or offensive body odour due to any cause including poor hygiene, infections, diet or medications, or inherited metabolic disorders. It may be associated with hyperhidrosis.
Bacteria on your skin cause body odor. It's completely normal to have a natural body odor and isn't necessarily related to how much you sweat. Sweat itself is odorless. Some medical conditions, genetics, having overweight or eating certain foods could make you more susceptible to bad body odor.
Some common skin bacteria that produce body odor include members of Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus and Cutibacterium genera. The biochemistry behind the microbial conversion of sweat to malodorous products is still not completely understood.
Trimethylaminuria is a disorder in which the body is unable to break down trimethylamine, a chemical compound that has a pungent odor. Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotten or decaying fish.
Phantosmia may be caused by a head injury or upper respiratory infection. It also can be caused by aging, trauma, temporal lobe seizures, inflamed sinuses, brain tumors, certain medicines and Parkinson's disease. Phantosmia also can result from a COVID-19 infection.
Trichomoniasis: A sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasite. Trich doesn't always cause symptoms. When it does, it can cause a fishy odor, similar to BV, or a musty smell. Another common symptom of Trich is a greenish-yellow discharge.
The top causes of musty odors in bathrooms are from fungal growth. Mold and mildew are types of fungus found in damp spaces, like bathrooms. The constant presence of moisture in bathrooms creates an environment where fungus can thrive.
Healthcare providers who recognize the smell of fetor hepaticus have described it as musty, pungent, oddly sweet and occasionally fecal (poop-like).
A zinc deficiency may occur due to underactive thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) that produces few thyroid hormones and affect the detoxification process, resulting in body odour.
While thyroid disorders don't directly cause sour-smelling sweat at night, a change in thyroid hormone production can impact the rate of sweating. In turn, more sweat can result in body odor.
Trichomoniasis – Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasite that results in a foul-smelling vaginal odour. Gonorrhoea – Gonorrhoea can cause a yellow, white or green discharge which can cause an unpleasant odour.
Body odor (BO) is caused by bacteria and sweat, but it can also be influenced by factors such as hormones, certain medications, infections or other medical conditions, and the foods you eat. You can have strong body odor even if you practice good hygiene.
Our vaginas are home to billions of bacteria and the balance of this bacteria changes constantly, creating different aromas varying from musty and fermented to coppery or sweet smelling. These smell variations are likely a result of your menstrual cycle, your hygiene habits, or just you.
Newborns with PKU initially don't have any symptoms. However, without treatment, babies usually develop signs of PKU within a few months. Signs and symptoms of untreated PKU can be mild or severe and may include: A musty odor in the breath, skin or urine, caused by too much phenylalanine in the body.
A person with kidney failure may have breath that smells like ammonia or urine. Serious liver disease can make breath smell musty or like garlic and rotten eggs. Compounds that are transported through the blood can also be released through your sweat glands. That can make your armpits and skin smell bad.
This shift can also lead to stronger body odor. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall relative to your testosterone, while cortisol tends to increase. Higher levels of both testosterone and cortisol have been linked to stronger body odor.
Vaginal odor usually occurs as a result of a pH imbalance. This may be due to infection, aging, sexual activity, or vaginal douching. The typical vaginal pH is somewhere between 3.8 – 5.0 , which is moderately acidic. A higher pH can allow unhealthy bacteria to grow, causing infection and possibly an odor.
Kidney disease causes chemicals in urine to become concentrated and to cause a smell resembling ammonia. Kidney dysfunction can also cause high urine bacteria and protein levels, contributing to an ammonia smell.
Sweating and body odor are caused by sweat glands in your body. The two main types of sweat glands are eccrine glands and apocrine glands.
Changes in body odor are often the result of lifestyle changes, such as an altered diet or exercise regimen. However, in some cases, a sudden change in body odor may be a sign of an underlying health condition.
A musty smell in your home is a sign that something is not right. Mouldy and musty smells are similar in nature and both are caused by the presence of mould or mildew. Mould in your home can be damaging to your health and is caused by high humidity levels.
Musty Smell Sources
A damp odor may stem from mold and mildew buildup in a bathroom, attic, basement, or laundry room. These are typically places without a lot of ventilation and where moisture buildup is more common.