Body odour is a normal occurrence which people can often remedy at home, for example having a shower will quickly wash away body odour that occurs as a result of excessive sweating.
But in some cases, body odour can signal a health issue, especially if it persists or smells a certain way.
Dr Jen Caudle, a US-based family doctor, issues the advice on her TikTok channel. The first odour to be wary of, she said, is bad breath.
Bad breath
If bad breath doesn’t go away after brushing, it shouldn’t be ignored, cautioned Dr Caudle.
She said: “We wonder if someone’s got poor oral hygiene, but the truth of the matter is bad breath that doesn’t go away may actually be caused by other things – acrid reflux or chronic sinus infections, or dry mouth, not making enough saliva, certain medications, or other conditions.
“See your doctor if you have bad breath that just doesn’t go away.”
Fishy odour from vagina
While this sounds graphic, said Dr Caudle, this odour warrants an evaluation by your doctor.
She explained: “If you have a fishy odour down there, you do not and should not ignore it because you could have bacterial vaginosis.
“This is an overgrowth of the bad bacteria. Good and bad bacteria, they sort of hang out, but bad bacteria can overtake things and cause the infection that needs to be treated and can be treated.”
Foul smelling urine
Foul smelling urine could signal a urinary tract infection (UTI). UTIs affect your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection).
Some health experts describe the smell like ammonia, and other symptoms may accompany this, such as a pain or a burning sensation when peeing, needing to pee more often than usual, or pee that looks cloudy.
Dr Caudle said: “This goes for men or women. If your urine smells funny, get it checked out.”
A smelly wound
If you have a wound or a cut anywhere on your body and it smells funny, I’d worry it might be infected, said Dr Caudle.
She urged: “You’ve got to see your doctor about it.”
