Sour Body Odor at Night: Should You Be Worried? (livestrong.com) (2024)

FAQs

Sour Body Odor at Night: Should You Be Worried? (livestrong.com)? ›

Smell something foul when sleeping? Body odor at night rarely tops the list of serious health woes, but it can be embarrassing and disconcerting. Sour body odor when sleeping usually isn't a cause for concern, but the sweating could be a sign of benign hyperhidrosis or a more serious ailment.

Besides a thyroid disorder, other contributing factors to sour-smelling sweat include: Diet and Hydration: Your diet and hydration levels can affect your body odor. Consuming certain foods like garlic, onions, spicy foods, and processed foods can release volatile compounds through sweat, causing unpleasant smells.

Sweat can smell like vinegar because of diseases such as diabetes, trichomycosis, and kidney disease, or because of hormone changes, certain foods, or skin infections. Sweat is released by sweat glands that are found throughout the body.

Causes include bacterial or viral infections, head trauma, neurological conditions and COVID-19. Parosmia is usually temporary, but in some cases, it's permanent.

Frequent skin infections in body areas prone to sweating. A fruity body odor, which could indicate diabetes. A bleach-like body odor, which could be a sign of liver or kidney disease. A sudden change in body odor or increase in sweating.

Tangy, fermented, or sour.

These are perfectly healthy adjectives to describe the vagin*l odor created by your normal bacterial flora. Good bacteria help keep your vagin* healthy by producing lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and other substances to keep harmful bacteria at bay.

Bacteria or mold growth: A sour smell could be caused by the presence of bacteria or mold, which can grow in damp or humid conditions. This is a common issue in areas with poor ventilation or high humidity.

Liver or Kidney Problems - The kidneys and liver help remove toxins from our bodies. When they cannot function properly, toxins can build up in the blood and digestive tract, creating odor. Kidney disease can cause build of urea and make your sweat and urine smell like ammonia.

A person living with a health condition such as diabetes or kidney disease may also have sweat that smells like ammonia. A person can try antiperspirants to reduce the amount they sweat, and deodorants to cover up any odors. A doctor can treat any underlying health conditions to help reduce the ammonia smell in sweat.

Disease Overview

Trimethylaminuria is a rare disorder in which the body is not able to metabolize the chemical trimethylamine, and this causes body odor.

Can a brain tumor cause you to smell things? ›

a brain tumour in the temporal lobe could lead to sensations of strange smells (as well as other symptoms, such as, difficulty with hearing, speaking and memory loss)

adjective. smelling of fermentation or staleness. synonyms: rancid ill-smelling, malodorous, malodourous, stinky, unpleasant-smelling. having an unpleasant smell.

It's a symptom of many common conditions, including allergies, colds and upper respiratory infections. It could also indicate a brain-related condition, including epilepsy, stroke or Alzheimer's disease. If you have phantom smells that last longer than a few weeks, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider.

Sour body odor when sleeping usually isn't a cause for concern, but the sweating could be a sign of benign hyperhidrosis or a more serious ailment.

Having acidic-smelling sweat can be caused by acidosis, which is when your body has an excess buildup of acid from your diet, an inability to break down acids, or it can be caused by excessive exercise.

You may need to call your doctor if an odd odor sticks around. A urinary tract infection (UTI), bladder inflammation, and uncontrolled type 2 diabetes can trigger unusual smells. So can metabolic disorders, diabetic ketoacidosis (a complication of diabetes), and gastrointestinal-bladder fistulas.

Phantosmia refers to detecting smells that aren't really there. It's a symptom of many common conditions, including allergies, colds and upper respiratory infections. It could also indicate a brain-related condition, including epilepsy, stroke or Alzheimer's disease.

A healthy vagin* usually has a slight scent, but choices of food, drink, hygiene practices, and clothing can all affect it. A stronger odor can also indicate a health problem that needs medical attention. Nutrition, health status, and other factors can affect the natural fragrance of the vagin*.

The two most common sources of a rotten egg smell are a natural gas leak, and escaping sewer gas. In its natural state, natural gas is actually odorless. That's why utility companies inject a substance called mercaptan, which emits an odor that smells like sulfur or rotten eggs.

Limiting frequent bathing can lead to dirt, sweat and dead skin cells build up leading to Your clothes have a strong smell. You can reduce these effects by showering regularly and washing with mild soap and warm water. Sweating in the groin area can attract fungi and bacteria that lead to bad odors.