The body of each person, whether he is healthy or sick, has a unique smell.
It is formed as a result of metabolic processes and sweating on the skin, as well as the splitting of secretions and dying epithelium by bacteria or fungi of opportunistic flora.
This forms the smell of sweat, which can be subtle in the norm and strongly pronounced in the disease.
Ancient doctors by the smell of the skin could make diagnoses, today they use more modern and accurate methods, but the change in the aroma from the body often directs the doctor’s opinion regarding a particular diagnosis.
So what do diseases smell like?
Where does the smell of sweat come from?
Under normal conditions, the human body does not have a pronounced smell of sweat or other secretions, subject to full compliance with all the rules of hygiene and care.
Often, an unpleasant smell of sweat occurs with hyperhidrosis (increased activity of the sweat glands), hygiene problems or various infections, somatic diseases or metabolic disorders.
A person’s nose almost does not catch the special aroma of the body and the smell of sweat, if the person is healthy and washes on time.
But at the subconscious level, the human brain perceives certain smells emanating from the body – pheromones.
It is by their level that people select for themselves the most suitable partners in terms of genetic characteristics.
But these substances catch special cells of the nose, and pheromones have nothing to do with the smell of sweat.
If sweating is enhanced, the skin is sticky and the smell of sweat literally knocks you down with its sharpness, has a sour, putrid or sugary-sweet, and sometimes chemical aroma, we can talk about the presence of a serious disease.
What do diseases smell like?
Doctors say that sometimes by one body odor of the patient, they can already suspect that they have certain diseases, for example, diabetes, especially in the decompensated stage.
But not only this pathology can be recognized thanks to the sense of smell, but also many others associated with significant failures in metabolic processes.
For example, a persistent acetone smell emanating from the body will be an occasion to exclude endocrine diseases, as well as digestive problems.
In addition, amber-like ways to give kidney or liver disease, as well as some pathogenic bacteria, viral infections and fungal pathologies.
In the presence of a particular disease, failures in metabolic processes occur, intermediate metabolic products are formed, in particular, in the presence of acetone odor – ketone bodies (usually this is formed by the breakdown of lipids), which, together with sweat, fall on the surface of the body, evaporate and smell.
In the presence of diabetes, an increase in such an aroma indicates the threat of ketoacidotic coma, which requires immediate intervention of doctors.
The body smells strongly: what about the kidneys and thyroid gland?
Often the body smells of acetone or urine in the presence of kidney pathologies.
This is due to a violation of the full excretion by these organs of metabolic products – ketone bodies, urea and ammonia.
They accumulate in the blood plasma and together with sweat fluid fall on the surface of the skin.
In this case, when water evaporates, aromatic molecules give the body such a strong smell.
Against the background of such a smell of the body in favor of kidney problems will also speak such manifestations as hypertension, swelling on the legs and face, urination disorders and lower back pain, appetite disorders and nausea.
If the body smells of acetone, there is a sharp weight loss and irritability, sleep and appetite are disturbed, it is worth checking the thyroid gland, often its active activity forms similar symptoms.
The smell is given by bacteria and not only:
If a person’s skin smells intolerably of cats, while he is not the owner of a couple of dozen furry animals in the house, it is worth excluding the presence of dangerous bacteria in his body.
So, such aromas can produce tuberculosis bacteria or digestive pathologies.
Sometimes inflammation of the kidneys caused by opportunistic bacteria that got there from the intestine also gives a similar smell.
If it is the smell of vinegar, other bacteria are to blame for its development, leading to purulent-inflammatory processes in the bronchi and lungs, as well as a deficiency of vitamins, and in women also the presence of breast problems.
When and what can the skin smell like?
There are special smells that the skin can exude in certain pathologies, they are so specific that they can be one of the criteria for diagnosis.
So, if the skin smells of rotten fish, it is necessary to exclude fungal, microbial infections and metabolic pathologies, especially protein.
Sweet or rotten smell from the skin and from the mouth is typical for diphtheria, and the aroma of hydrogen sulfide is often found in peptic ulcer disease or dyspeptic disorders.
If the adrenal glands are disturbed in the production of hormones, the skin can exude the aroma of sheep’s wool, and the specific smell of old age will often be evidence of problems with the thyroid gland and pituitary gland.
An unpleasant smell of rotten meat can occur in cancer patients in connection with the processes of tissue decay.
Such smells are usually persistent, poorly eliminated when taking a shower and using deodorants, and not only natural folds and areas of high sweating smell, but also the entire surface of the skin.
Such a problem should be solved not at home in the shower, with the use of folk remedies and soap, but in the doctor’s office.
A detailed questioning and identification of provoking factors, as well as examination and testing is necessary to identify metabolic disorders and pathologies that lead to such odors.
Often, after the initial examination, the therapist or dermatologist sends the patient for additional consultations to doctors of narrow specialization – neurologists, endocrinologists or infectious disease specialists.
Smell when overweight
A particular problem is body odor in the presence of excess weight.
Obese people are prone to excessive sweating and the appearance of an unpleasant odor due to increased metabolism.
But not always the body smells only because of extra pounds, against the background of obesity can develop diabetes or thyroid disorders, iodine deficiency or kidney disease, hypertension or infection are formed.
Therefore, the increase in body odor in the presence of excess weight is also an occasion for visiting a doctor and an additional examination.