Why Does My Discharge Smell Sour? Here’s What’s Normal

When you’re in perimenopause, so many things in your body start to change—including your vaginal odor. And one day you may suddenly wonder: Why does my discharge smell sour, and is it something to worry about? If this has happened to you, you’ll be glad to know that a vaginal odor that’s mildly sour or tangy-smelling is usually just a sign your vagina’s pH is slightly more acidic than usual. It’s not necessarily a fun change, but it’s completely normal and not an indication that something is seriously off-kilter.

Still, when you become aware that you just smell…different than usual, it might feel worrying. Some changes do warrant contacting your clinician to rule out an infection, such as vaginal discharge with a very strong, fishy or musty odor. But normal, healthy vaginal scent can range from sweet to sour to metallic, depending on factors like your pH levels and where you are in your menstrual cycle. And your usual scent can change, especially in midlife, when you’re experiencing a number of other physical shifts.

Read on for more about what causes a sour vaginal discharge smell, how vaginal pH and menopause can impact vaginal odor, and how a clinician trained in menopause issues, like one at Midi, can help you figure out what’s healthy and what needs attention. 

Why Does Discharge Smell Sour? The Short Answer

The most likely reason for sour-smelling vaginal discharge is vaginal pH that’s become slightly more acidic than usual. In general, it’s completely normal and healthy for your vagina to have a mild odor, and the odor can vary somewhat from day to day and throughout your menstrual cycle. 

Vaginal discharge may have a faintly sweet smell, but it’s also common for odor to be mildly sour, tangy, or even smell slightly fermented, similar to the yeasty smell of bread. At certain times in your cycle, particularly when you have your period, you may notice that your vaginal scent becomes more metallic. 

As long as you’re not experiencing other specific symptoms—changes in the color of your discharge, an itchy vagina or vulva, or strong vaginal odors that are fishy or musty—discharge that smells a little more sour than usual is probably nothing to be concerned about.

The Role of Vaginal pH and Lactobacilli

A vagina’s pH number refers to how acidic or basic—also known as alkaline—the vaginal flora is. (“Flora” is the ecosystem of bacteria and other organisms.) Healthy vaginal environments are naturally slightly acidic, with a pH somewhere between 3.8 and 4.5 out of 14—the lower the number, the more acidic the pH. 

When the vaginal environment is acidic, it offers protective benefits: This makes it more difficult for harmful types of bacteria—such as Gardnerella vaginalis, which causes bacterial vaginosis—to proliferate in the vagina and trigger infections. 

You can thank a beneficial type of bacteria called lactobacillus for this. There are a few different types of lactobacilli species, and together they make up around 95% of the “good” bacteria in a healthy vagina. Having enough vaginal lactobacilli keeps harmful pathogens in check, preventing infections like bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis (also known as yeast infections) from taking hold. 

Considering that lactobacilli generates a more tangy or sour smell, if you notice that your vaginal discharge has a sour scent, it may simply mean you have plenty of this beneficial bacteria in your vagina. 

How Menopause and Lower Estrogen Change Vaginal Odor

It’s probably no surprise to hear that estrogen is critical to your vaginal health. This hormone supports the vaginal lining by keeping it thick and supple, and also makes it easier for lactobacilli to grow, which helps it maintain that more acidic and beneficial vaginal pH.

When estrogen levels gradually decrease during perimenopause and menopause, this can alter your typical vaginal pH, making it less acidic with lower levels of lactobacilli. This might result in a vaginal scent that’s more sweet-smelling than sour. 

Midlife women may notice a number of other vaginal changes during this time, such as vulvar irritation and vaginal tissues that are thinner and drier. These changes may be symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM, which may affect nearly half of women who have gone through menopause, research suggests. 

There are treatments available for many GSM symptoms. A healthcare professional, like a Midi clinician, can suggest options, including estrogen therapy and vaginal moisturizers, that may help you feel more comfortable. 

When a Sour Smell Is Normal vs. a Sign of Something Else

A vaginal scent that’s faintly sour or sweet-smelling and isn’t accompanied by other symptoms is normal. But it’s wise to be clued-in to vaginal changes: While a mild sour scent is usually nothing to worry about, other vaginal odors and changes in discharge can signal an infection. 

Bacterial vaginosis (or BV) is a common vaginal infection that develops when there are too-high levels of “bad” bacteria in the vagina. What does BV smell like? Not everyone with BV has symptoms, but you might notice:  

• A fishy or very strong vaginal odor
• A fishy smell after sex 
• Vaginal discharge that appears gray or grayish-white 

Vaginal candidiasis, also known as a yeast infection, can affect vaginal discharge, too. These infections develop when there’s an overgrowth of Candida, a type of fungus that lives naturally in the vagina. You might spot:

• Discharge that’s very thick and white, and kind of looks like cottage cheese
• Redness, swelling, or itchiness around your vagina and vulva
• Pain when you pee or have sex

If you have any of the above symptoms, reach out to a healthcare professional for a diagnosis. While your symptoms might seem like specific signs of a particular infection, the differences aren’t always obvious and it’s easy to misdiagnose yourself.

Common Causes of Changes in Vaginal Smell

Vaginal discharge can smell a little different for reasons that have nothing to do with an infection. Sweat, for instance, can have an impact on groin and vaginal odor after exercise. Night sweats can have a similar effect, too, as can medications that increase the amount you sweat (including certain diabetes or thyroid medications). Some women might notice a more pungent odor after eating certain foods—garlic, onions, fermented milk products or alcohol are common culprits. 

Anything that disrupts the vagina’s microbiome can affect odor: This includes antibiotics, douching, and using scented products in the area. (This potential to disrupt the vagina’s good bacteria is one reason why douching and using perfume-y products aren’t good for genital health.)

You may notice a change in odor after sex: Semen has a more alkaline pH, which may temporarily alter vaginal pH, research has found. And hormonal changes—both throughout your menstrual cycle and because of bigger estrogen shifts during perimenopause and menopause—can also affect vaginal pH. 

What Healthy Discharge Looks and Smells Like

What does normal discharge look like? Typically, vaginal discharge appears clear to milky white. It may have no odor or one that’s faintly sour or sweet. 

Vaginal discharge is completely normal. It’s the body’s way of removing dead cells from the vagina, preventing bad bacteria from getting out of control and keeping the vaginal environment healthy. 

Vaginal discharge can change throughout your menstrual cycle due to hormonal shifts. As you approach your period, for example, you may notice that it’s thicker and heavier. Many women also experience changes in their discharge during menopause; for instance, during this stage, the amount of vaginal discharge can decrease.

Paying attention to what your “normal” vaginal discharge looks like is smart. That way, if you experience changes, you can flag them for your clinician. 

How to Care for Vaginal Health and Manage Odor Safely

It’s understandable to wonder how to manage or get rid of vaginal odor at home. But the truth is that some vaginal odor is completely normal (we’re not supposed to smell like a rose garden!). As long as you don’t have a very strong odor that’s musty or fishy-smelling, or concerning symptoms like pain, itchiness, or greenish or grayish discharge, odor probably doesn’t need to be managed.

That said, there are steps you can take to keep your vagina healthy and prevent infections:

• Don’t use douches, which can throw off the balance of your vaginal flora and actually make it easier for “bad” bacteria to thrive. Instead, wash your vulva gently with warm water. The vagina is self-cleaning, so you don’t need to use soap.
• Keep the area dry, such as by changing out of wet bathing suits or sweaty gym clothes as soon as possible, and gently towel-drying after a shower.
• Wear cotton underwear, since this fabric is more breathable than synthetics.
• Avoid scented products, like scented tampons and pads. They can introduce chemicals and fragrance into the vaginal environment, research shows, and disrupt pH levels.
• Talk to a clinician if you have concerns about vaginal odor or suspect you may have an infection. It’s better for your health to treat the cause of odor, rather than try to mask it. Your clinician can let you know if you need antibiotics, as well as whether other treatments might help, such as options to treat GSM symptoms or probiotics to help restore the vaginal flora.

When to Talk to a Clinician About Vaginal Odor

Never hesitate to check in with a healthcare professional, such as a Midi clinician, about vaginal odor, even if you suspect the scent is normal and just want a little reassurance. But certain symptoms definitely warrant a call to your clinician, including if: 

• Your vaginal odor is very strong and noticeable, musky, or fishy-smelling
• Your vaginal discharge looks different than usual—it may be grayish or greenish white, for example, or have a texture that resembles cottage cheese
• You have pain or burning when peeing or having sex
• Your vagina or vulva feels itchy, or looks swollen and red

Let your clinician know, too, about any other vaginal symptoms you might be experiencing, such as dryness or urinary urgency, since these could be signs of GSM or (if you’re dealing with urinary urgency) a urinary tract infection (UTI). This and other vaginal issues are often misdiagnosed, sometimes because women don’t feel comfortable bringing symptoms up—but it’s definitely worth it, because treatment options are available.

Key Takeaways

• Sour-smelling vaginal discharge isn’t necessarily cause for concern. A healthy vagina may smell mildly sour, faintly sweet, or even metallic, depending on your vaginal pH and where you are in your menstrual cycle.
• Your vagina’s pH refers to how acidic or basic it is. Sour-smelling discharge might indicate that your pH is slightly more acidic, which is actually a good thing—an acidic environment offers protective benefits by making sure “good” bacteria keep “bad” bacteria in check. 
• Estrogen can also affect vaginal pH. The hormone enables “good” bacteria to help maintain that more acidic pH, and when estrogen levels drop during perimenopause and menopause, these changes may alter vaginal odor. 
• Some vaginal odors do signal infection. Let your clinician know if you notice a fishy or musky odor, or one that’s very strong or accompanied by vaginal discharge that’s grayish-white, greenish-yellow or has a texture that resembles cottage cheese.
• To prevent vaginal infections, wash your vulva gently with warm water (no need to use soap); avoid douches or scented products, since these can throw off the balance of “good” bacteria in your vagina; and keep the area dry, such as by changing out of wet bathing suits as soon as possible.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get rid of sour-smelling discharge?

You shouldn’t necessarily be concerned if your vaginal discharge smells a little sour. Normal vaginal odor can range from mildly sour to sweet to metallic. But if your discharge has a very strong odor, smells more musty or fishy than faintly sour, or has a grayish-white or greenish-yellow color, reach out to your clinician to rule out an infection. 

What does healthy discharge smell like?

Healthy vaginal discharge may have no scent at all, or could smell faintly sour, sweet, or metallic during your menstrual period. 

Why does my discharge smell weird but not fishy?

It depends. Some shifts in vaginal odor are normal, and your scent may range from mildly sour to sweet to metallic-smelling depending on your pH or where you’re at in your menstrual cycle. But if your discharge has a very strong and noticeable smell, let your clinician know—some infections, such as bacterial vaginosis, can be accompanied by changes in odor. 

Is it normal for discharge to smell sour during perimenopause?

A faintly sour vaginal smell is normal. But as estrogen levels start to gradually drop during perimenopause and menopause, vaginal pH can rise as a result of lower Lactobacillus levels in the vagina. Some midlife women might notice changes in their vaginal odor as a result of these shifts.