Is it normal for vaginal discharge to smell sour?

If the leucorrhea simply has a sour smell without any other discomfort symptoms, it is related to the acidic vaginal environment and the vagina's self-cleaning function and is a normal physiological phenomenon. If the leucorrhea has a sour smell and is accompanied by symptoms such as increased leucorrhea, vulvar itching, abdominal pain, and abnormal menstruation, it is abnormal and may be caused by diseases such as vaginitis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and adnexitis.

In order to prevent the invasion of bacteria, the glands of the endometrium will secrete leucorrhea, which will be discharged through the vagina. Generally speaking, leucorrhea is colorless and odorless or has a slightly fishy smell. Some women's leucorrhea smells sour. I don't know if it needs treatment. So is it normal for leucorrhea to smell sour?
1. Pure sour vaginal discharge is normal
1. The vaginal environment is acidic <br/>If the vaginal discharge only has a sour smell and there are no discomfort symptoms such as increased vaginal discharge, abnormal color, vulvar itching, etc., it may be a normal phenomenon. Because the environment in the female vagina is acidic, the vaginal discharge will have a slightly sour smell if it is in an acidic environment for a long time. Don't worry too much. Pay attention to personal hygiene to prevent bacteria from invading and inducing infection.
2. Vaginal self-cleaning function <br/>The vagina has a self-cleaning function. Lactobacillus often appears periodically in the vagina, producing acidic substances, causing the leucorrhea to have a sour smell. This is also normal and does not require treatment.
2. It is abnormal when sour leucorrhea is accompanied by other symptoms
1. Vaginitis <br/>If the amount of leucorrhea increases, the color is yellow, green or brown, there is a sour smell, and it is accompanied by vulvar and vaginal itching, it is abnormal and may be vaginitis. The type of vaginitis can be determined through routine leucorrhea examination, and then symptomatic medication can be used to relieve the discomfort.
2. Cervicitis <br/>When the leucorrhea has a sour smell, vaginal itching, bloody leucorrhea, or brown leucorrhea, it is also abnormal. It may be cervicitis and needs to be treated with antibiotics in time.
3. Pelvic inflammatory disease <br/>When the amount of leucorrhea increases and has a sour smell, and is accompanied by vulvar itching, abdominal pain, and menstrual abnormalities, it may be pelvic inflammatory disease, which is also abnormal.
4. Adnexitis <br/>When suffering from adnexitis, a large number of pathogenic bacteria will grow in the uterine cavity, and abnormal symptoms of leucorrhea will appear at this time, such as increased leucorrhea, accompanied by sour odor, lower abdominal pain, etc. In severe cases, high fever, chills, headache, loss of appetite, urgency, frequency, pain when urinating and other discomfort symptoms may also occur, so this sour leucorrhea is also abnormal.