An odor from a wound is not one thing. Wounds can produce specific odors, and this can be related to the dressing, the healing process, or infection.
That’s three possible sources, and one of them is simply the dressing. It’s worth knowing before assuming the worst, because some dressing materials have a smell of their own. Alginate dressings, for example, have an unpleasant odor, which has nothing to do with the state of the wound.
What matters is what comes along with the smell. If you are worried, or the odor is present with more wound fluid and/or pain, contact your healthcare professional. These signs may be related to an infection, which requires specific treatment.
Bad smell is also one of the signs that may suggest infection, alongside increasing pain, redness spreading around the wound, swelling or warmth, pus or a change in the wound fluid, and fever or feeling unwell. Odor is among the signs of infection to contact a provider about for diabetic foot ulcers and ischemic ulcers. For a pressure sore, a foul odor from the sore comes first on the list.
To keep this in proportion: not all wounds with fluid or smell are infected, but changes over time are important.
Some commercial products are available to help reduce odor. Discuss these options with your healthcare professional rather than choosing one on your own.