Strange Odors

[KC]

Does anyone smell something that isn’t there? More and more often I smell cigarette smoke that isn’t there. Neither my husband or I smoke, but at times I smell it as if it’s in the same room. Some reading I’ve done suggests this is a migraine aura and many migraine sufferers have strange smells preceding a migraine and it is usually an unpleasant odor. I haven’t had a migraine for about 20 years, so that isn’t my answer. I’m wondering if it could be CCSVI related. It started as occasional about 3 years ago, but it is almost daily now. Anyone else?

[loulou]

Hi

I have been smelling burning smell and most recently a burning diesel smell which makes me nauseous. At times my smell is hypersensitive too and this can make me nauseous as well.

Normally I cannot smell a thing but have these episodes of hypersensitivity or have phantom smells 😉

[Dr. Diana]

Hi guys,
I don’t notice this (I can’t believe someone out there has a symptom I don’t have!) I will mention that you can have migraine auras or “episodes” without headaches, and this could very well be what you’re experiencing. You know how our blood vessels seem to have forgotten what to do? Well if they constrict near the part of the brain interpreting smells, I could see how this could happen.
This article is a bit simplistic, but a great one for a quick run through:
http://on.msnbc.com/rXZSTW (why does every symptom we have want us to rule out BRAIN TUMOR?) 🙂 Diana

[KC]

Hi Dr. D,
Thanks for the article. (and btw, in my world simplistic is a GOOD thing) I think migraine aura may fit in my case. I have had “silent migraines” with only visual auras since the full blown type of 20 yrs ago have ceased. I’m pretty sure I can rule out brain tumor, since mri’s have not shown one, but I do have an arachnoid cyst that I hope to learn more about in February when I see a new neurologist. Thanks again for your help!

[Dr. Diana]

Hi Dr. D,
Thanks for the article. (and btw, in my world simplistic is a GOOD thing) I think migraine aura may fit in my case. I have had “silent migraines” with only visual auras since the full blown type of 20 yrs ago have ceased. I’m pretty sure I can rule out brain tumor, since mri’s have not shown one, but I do have an arachnoid cyst that I hope to learn more about in February when I see a new neurologist. Thanks again for your help!

You are so welcome! Just to be thorough, 🙂 , histamine can make us more prone to migraines (along with estrogren), so please check with your doctor about using antihistamines (a mast cell medication) to help with those migraines. If they are migraines. 🙂 Diana

[sarahdionna]

When I am sleeping, I will wake up all of a sudden to this terrible burning smell. My nose and throat will actually burn really bad. It will smell and feel like burnt buffalo wing sauce and no matter what I do or what room I move to, I can’t get the smell to leave me alone. I burn a lot of candles and spray my favorite perfume on my blankets and pillows so I can bury my face in them. My fiance swears he can’t smell it.

I also have a weird taste that happens when eating, especially with chips. I will be enjoying my food and then all of sudden, it will taste like old tuna with a hint of floral tasted thrown in. I always have someone else try the food and they say it tastes fine.

Randomly, while doing nothing at all, I will develop a floral taste in my mouth and smell in my nose. It also burns. Again, no one else smells it.

Edit: Usually my sense of smell is really bad and I can only smell really strong smelling odors.

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