I feel a smell that is not there: causes, diagnosis, treatment methods

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

"I smell things that aren't there" is a very common complaint from patients in the GP's office. The appearance of olfactory hallucinations can be caused by a variety of reasons, some of which are associated with internal pathologies, that is, cancers. In our article, we will talk about the most common causes of this symptom, as well as methods for their treatment and diagnosis.

Why do people think there is no smell?

Ask yourself the question: "Why do I constantly smell that is not there?" Then you should go to the clinic for medical help. However, the cause of this symptom can be identified at home. You just need to know the main reasons that contribute to this. For example, the perception of smells can change due to a violation of the structure of the nasal mucosa. That is, during a cold or sinusitis, a person can perceive familiar odors.completely different than in a he althy state.

However, do not forget that if a person began to smell odors that do not actually exist, this may indicate certain pathologies in the body. In this case, you should immediately seek help from a doctor who not only diagnoses the disease, but also prescribes a competent course of treatment. Although in most cases the smells are quite real. It's just that the people around them do not feel them, since the source is in the patient's body. That is why it seems that the smell does not really exist.

Causes of an unpleasant symptom

"Sometimes I smell odors that are not there" - a complaint of this kind should be considered with particular care, since the patient may be infected with pathological diseases. Among the most common diseases, the following are usually distinguished:

• pulpitis, periodontitis and dental caries;
• sinusitis - sinusitis or frontal sinusitis;
• chronic tonsillitis;
• fetid runny nose.

As a rule, all of the above pathologies are accompanied by the release of purulent masses that can cause an unpleasant odor in the patient. However, people around you are unlikely to feel it, except through close contact, such as kissing.

Perhaps it is a violation of the sense of smell?

If you keep asking yourself the question: "Why do I smell so much,which do not exist?", then one should also take into account the fact that the cause of the disorder may actually lie in a violation of the olfactory analyzer. There may be several options for such a disorder:

• hormonal fluctuations - most common during pregnancy;
• use of medicines and various preparations after intoxication;
• endocrine disorders of the body - diabetes mellitus or hypothyroidism;
• various psychological illnesses such as schizophrenia;
• brain tumor or traumatic brain injury.

Also, one should not forget about such a thing as phantom smells. Just try to imagine that you smell gas or fish. The nose immediately begins to catch the familiar aroma, right? If you do this trick all the time, it will be very difficult to get rid of phantom smells.

Which doctor should I contact?

If you suddenly began to smell at a distance or it seems to you that you smell an aroma that is not really there, then you should immediately visit the clinic for a comprehensive diagnosis of the whole organism. Otherwise, you run the risk of learning about an unpleasant illness when it is too late. Any self-medication options in this case are highly discouraged.

In most cases, people seek help from a therapist or an otolaryngologist. Diseases of the ENT organs in this case are considered the most commonoption, however, do not exclude the fact that a specialist can send you to another doctor if he does not find a problem in his part. For diagnostics, modern equipment or a classic examination of the organs of the respiratory system and oral cavity is used.

If we are talking about any psychological disorders, then the diagnosis can be complicated several times, especially if the patient experiences exactly phantom smells. In addition to the anamnesis, the main tool for detecting psychological diseases is special equipment for diagnosing the nervous system.

Diagnostic procedures

Modern medicine is a whole range of diagnostic measures aimed at identifying a specific disease. Here is just a small list of techniques that allow you to recognize an ailment, a symptom of which is an unpleasant odor:

• electroencephalography - allows you to establish or exclude epilepsy;
• CT scan - detects skull fractures and brain tumors;
• magnetic resonance imaging - reveals inflammation and hematomas in the brain.

And these were just the basic procedures that your doctor may prescribe. Do not forget about the usual diagnostic methods that have been used in clinics for several decades. Although it should be noted that modern medicine is gradually pushing them into the background.

Treatment of pathology

"I constantly smell blood - what should I do?" Stillasking yourself a similar question? But in vain! Because you should immediately contact the clinic to undergo a comprehensive examination. There is a high probability that your body has some kind of undiagnosed pathology. If the terrible diagnosis is confirmed, then the treatment options for the disease may be as follows:

• brain tumors - immediate surgery;
• schizophrenia or depression - psychotherapy and a course of taking antidepressants;
• epilepsy - taking anticonvulsants and other pills;
• circulatory disorders in the brain - metabolic therapy.

Also, as an additional treatment and prevention, a course of taking various vitamins can be prescribed to help normalize the level of trace elements in the body. As for the failure of hormones, special drugs are prescribed to normalize metabolism.

Disease prevention

Every person should understand that absolutely no one is immune from a disease in which the patient begins to feel unpleasant odors that are actually absent. To prevent this from happening, you must follow certain rules in order to prevent the risk of developing various pathologies:

• complete renunciation of bad habits (alcohol, smoking and so on);
• timely contacting the clinic for help;
• course of psychotherapy (for mental disorders);
• regular exercise and he althy eating.

It is also recommended to avoid contact with various chemicals in order to prevent intoxication of the body. Otherwise, you run the risk of not only constantly feeling smells that are not really there, but also headache, nausea and many other unpleasant symptoms.

Video and conclusion

We hope this article has helped you figure out why people smell smells that don't really exist. If you still have some questions on this topic, then we advise you to watch a short video that tells in detail how to recognize schizophrenia. Perhaps it was this mental disorder that has been haunting you all this time?

As you can see, there are quite a few different reasons why a person may experience olfactory hallucinations. If you are concerned about this symptom, we strongly recommend that you contact the clinic for advice. Otherwise, you run the risk of living with a disease for several years, which will progress all this time. Remember that your he alth is only in your hands! Therefore, come to the clinic on time for help and follow the preventive measures described in our article.