I’m asking on behalf of Citymom who is complaining of a strange rotten smell that nobody else seems to be picking up on. Because she’s been having sinus irritation and ear popping, she is wondering if it might be due to an infection.
I have had what sounds like a similar effect off and on since 1996 when I was visiting back east. It started out as a smoky smell, and at first it was very unpleasant but gradually I got used to it. In my case, it’s strongest when breathing out. Haven’t had it a lot lately, but there are certain smells/tastes that will trigger it.
So are we experiencing the same thing, and is there a biological or biochemical cause for it?
Sounds like it might be a bacterial infection in the nasal passages or sinuses - I’ve had both the ‘rotten’ and the ‘burning’ smells in the past and it was an infection in both cases.
What about those odd moments when you get a whiff of a smell you encountered earlier? ie: you were camping over the weekend, and at your office on Tuesday, you suddenly smell “campfire” for a moment. Sort of an olfactory memory.
Is that just some of the air you breathed over the weekend getting trapped in a clogged sinus cavity, then the cavity opens up later on?
I should point out that mine is not a burning smell per se but just a smoke smell - kind of like a mixture of cigarettes and potato chips is the best way to describe it.
Yes it is.
Not sure what a migraine equivalent is. I’ve heard of the “aura” or blind spot people get sometimes, is that another example? Don’t know what could be making either of us seize or hallucinate.
