Onions Suddenly Smell like ASHTRAY

Hi,

Very odd phenomenon. (I've read similar posts here but not answers yet...)

10 days ago I noticed my body odor, which i usually enjoy, smelled like ashtray to me. like old, cigarettes in an ashtray.

Since then i have noticed it is not just my smell, but other people's bo, including my husband's, which i also usually love! (so sad! :(  )

Yesterday a friend was cooking and as soon as he put the onions on the hot oil, the smell was 100 times more intense -- again ASHTRAY CIGARETTE smell.

one other thing is a faint leftover amount of egyptian musk perfume oil in my glasses case -- also wafts to me like ashtray.

no changes in diet, healthy, etc.

confused and sad about this... anyone have any ideas/ conclusions?

thank you!
m

[bsmsl]

Hello and welcome to MedHelp

The condition is known as parosmia - an adverse reaction to odorants.  In your case it is misinterpretted odors.  For you, every thing smells like an ashtray.  It could be worse. Most people experience much more foul odors as in waste.  

The exact cause is sometimes hard to pin down.  Sometimes it is head trauma, or a sinus infection (some poeple blame a sinus infection they had 3 - 4 months beofer the onset of parosmia.  Many times it will go away on its own.

Some people find sinus rinses very effective when done using Simply Saline and leaning far forward so that your forehead is very close the the ground.  This is supposed to cleanse the olefactory nerve better and allow it to heal.  I will get some links to info on parosmia and phantosmia up when I get a chance to work on that.  I have several other projects I am working on as well.

God bless.