Strange Smell

[Imichaelvbryant]

For the past day or so, I have been smelling cigarette smoke, even while wearing my CPAP mask. But I do not smoke and nor do anybody else in my household. This just started two days ago. What could this be?

[Imichaelvbryant]

Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!!! At least, now I know that I'm not going crazy. Thanks again. I went to the ER a few days ago for chest pains and the weird smell and tiny sparks I'd see in my peripheral and the doctor suggested I go to a neurologist.  

[Hamiltons]

I have epilepsy and it's a sweet, burning wires, hard to explain. But also anxiety disorder. I don't panic, at 60 you're gonna have some oddities. I roll with punches. Best of luck to you. You did the right thing you sought hekp

[Imichaelvbryant]

Neurologist told me that these are indications of what stroke victims complain about.

[law270]

I am having the same problem. I constantly smell something burning, whether I am indoors or outdoors, it's the same odor. Not sulphur, more like something synthetic burning. Need answers. has been going on for two days, going on three days. Any suggestions.

[island248]

wow, I have had the same thing the last few months and I thought I was going crazy.

[Silkie55]

I was amazed to find this because the same thing is happening to me but I'm on day 4 of opiate withdrawal.

[Red_Star]

Phantosmia is an olfactory hallucination: perception of smell without an odor present. These imaginary smells can range from unpleasant to enjoyable. Causes include brain injury or seizures in the temporal lobe, various neurological disorders, overactive olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), or the loss of inhibitory neurons brought on by a sinus infection or some other type of head cold.

I had a bout of phantosmia, in my case it was an electrical burning type smell, that lasted for a few days. This was one of my various neurological symptoms as a result of my thyroid conditions - Hashimoto's thyroiditis (autoimmune hypothyroidism) with bouts of hashitoxicosis (hyperthyroid flare ups).