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Phantom smell - Burning & Smoke

Hello, For a while i have been smelling a burning smell in my nose, kind of like smoke. It's not constant, somedays it's there and some it's not, i don't know what it is, i searched around and couldn't really find much, any info would be great.
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Avatar universal
Your symptoms scream of what I read about candidas fungus in the gut/sinuses. Supposedly there is a blood test for this to check any abnormal levels of this fungus in bloodstream. I am new to this annoyance but thought I'd mention it. Good luck! and share any results....
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i have this burning smell at night, it wakes me up, and issues with candida... you may be right!!!
Avatar universal
There is NOTHING physically wrong with all of you, its your Soul's way of trying to get your attention.

We each have bodies: Physical, Mental Emotional Spiritual

Since its a PHANTOM SMELL guess what guys and gals..the Doctor can't find it! (PHYSICAL BODY)

Try this folks..ask your soul what it wants you to know about WHY you are smelling the burning smell!  Its about the Why you are smelling .............not WHAT you are smelling. Oh and the Thyroid is a GLAND.  There are no MEDS to "Fix" a GLAND!

If you believe there are meds to fix a gland you have really succomed to giving your power away to the pill popping answers doctors have because they don't want to look bad in front of YOU with your credit card ready to swipe with their Medical Degrees hanging on the walls.  They want your money folks!  

This is a PERFECT example of it too! MRI's won't find it, washes and pills are temporary because that is for Physical Issues....yes, its a Spiritual issue.

Whether you like it or not-it is a spiritual issue!  It will ALWAYS circle around if you don't address it.  How do I know this????? Because I have it and I'm learning what my soul wants me to heal and clear for me.  Keep in mind, we may ALL have the same smell but it doesn't mean the ISSUE is the same.  
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2 Comments
Your response is the best. I will start asking my soul some questions today. You Sir, are a very insightful person.
Go see a neurologist. I've had this for years and found a forum with people having the same problem . if they are smells that for the most part you can't identify and there is no trend to when you get them, you could possibly be having brain seizures. I don't mean to alarm you but it took me 10 years to finally go see one and feel stupid saying " I get these smells". I have 10 different smells. Couldn't tell you what they smelled like. Weird.  It just wouldn't hurt to see a neurologist.
Avatar universal
I have this ghost smell as well that no one else can smell but me. It's a horrific burning moldy smell and taste and I've been to many doctors. It's neurological and I've been diagnosed with partial seizures. I don't get grandmal but it's still definitely not a fun thing.
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Go see a neurologist. I've had this for years and found a forum with people having the same problem . if they are smells that for the most part you can't identify and there is no trend to when you get them, you could possibly be having brain seizures. I don't mean to alarm you but it took me 10 years to finally go see one and feel stupid saying " I get these smells". I have 10 different smells. Couldn't tell you what they smelled like. Weird.  It just wouldn't hurt to see a neurologist. I recently had a grand mal. DO NOT MESS WITH THIS. SRE A NEUROLOGIST
Go see a neurologist. I've had this for years and found a forum with people having the same problem . if they are smells that for the most part you can't identify and there is no trend to when you get them, you could possibly be having brain seizures. I don't mean to alarm you but it took me 10 years to finally go see one and feel stupid saying " I get these smells". I have 10 different smells. Couldn't tell you what they smelled like. Weird.  It just wouldn't hurt to see a neurologist. I recently had a grand mal. DO NOT MESS WITH THIS. SRE A NEUROLOGIST
This happened to me this morning.. Ssmelling candles in the same spot 2 times this morning. I had this during covid too.  I have been diagnosed with lupus, without Lupus, with Lupus....I go to a neaurologist for Migraines. When he heard it he told me I had to come in for an EEG.  I was diagnosed with a partial seizure disorder. I never heard of candida being a cause.  
Avatar universal
I'm here because I also started having a weird, sometimes quite disgusting smell in my nose that only I could smell. It would sort of switch around, sometimes smelling like something was burning, like I had just struck a match or just disgustingly sickening. But ALWAYS there! YUCK! This started happening about 2 months ago and I haven't had any sort of respiratory illnesses. It got so bad, I was feeling nauseous at night since for some reason it was worse at night.

I suffer from chronic migraines and just about all the awful symptoms that go along with that. At first I thought the weird smell thing might be linked but when it continued to linger, I ruled that out. I also don't take a lot of medications or have any other health problems.

It's been driving me crazy so I started searching the internet for answers. After reading LOTS of websites, I decided to start with the simplest suggestion I've read. I don't drink very much water especially in the winter months so I thought I would up my fluid intake (WATER) considerably to see what would happen. WATER, not Sprite which is my favorite, not tea or  coffee or any other soda. Pure water..... I started doing this yesterday.

Got up this morning and the smell is gone! It worked! Thank you, God! Stupid me.... I've always been neglectful about supplying my body with this life giving nectar and of course there would be consequences. Please, everyone try this. The remedy might be as simple for you, too. Think about what you're drinking or NOT drinking during the day and FIX it.

Good luck!
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I would be very interested in the outcome of your situation if you happen to follow up with a doctor. My husband is a cancer survivor and he has recently begun to have episodes of phantom smells. He describes the odors quite similar to the ones you mentioned. I have heard of the possibility of brain tumors, but as I can have a tendency to overreact where his health is concerned I would appreciate any further input you can provide
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1 Comments
Go see a neurologist. I've had this for years and found a forum with people having the same problem . if they are smells that for the most part you can't identify and there is no trend to when you get them, you could possibly be having brain seizures. I don't mean to alarm you but it took me 10 years to finally go see one and feel stupid saying " I get these smells". I have 10 different smells. Couldn't tell you what they smelled like. Weird.  It just wouldn't hurt to see a neurologist.
Avatar universal
I had this problem right after Thanksgiving, and vowed I would report back to posts like these if I found a cure.  Well, I went to an ENT before a neurologist - just somewhere to start.  Because I have Lupus, he knew what I was talking about because his mom and uncle have Lupus.  Phantosmia.  First he wanted to try steriods.  Prednisone to be exact.  A tapered dosage over like 10 days I think it was.  I AM CURED!   Maybe it was a coincidence.  I don't know, but here it is Jan 07, and I've had nothing since mid Dec.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
There are two things that seem to help, alas it requires ongoing attention.  I use a nasal rinse including saline solution and hydrogen peroxide (Friggy's upside down rinse).  It involves pouring the mixture into your nose and putting your head down between your knees for 20 to 30 seconds.  I also use mupirocin.
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Avatar universal
When I read your description, I knew immediately what you were saying.  I had described the odor as pouring water on charcoal.  
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Avatar universal
my burning smell wakes me almost every night, and always scares me... wondering if it could be synthriod use, sleep apnea, seizures, candida, or brain tumor. Who knows !
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1 Comments
Go see a neurologist. I've had this for years and found a forum with people having the same problem . if they are smells that for the most part you can't identify and there is no trend to when you get them, you could possibly be having brain seizures. I don't mean to alarm you but it took me 10 years to finally go see one and feel stupid saying " I get these smells". I have 10 different smells. Couldn't tell you what they smelled like. Weird.  It just wouldn't hurt to see a neurologist.
Avatar universal
I just experienced this an hour ago. The smell was like burning incense and I was coughing as if I were breathing the smoke. I had to get out of bed and sit up.
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2 Comments
similar with me. i ususally go check (in the middle of the night) if something is burning on my stove, but there never is... just a hallucination!
Go see a neurologist. I've had this for years and found a forum with people having the same problem . if they are smells that for the most part you can't identify and there is no trend to when you get them, you could possibly be having brain seizures. I don't mean to alarm you but it took me 10 years to finally go see one and feel stupid saying " I get these smells". I have 10 different smells. Couldn't tell you what they smelled like. Weird.  It just wouldn't hurt to see a neurologist.
Avatar universal
Sensory seizures. I have them, and I too smell smoke-specifically a structure fire, which is a very distinct smell.
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Avatar universal
Smoke smell is a sinus infection... I can't remember the particular bacteria name, but it can be killed by a genomycin rinse w/ oral antibiotics. When I had it, my husband could smell burnt hair whenever I would sneeze or blow my nose
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Avatar universal
Check your cfl light bulbs they have a built in ballast and can cause this the light may may even be out but the ballast will still burn
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Avatar universal
I smell a weird smoke smell too. It's almost like something is burning, like a tire or some type of food. It happened off and on for a day but it drives me crazy. I just had a bicycle accident. I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I also was sick a week ago, I still have phlegm and some mucus. I feel like it's harder to breathe but I don't know if I have a sinus infection or not (being that one of the causes). During my accident I also broke two teeth so I don't know if it has nothing to do with that either. Someone please help! I know I am not a hypochondriac.
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Avatar universal
I have come to the conclusion that the bad odor that I am experiencing is attributable to GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)-- which is caused by acid reflux where food and acidic stomach juices are flowing back into the esophagus.  This condition worsens at night, because lying down facilitates the flow of stomach content into the esophagus and throat.  My bad odor started out smelling strongly like a dead rotting animal somewhere in my house and then morphed into a chemical burning smell.  After paying thousands of dollars (pest control, HVAC system and air ducts cleaned out, hot water tank and septic vents flushed and snaked, and goo-gobs of air fresheners; on top of doctors' visits, antibiotics, etc.), I finally realized that the odor was originating inside of me.  Now, I drink tons of water all day, take OTC heartburn medicine (Tagamet) and after each meal, I drink baking soda (1/2 teaspoon) in water (1/2 glass).  I think that if I could stop eating wheat that this would probably help as well. The smell has not gone completely away (comes back every time that I eat), but it has been significantly abated.  I also think that fasting one-two days per week will also help.
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It's called phantosmia people with chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis get it a lot. Use the sinus rinses!
Avatar universal
Up close- ask a relative to smell your nose -
I used the Neti pot with a homemade rinse of sea salt and baking soda. I added a tiny pinch of tea tree oil to the entire batch of pre made salts. - rinsed my first rinse and I could immediately smell burning plastic or electrical cord - type smell - (very plastic/nylon burning) it took me a minute to realize it could just possibly be me. My husband even got up to come smell, and this odor was nearly "powerful enough to see fumes or smoke"
When he couldn't find the smell, it was dawning on me right then, so I asked him to smell my nose. I said "I just did that rinse and I can smell something so please just smell my nose and tell me if it smells wrong or bad." He did and immediately shrank back yelling OH MY GOODNESS THATS AWFUL. I said you can smell it?!?? Mostly relieved that I wasn't insane- he said yes. I asked what it smelled like and he said "something chemical-like".
So I don't know what it is... I even used natural products. I'm just glad Im not the only one now...you all can smell it too, and it must be scary- but try it out: next time you smell the smell super-strong, have someone smell your nose. The reassurance that it is "real" may bring lifetimes of reassuring peace until a cause is discovered.
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Avatar universal
For about the last two decades of my life (since age 38 or so) I've had the ability to smell odors about 30 seconds before anyone else, whether it's as nasty as a skunk, or as wonderful as freshly baked bread. My children and husband long ago determined that this is my super power (LOL) and we've had fun with it. However, sometime during the past decade, I've also begun to smell smoky odors that no one else ever smells. Occasionally I smell cigarette smoke and feel certain that a neighbor must be smoking right outside our home, but when I walk around the house outside, I can't find the source. What's most disconcerting is that I often smell a sulfuric odor, the smell of a recently lit match, and my nose senses this odor as if it's coming from my body; yet when I smell my hair, my clothes, my breath, or my skin, I don't detect any of this sulfuric odor. I ask others if I smell like sulfur to them, during times when I smell it very distinctly, and no one has yet to detect any such odor, either coming from me or in the air around me. These odors are not restricted to my own home or town; they occur regardless of my location or circumstances. I use a neti pot regularly for sinus issues, and I refill my 16 ounce water bottle (which goes everywhere I go) at least 3 to 4 times a day. I have several chronic pain issues that I have learned to live with, including pain from degenerative disc disease in my cervical spine that often causes headaches and migraines... Basically I'm writing about my experiences in this forum because it really has been helpful to know I'm not alone in the world. I think my next step will be to consult with a neurologist. Thanks for the all the information and insights each of you has shared... I'll return to write more if I learn any more on this subject... Blessings!
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1 Comments
Go see a neurologist. I've had this for years and found a forum with people having the same problem . if they are smells that for the most part you can't identify and there is no trend to when you get them, you could possibly be having brain seizures. I don't mean to alarm you but it took me 10 years to finally go see one and feel stupid saying " I get these smells". I have 10 different smells. Couldn't tell you what they smelled like. Weird.  It just wouldn't hurt to see a neurologist.
Avatar universal
Hi everyone My name is Thulane i have a smell in my body that i dont understand it started when I was 14 years and since then i have been living with this smell.It was difficult at school no one wanted to sit next to me because kids would say i smell like something is burning, cooking oil burning tire. i have been living with problem for years now and no one knows what was it and i never talk about to my mother because i was to embarrassed to talk about. i am 35 now and i have quit jobs after jobs because i cant keep the job because people say i stink and it hateful when you don't know what to do. i have started a treatment for months ago when i went to the doctor and break my silence because i just quit my job and the doctor says it was a bacteria that was in me and it was not treated for years. it is still there as though sometimes i feel loosing hope because it this bacteria makes my body feel hot and produces a stinky smell in my body. please help anyone there.
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Its your diet and probably your sinuses as well. First stop is an elimination diet. The best one is the royal Prince Alfred hospital failsafe diet in Australia. Go look up the failsafe diet at fedup.com.au its changed my life and many others.
You may try adding white vinegar to your bathing routine.  Vinegar is helpful with neutralizing many ordors.  Best of luck
Avatar universal
I have it for ten months , but it can disappaer as long as a few weeks. i think i have a chronic sinusitis too. It only appears at home and disappear if i open a window ...
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Avatar universal
I know this is old and maybe it will help someone else that is searching for an answer.  I also have the burning scent and Hashimotos. I take Synthroid.
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hey i have a few things in common with you, not only the name lynn, but this burning smell at night and i take synthroid !!! (ps sorry if ur getting this message twice, im new to the site)
Avatar universal
I  have had the same burning smell for about 3 months. Smells like a dirty oven is on and the door is open.  It also is affecting my sense of taste. I will drink a A&W root beer and all I get is a chemical taste in the soda. I smell cigarettes and just smell the chemicals not the tobacco aroma. I sure like the sounds of a sinus infection over a tumor! I am 40lbs overweight and have just got a cpap for apnea. Doctor gave me a puffer (steroids) it hasn't helped. I'm going to try saline now maybe some allergy medicine. I also have to find out what a neti pot is !! next doctor visit I'm going to steer him towards a sinus infection. Good luck everyone if it goes away I'll let you know.Cheers
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Avatar universal
When I googled this I never expected to find so many people afflicted with this.  I have been getting this for a couple of years on and off.  Mine is not a burning smell but a rancid putrid smell/taste which lasts a day or two and is so strong I swear people can smell it on me though they cannot.  I usually wake with it in the middle of the night like tonight.  It has come on during a dream of vomiting a thick putrid paste or trying to clear that paste from my mouth.  I smell it in my dream and wake to the smell.  It is what wakes me.  This time no dream,  I just woke with it.  I do take diuretics so I could be dehydrated somewhat so from reading here I have been pushing fluids for the past hour.  I was under tremendous stress today and took a Xanax which is something I rarely rarely do.  I keep wondering if that did it.  It is really quite disgusting as I not only smell it but taste it and it kills the taste of anything I eat  and makes me not want to eat.  I also took an allergy pill as some others have done here on the odd chance it might help.  The only thing I have found in the past that remotely helped was to keep mentholated cough drops in my mouth at all times while it was happening.  It "kind of" masked the smell and taste.  I have had several MRI's and EEG's in the past and nothing.  I had extensive blood work done recently and the only thing found was very low potassium.  I am at a loss.  Anyone have any ideas?
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Avatar universal
Ive had the same thing for about 2 years. Constantly smelling dust or smoke. Ive used a Neti pot and that seems to help a bit. But you're correct, I thought I was the only one who had this.
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Avatar universal
the human body is riddled with tumors. everyone in the U.S. for sure. whether or not they become a problem is yet to b determined in most cases
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