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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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I am a non-smoker who despised cigarette smoke.  I grew up with it and won't have it in my house now as an adult.  I have been suffering with a burning smell for 2 years now.  It showed up immediately after a camping trip and I believed it was that campfire was stuck inside my nose! haha!   I lived with it for a few weeks until I couldn't take it anymore.  I went to a seasoned ENT doctor who rinsed out my nasal cavities and prescribed me a steriod and round of antibiotics.  It didn't get rid of the smell.  He had me do a couple of smell tests which I passed with flying colors.  He ordered an MRI that only provided me with information that I have a deviated septum.  Nothing at all was found and he didn't know what else to do.  He printed out some literature about having phantom smells; a key factor in the literature for me was how it explained that people get so depressed having these smells that they commit suicide.  I can understand that for sure, but couldn't leave my kids without a mother.  The doctor recommended using a netti pot twice a day which helps for about an hour afterwards.  It went away for about 5 months and I felt like I was normal again only to have it re-surface and go away and re-surface and then go away.  After reading everyone's posts, it seems that it could be from a lot of different things and have a lot of different outcomes.  I do find that when my diet is particularly poor and when I eat too much sugar, it seems to come back immediately.  I can't help but feel like it is my body screaming at me that something is wrong; like a warning WARNING WARNING!  I went to get a check up and brought it up to my regular practitioner who prescribed me a daily steroid nasal spray.  It still goes away and comes back for periods of time.  Currently I have it and it is really really bad.  I fasted for half a day and the next day it was gone.  When I started eating again, it came back.  Maybe get tested for diabetes?  I am 100 pounds overweight.  If that is the cause I will write again.
Thanks for reading my story!
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Avatar universal
I just experienced this last night. I woke suddenly from my sleep, sat up and screamed.  The smell was more of a chemical/bleach type.  I was convinced for a few minutes that someone was trying to kill me in my sleep.  Then after a quick look around, being dizzy and disoriented, I realized that no one else was in the room.  I thought I was going to either faint or throw up the smell was so strong.  I ran to the bathroom and rinsed my nose out with water.  After a few minutes the smell went away, but I couldn't get back to sleep.  Everytime I got close, I felt like I quit breathing and would wake again gulping for air. It didn't matter what position I was laying either.  I know you posted this like 4 years ago, but did you ever find out what the issue was or get a solution. The experience was so scary, I really do not want to go through it again.
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2 Comments
You weren't on lipitor were you?  It sounds much like what happened with me.  I had been taking lipitor for a week and then started suddenly waking up at 12:30 am with dry sinus, smoke smell.  I couldn't go back to sleep.  I take multiple sleep meds and lipitor's effect  burnt through them all.  Needless to say, I quit taking it  that day.
this burning smell wakes me at night too and im staring to wonder if it is related to sleep apnea ... its interesting you (violetblue901) mention you feel like you quit breathing. my theory is the brain telling you, with this intense smell, to wake up so you dont suffocate to death
Avatar universal
It seems like different remedies work for different people.  I now swear by my $14 neti pot, which had an immediate positive effect.  I guess any number of things can get into our sinuses, and whatever I rinsed out was causing the burning smell.  I am surprised--I actually thought the neti pot was a joke, and only bought it because I was desperate to try anything and it was on sale.  I am just so relieved not to smell smoke/smoldering any more.  Thanks everyone for sharing your remedies--one of them saved the day for me!  I'll post an update if my relief is short-lived : )
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Avatar universal
Wow! I just Googled  "Burning smell", not really expecting to see so many other people having the same. This is the second time in a year I have experienced this. It vanished after having it for about a week, but now it's back again but much more intense. I though it had something to do with asprin because it came on the first time after taking lots of asprin for headaches. I took some Anadin Extra the other day and the smell is back.

This could all coincidence, and the only way to tell is to stop the asprin. I'm going to try the water drinking thing now. If this doesn't work then I'm going to buy some Sudafed tomorrow. The smell has taken over my taste buds also. Everything tastes metalic. It's just a nightmare.
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8829133 tn?1400867913
forgot to add that I have no usual signs of a sinus infection.  No runny or stuffy nose, no pain in my face, no fever, etc.  It is as if my sinus' drain into my head instead of out my nose because of this 'sinus disease'.  A CT scan should show if it is dental or sinus.  it can be very scary to google this symptom.  most of it is doom and gloom.  
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8829133 tn?1400867913
I have been having phantom smells for a while now.  5 yrs ago it was a disgusting rotten fish smell. I used the netti pot many times a day. eventually, it went away.  For the past month now I have been smelling burning wood.  I am a smoker and have been for over 30 yrs and I have a great sense of smell. I don't know who told you that smokers could not smell, but that is false.  anyway, I have a deviated septum that I have had forever.  I used to use nasal sprays way too much.  actually burned a hole in my nose.  this time the smell came at the same time as a bad cold.  the smell of burning wood is still there though.  I do believe it is sinus disease.  I had a CT scan about 3 yrs ago and was told I have that.  I am going to ask my dr to take another CT scan and compare it to the old one.  will let you know what they say
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