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Smelly mucous in my nose, taste in my mouth

I've read the other posts, but this isn't a recurring thing, I don't smoke, I'm not on any meds, I'm not overweight, I exercise... I got the flu - bad for one day (achy all over, headache on my temples), the next day the achiness was gone but I stayed in bed. Today, the third day, I feel much better, but am left with a slight cold and am taking it easy. I do cough, but only once in a while, and when I do, it sounds like I'm not getting enough air. When I blow my nose, it smells really bad, and I can taste it every once in a while in the back of my throat. Any ideas of what the cause may be and what I can do? I think when the cold passes, the smell will be gone, but I never had this before with a cold. Thanks.
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Avatar universal
Had a sinus problem lost smell and taste for a couple of weeks when it returned now i smell and taste only bad things why? How can i fix this it makes me sick to even eat?
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I have the same symptoms.  Oil of Oregano seems to be a temporary solution.  I was finally diagnosed correctly by a doctor in a walk-in clinic.  He prescribed me 21 CAP AP Amoxicillin 500 mg 3x, which had no effect.  Then my own family doctor prescribed Teva-/Claritromycin - 500 MB x 14 tabs 2 per day and encouraged the use of a Neti-pot.   He really didn’t seem to take it too seriously.  After his treatment also had no result, I finally insisted he send me to a specialist.  They put me on a 6 month waiting list due to the priority level my own doctor gave them. I finally got to see the specialist. He inserted a camera and showed me  a river of puss coming from my upper sinus.  He prescribed 14 tabs Ratio-Aclavulanate penicillin which is a Tier 2 pharmaceutical.  He also subscribed 140 DOS Apo-Mometasone 50 MCG - 1 spray each nostril daily with two refills, plus also encouraged the use of Neti-pot.  He is scheduling me in for a CT Scan so that he can get a better idea of what he is dealing with.
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I am now experiencing this.. could you give an update to this?
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I had my wisdom tooth removed .. top left. Could you elaborate on this post?

The smell just started yesterday... however, it has been almost 2 months since my actual surgery. I had an infection before and took all of the antibiotics because I had a sinus communication in which my sinus's fluids were draining into my mouth. The antibiotics coupled with Sudafed stopped that and after this occasionally a weird tasting seemingly clear mucous would sometimes still leak but it was hard to tell if it was coming from the extraction site.

Anyway, I don't have any other symptoms like headache, and my mucous when blowing my nose is almost completely clear but it doesn't change that the smell still exists. I do plan to go to an ENT, but since this is likely from dental / oral work I would like your more professional opinion..

Thank you
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Avatar universal
I had this same sensation a few years ago (the ear feeling dulled and blocked, with the sound of my "heartbeat" reverberating), just in the change of season from spring to summer. I went to the ENT convinced I must have some strange tumor or something. Turns out I had a collection of fluid behind the eardrum, and the "heartbeat" sound was just the sloshing around of the fluid as I turned my head, bent over, walked about, etc. The ENT doctor said it was likely due to allergies, which I never really had before. He recommended I take an oral decongestant (pseudoephedrine & loratadine combo AKA Claritin D) for several weeks, throughout the peak of the allergy season. I did this and the problem resolved within the week. Now I continue to take OTC decongestant during allergy seasons. (Just want to mention, as someone else already said, be careful about taking decongestants if you have any hypertension or heart problems, since they can increase your blood pressure!) I also suffer from sinus infections annually, but taking the decongestant just as I feel the symptoms coming on seems to reduce the severity of them. Good luck!
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Avatar universal
thank you thank you....i once had this ball like thing in my gums. and it punched and left a bad taste in mym mouth......not awful thou....pls pls send me an email to tell me what to to....u gonna be an excellent doctor for sure ***@****
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Avatar universal
I have this problem twice now , the first time I researched and found out that infection was in my upper sinus , which you cant flush with saline ,

The trick is to flush your sinus then pinch your nose to hold in the solution then bend over forward as far as possble for 30 seconds.

This will allow the solution to enter the upper sinus cavity  . then stand up right and clear your nose , do this 4 times a day , saline is anti bacterial and eventually it will go away .

If you have a fungal infection antibiotics will not work .
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Avatar universal
I've had this for longer than 6 months now and all the docs gave me was nasal sprays (sea salt based), they're only now giving me antibiotics.

Along with the strange smelling mucus and horrible taste, is anyone else getting a weird feeling with their ear at the side of the sinuses problem? It feels like its blocked and I can hear my heart beating constantly and it hurts, really hurts and my balance is off.

If anyor could help, that'd be great.
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I have it right now and you are right. it seems to get worse in late morning early afternoon.  If i take advil i can dull the pain in my teeth and sinus but the smell is still there. I have never had anything like this and have had many sinus infections over the years.  The smell is driving me crazy.  I am on Augmenten, the treatment choice for sinus infections according to my doc but it does not seem to be helping.  I am probably going back but in the mean time i am using my netipot and trying to drink a lot of fluids.
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i just had my wizzys out about 2 months ago and im still getting this nasty smell what do i do? it tastes bad too and makes my breath smell no matter how much i brush my teeth and i get headaches alot now. also there is like a hole from my gums into my sinus cavity.
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Avatar universal
I have this right now, too.  I'm usually a healthy eater, I eat mostly vegan (no meat, no dairy, no animal products), but hubby and I binged on dairy ice cream every night for a week (uh oh), so I assumed all the nose-blowing was from eating the dairy (dairy makes mucus...when you eat dairy regularly, you just don't notice it, but when you stop eating dairy for a while, then eat it, you notice!).

Anyway, the after-dairy nose-blowing usually only lasts one day, but I was still blowing after 3 days, and then I got a massive toothache on my back upper molar.  It was so bad, kept me awake at night 3 nights in a row, then spread to my lower back molar.  Both are crowns, so I thought they were infected and I've have to pull them out.  I went to the dentist, got x-rays -- no infection, teeth were fine, dentist said it sounds like a sinus infection.

I am into holistic remedies, haven't been to a doctor in 5 years, I refuse to take antibiotics (unless life or death), so I looked it up and found apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a cure for sinus infection, if you drink it consistently throughout the day (e.g., add 2 Tbsp to a large bottle of water).  Well, I've been taking ACV as needed for years, so I'm very familiar with it.  It cures food poisoning, severe flu, and lots of other ailments.  But I hate the taste so much, I will chug it as a shot, then chase it with a little water -- I cannot drink it throughout the day!  Yucky!!!  So I'm taking it both morning and night (note: never drink coffee within 3 hours of eating ACV, or projective vomiting will ensue), and throughout the day I'm trying to be as alkaline as possible by drinking wheatgrass shots and kale/spinach/celery/carrot/parsley juice from Whole Foods juice bar, near my work.

I've also been doing Neti Pot with 1 tsp salt per 2 cups purified boiled water cooled to body-warm, then drain tons of nastiness out of my nose into the bathroom sink.  It feels good and lasts a few hours...not as long as I'd like, but what a relief from that nasty smell and taste.....infected mucous snot, and yea...kinda like rotten eggs (someone else said that).  Just SO nasty!!!!  And it's all I can smell at all times!!!  Gross.

I will try the eucalyptus lozenges for the taste.  I've been afraid other people can smell this.  Hubby says he can't smell it, but it's so hard to believe.

I've never had a sinus infection, this is pretty gross.  My dentist said most people take antibiotics for this, but it's not required, I could let it run it's course if desired, but will take a few weeks.
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Avatar universal
Hi nookie.  What you have is unusual, but not on this forum.  You could have an infection from the sewage, or something else.  There are many causes, some of which I list in my journal, in section 16: Revolting Sinus Odor.

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/2322

Too bad about the doctors, but I was a schoolteacher too, and unfortunately kids can smell a whole lot better than most adults, including medical professionals.
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Avatar universal
I have a rotten egg smell to and I have really turned into another person because it is all I think about for its so embarrassing to have a fart egg smell exiting when I breath or talk. I believe the house I live in has done this to me.  Over the summer a sewer gas (which took me forever to locate the source) was coming through my bathroom window from sewer mounted on my neighbors property. I inhaled and ingested small quantities of hydrogen sulfide for over a year and it has infected my respiratory system. Unknowingly it contaminated every utensil I put in my mouth but i always noticed that I felt worse after brushing my teeth not knowing it was poisoned by hydrogen sulfide(the poisonous and egg smell that often flow from sewers).  I don't what to do because my doctors claim they don't smell or see anything but being a teacher, I know my students are repelled by me sometimes but they love me so much they just deal with it.  I can't go on living like this because its the most embarrassing thing in my life and I would give anything to be secure knowing my breath isn't reeking an egg smell. Please help me if anyone is out there!!!
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Avatar universal
I have beem having somwhat of the same problem, but i kinda think mine has to do with a tooth i had pulled out. Just wend. i had one of my wisdom teeth pulled out, i dont think it had a infection in it, but i could be wrong, the dentist never said anything about it. it would hurt my whole side of face. my ear, jaw, temple but only of my right side. well i got the tooth pulled, my tooth dont hurt anymore, but now my teple my head jaw all the same things still hurt, and now i have this disterbing nasty taste in my mouth like in the back of my throut, and my snot smells the same, but my snot doesnt really have much of a mucus look to it, its pretty clear and white , normal. im scared to swollow cause i think that it could possibly go in my blood stream and into my heart. i have no idea what it is, im tryin to go to the doctor this week. If anybody has any ideas on what this could be please let me know. I also have colf-flu type syptoms ... i feel drained, i cant get up and walk around for long amount of time.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for that info!!! I have the worst stinking snot I have ever experienced!  People can smell it on me!!!! I had a metal plate put into my wrist two months ago, so I thought my body was fighting the metal plate, as the snot smelt like burning metal.  I have been on amoxicillin 500 mg 3 times a day, and its still there!!!!!! I actually just read the above post and used my saline for my nose and did as you said, and it is better, no smell for now.  This is mortifying!!! Even going to doc,
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Avatar universal
Hi!  I have this problem at present.  I've been to ENT dr for 4 times already.  The antibiotics by the dr are helpful for few days only and again the  symptom is back.  Yeah, it's so embarrassing, it's like a rotten egg and worst is i can taste it and would really make me throw up.  I had my ct scan and the status of my sinuses are worst, so i have to undergo surgery (no cut two weeks from now to clean up my sinuses.  I keep on praying and asking God's mercy & healing power that through this surgery, i would  be totally healed...
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Avatar universal
I forgot to say that the lozenges I refer to in the previous post are called "Fishermans Friend"  you have probably heard, or seen them, pharmacies have them usually, and quite often in the regular confectionary section of everyday stores and shops.
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Avatar universal
I have also suffered this disgusting condition, and like a lot of others, not experienced it before. For sure, the smell is rank. I initially thought that the cat had brought in a dead animal and stashed it somewhere, initially I got the odd occurence of the smell, and just couldn't understand it. Never did I think that such a God awful smell could be produced in my sinuses. But there it was, my son sat beside me and said, let me just have a little sniff near your face, he instantly recoiled, and retched. He said, wtf is that, I have never smelt anything so bad. It was not my most dignified moment. So what to do? Initially trawl the internet, pick this and that, discard the crazy ideas and solutions, and then Blitz the damned bacteria, which by that time I knew it was. And Blitz it I did, off to the local chemist, and armed with all sorts of stuff, some relevant, others, maybe. But I got rid of it after 2 days, thank God.  So, ok, in most cases it is going to be bacteria at work, and they can invade anytime, and anywhere. Literally out of the blue. Of course the symptoms may be part of another malady, so if it persists more than 2 or 3 days, it is good for a doctors visit for sure, Anyway, I hammered into the anti biotics, which are the main artillery against bacteria, everytime. And No, as one person said, they feed on anti biotics, no they don't. You need them to kick the proverbial ***. So, that is working away, but of course that darned awful reek is still there. My strategy there was to dry the nose, sinuses up, and be rid of the mucus for as long as possible. Saline flushes are great, but do them slowly, tepid water, slightly salted, too much will make your nose hurt like hell, I know from experience!  Lie back on the bed, with some absorbent towels, I used a syringe, obviusly without a needle!! Most pharmacies stock them if you don't have one  around somewhere. Then gently squish the solution into one nostril then the other, you will feel it trickle down the back of your throat. It will tickle probably, and in fact might cause you to splutter and gag momentarily, but that is all, it's worth while. I did this over and over for perhaps 5 minutes, when you sit up, it's weird as a lot of the saline solution just gushes back out, so have that towel ready! I used to imagine some of the nasty little critters coming out as well, and I was gaining the upper hand. Positive thinking works wonders. When done, gently just squeeze nose from top to bottom to clear any residue, and get that towel out of the way, and into a very hot wash!!  I did this probably 2 times a day, sometimes 3 when it needed it. So now you should have a much cleaner sinus and nose. Now, I also bought, if these are universal, i am in the UK btw, they are lozenges, small, with eucalyptus oil, and menthol mainly, and boy do they have a kick. I just used the original ones, apparently originated in 1865 for the Atlantic deep sea fishermen. Get some of these 2 or 3 at a time, and munch on them, they will drive away that smell, and also dry up the whole tubes with the menthol. So you shouldn't find yourself sniffing for a while, and getting that yuckky smell or taste. Over time the mucus will build up, but for one it gives you some respite for a good long time, and when you start to notice it again, bung some more in, and if necessary, flush again with saline solution. Like I said, those bacteria were gonna get their tiny ***** kicked right out of there!!
On top of that, i also utilized Olbas oil, again universally known, this on a small tissue or similar, sniffed in by long slow breathing, adds to the effect, and also aids the drying up. I used to put some on my pillow as well at night, and keep it by the bedside to splosh onto the tissue now and again to keep up the assault. Finally remember to keep those vitamins up, if necessary with supplements, this equips your immune system to tackle the baddies. With the anti biotics you should be taking as well, your armory will be well stocked,   Ok Bacteria, here we come, "Lock and load" folks. :-)
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Avatar universal
i have all those symptoms that you are all talking about but iv had mine for over a year iv been to and from the hospital, i have had a mri scan and ct scan and i have been doing sinus rinse 3 times a day, the hospital have finally found out what i have i have a rare diseases in my nose which only affects south european people or people who have had nose surgery and im neither of that, so some-one like me is very very rare to have this condition, i suggest you ask for a ct scan, im awaiting for my next lot of results and i am due to get them in August 2010- to find out the next step to curring this.
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I need advise...i have something similar to the other people in this group...it started with jaw lock when eating on the left side of my face, then the next day moved down lower so i thought it was a wisdom tooth...but 5 days on its turned into a full sinus attack and the back of my throat is raw but nothing happens when i blow my nose or cough! i can taste the infection so i know im screwed but my doctors is shut till next week due to staff shortages!!!! HELP! any ideas on over the counter remedies or foods which will ease the soreness and take this god aweful taste away for a while??? cheers, lisa
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Avatar universal
I am in process of becoming a dentist/orthodontist. The symptoms you have are similar to the symptoms of a breached tooth infection. Have you had your wisdom teeth removed? if not, you may have an impacted tooth. Does the smell kind of smell like moth balls? At some point in time, did your gums have a ball like thing on it, that now seems to be softer than it was? Those are symptoms.

Daniel Onusarian  
Soon D.D.S.
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I finished chemo and radiation treatment about six months ago and would appreciate any help or advice from anyone who could help.  I have neuropathy in my hands and feet which doesn't seem to improving, I have a sore neck and very nasty tasting phlegm in my throat, which  affects my taste.  I was treated for neck and throat cancer,which I have been told is cured Thank you for anything.
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yeah... I got it too and I have to say it's very uncomfortable! Has anybody else noticed that it gets worse in the late morning/afternoon?
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Avatar universal
Buy a Neti pot and start flushing those sinuses.  The soreness in your throat is typical lymphatic defense; but be sure you haven't developed scar tissue back there which can create pockets to hold debris, which will eventually become putrid; the cycle continues.  
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