Sinus/Odor Problem

[jgw4nm]

Periodically I smell a musty odor. I kept thinking it was in my home but I smell it anywhere I go. I've told friends about this and they say I don't smell musty, so it must be a smell only I can smell. It's a dusty/musty odor and sometimes keeps me awake at night and makes my throat tickle. Could this be a sinus problem. I've asked my family also and they do not smell it. I do have some problems with sinus congestion from time to time.

[jgw4nm]

I'm thinking the same thing. If I still smell things on Monday, I'll call. No, I do have Nasacort but haven't used it in months. The only meds I take is OTC Prilosec.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Blood sometimes smells off, but if you've had 3 nosebleeds in the last week and a half, i'd wonder why.  Do you use nasal steroids?  Do you pick them?  May be worth getting a doc to look up there.

[jgw4nm]

Thanks for your info. On Wednesday, I had 2 large globs of blood, some looked like dried, dark looking. After which my nose bled for a while. I've had 2 other nose bleed in the last 10 days. I still smell the odor  which I've decided also sometimes smellls like blood. Is bleeding a usual thing with this. I've never had nose bleeds before but have had sinusitis many years from time to time.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

friggy's right, although i hope i never smell that parmesean&dog-poo smell.  unless it's grada padana.  just kidding.

some sinusitis is due to infection though, and can improve with antibiotics, but most are due to inflammation from the irritation, which can be treated by washing out sinus mucous and reducing the production of mucous by using nasal steroids.

friggy has a good solution for rinsing documented in his journal:
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/665

[friggy]

It's possibly a low-level sinus infection.  The smell can be musty, ammonia, burning, or Parmesan-and-dog-poop, (those are the ones i've had). The infection may not be bad enough to cause congestion.  Consult an ENT, but if the doc notes sinusitis, hear this: Up-to-date doctors know that antibiotics don’t work against sinusitis.  They’ve probably seen the research (Google: Mayo Clinic snot) that reveals that sinusitis isn’t a tissue infection—it’s the toxins from the infected snot that are irritating the sinuses.   The cure for sinusitis is to remove the mucus, either with surgery (no way!) or to wash it out with saline solution.  Squirting it up your nose doesn’t work (gravity), but 3 things do.  A) a neti pot, which is mildly effective;  B) Dr. Grossan’s Hydropulse, which is safe, much more effective, costs $100 ; or C)  The Flip-Turn Sinus Flush, which is slightly risky, completely effective, costs $5.  The risk is that you have to bend down in a shower, to use gravity, but it’s unsurpassed in its ability to flush out a fistful of snot, with any bacteria, virus, fungus, mold, chunks of gel, weird smells, blood, whatever, from every nook and cranny of your sinuses, and will restore the sinuses to full function in less than 2 weeks.