Constantly smelling smoke

[Guest KiminOrlando]

Ok. Weird question which is saying quite a bit in this group, but...

I have started constantly smelling smoke. There is no smoke around me and it has been going on for days. I can smell other stuff too that are real, like bacon or lemons, etc, but only when they are there. The smoke persists around the clock. 

Is the autonomic nervous system involved in smell? At this point I am pretty sure my brain is tricking me, but why? I have intermittent headaches, but not migraine level so far, although I do get migraines. I also suffer from ocular migraines, but haven't had one with this yet. 

Any ideas? I have been spraying Febreze and opening Renuzit air fresheners. Now it just smells like Ocean Breeze and smoke.

Thanks.

[Clb75]

Have you had any problems with your sinuses or a bad cold? Any increase in migraine activity? Olfactory hallucinations maybe related to a migraine aura? 

[JimL]

I've had that before, with this stuff. thyroid problems can cause  it as can sinusitis and nasal polyps. 

[toomanyproblems]

I have this same problem. It comes and goes but has been going on for years. When I have it, it lasts for weeks at a time.

[Guest KiminOrlando]

1 hour ago, Clb75 said:

Have you had any problems with your sinuses or a bad cold? Any increase in migraine activity? Olfactory hallucinations maybe related to a migraine aura? 

No. No infections or colds. No increase in frequency of my normal headaches. I do have chronic nosebleeds and have since I was a child. No increase in frequency or severity since this started. The cartilage dividing the inside of my nostrils is missing due to an autoimmune disease. My ENT called it 'lupus nose'. Can't imagine that has anything to do with it, but I also didn't imagine there was such a thing as 'lupus nose' either. 

I will look up olfactory hallucinations. This does not sound like a fun adventure. 

Thanks.

[Guest KiminOrlando]

@JimL I do have Hashimoto's hypothyroidism. Curious how that can interact with smell. Sounds like I may need to book a check up with my ENT and send an email to my endocrinologist. I already have an appointment in August. They book 6 months out, unless you convince them it is an emergency. 

@toomanyproblems Glad to know it has the possibility of going away. Maybe next time if I could smell flowers or lemons instead of smoke this new trick would have been better received. 

It would be nice if just once one of these quirks would be fun or enriching. At this point, I would settle for convenient. 

[Pistol]

@KiminOrlando - as far as I know migraines can cause this. I know of other people who get strange smells before and during the migraine attacks. Do any other people smell this when you do?  

[Hen's Teeth]

I've had this as well. It's always stale cigarette smoke. Various doctors looked at me like I was crazy when I mentioned it. I have never gotten an explanation, but I suspect that it might be anxiety based. It seems to happen mostly when I am anxious, and it happens much less often since I've removed many sources of stress from my life. But I can't be sure.

[Guest KiminOrlando]

@Pistol Nobody else smells it. They think I am loosing my mind. 

If it is some kind of new Migraine, can they last for a week? I have had this happen before for 10 minutes or whatever, but never worried about it. Now it hasn't gone away.

@Hen's Teeth Stress response, hmmm.... I guess that is possible. Although my stress level has been elevated for the last 18 months. Now that you mention it, my symptoms seem to have progressed in other areas in the last 18 months.

[gackedo]

Smelling things that aren’t there, esp. smoke can be a symptom of a significant neurological issue. I would see a neurologist ASAP.