I wrote a while ago about my smoke nose. The chronic, disgusting, burning sensation that there is always someone smoking a cigarette in my presence. Except no one is.
I finally screwed up the courage to consult Dr. Google and found the word “phantosmia,” which basically means “olfactory hallucinations.”
So the tiny person who runs my nose is tripping on acid and smoking like a chimney at the same time. Or something like that.
People, here’s the problem when you consult Dr. Google like I did.
You find all sorts of people who are convinced that they are dying.
A Google of “I smell smoke all the time when no one around me is smoking” yields results that would make Dr. House happy. (Yes, that’s what I Googled first, followed by “pregnant smelling smoke all the time” and variations of the same. Keywords are not necessarily my thing.)
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What I found first was that I’m most certainly not alone with my smoke nose. There are others like me. We should get together and form a support group.
What I found second was that no one seems to know what causes this but everyone loves to speculate. Probably because everyone loves to go on those message boards proclaiming “THIS IS THE WEIRDEST THING EVER!” and then never go to a medical professional about it.
Possible causes, as far as I can tell, include, but are not, I’m sure, limited to:
- a brain tumor
- a nose tumor
- indigestion
- sinusitis
- blocked smell receptors in the brain
- depression
- acid reflux
- trauma of the head, face, or sinus variety
- drainage issues in the ears
- a tiny person in one’s nose tripping on acid and smoking like a chimney
Seriously. The most jumped-to conclusion on the message boards I found were “I have a brain tumor. I must be dying. Get me an MRI, a CT scan, and a transplant. STAT!”
All the boards were full of people going “OMG! I HAVE THIS TOO!” and no one actually offering up what his/her doctor had to say about it. Which means that either they went and the doctor said “Oh, look, a CIGARETTE lodged up your NOSE” and they felt stupid or they died and couldn’t come back to tell us all about the brain tumors since apparently there’s no internet in the afterlife.
So, I’m stuck with a nose that imagines it is smelling cigarette smoke all the time for no apparent reason. Except I’m pretty certain I don’t have a brain tumor so we can probably rule that one out.
I will actually answer this one for you. When you’re pregnant your nasal passages swell and can cause all kids of problems. Usually it manifests as snoring & stuffy nose. But smells can also be affected. That’s why so many preggos have aversions to smells. I’m sure this will go away once your baby person exits your womb. Until then, find some perfume you like and good luck!
P.S. It’s either that or there is a small person smoking in your nose. I’d definitely google that.
I can’t speak to the pregnant part, especially if it only happens when you’re pregnant. BUT when we lived in our house we built, our master bathroom smelled like smoke every so often. But I was the only person who smelled it. In some circles, you’ll hear that that is the sign of a spirit. A ghost, if you will. I like to think that it was Charlie in our bathroom. Maybe you have an angel on your shoulder… 🙂
Yes, you can file me in the freak folder now! (but you know you still love me)
my diagnosis? cigarette jammed up your nose and lodged in your brain. The same way Homer Simpson had a crayon that he shoved up his nose and lodged in his brain.
It made him a genius.
You feeling like solving any physics problems lately?
That sucks so bad. Sometimes I smell weird things that nobody else does. I am going to name the microscopic pig in my nose and then I am going to buy a neti-pot and flush him out.
Your kid is tripping, mine was raving – what the hell kind of kids do we have?
I know I shouldn’t really find this amusing, but I kind of do. I’m an awesome friend like that. But just think–it could be worse (though not much). For example, I constantly think I smell poop. I peek in diapers and accuse my kids of not wiping well, but I’m usually wrong. And oddly enough, when there actually IS poop around, I don’t notice until Sawyer comes to tell me, “I poo poo.” That’s baby code for “GET THIS OFF ME YOU FAILURE OF A MOMMY! YOU’RE FIRED!” I think I have a little poop anxiety that’s still hanging around from that era when Brynn liked to reach into her diaper and rub it on walls.
This all stinks.
Have you ruled out that the Keebler Elves have not taken up residence under your bed? They chose very odd ingredients to light their baking fires.
I just found this post. I have the same issue with the cigarette smoke smell. My issue is from depression. I used to have the smell that I can only describe as dirty socks instead of the cigarette smell that would come and go over the years. But after having my youngest child I noticed the cigarette smoke smell came and the other smell disappeared. I went to see my doctor not just for the smell but for postpartum depression. With being put on a antidepressant the smoke smell has almost disappeared. I still get it late at night right before its time to take my medicine. My doctor said I am the only person he has known that depression caused phantosmia. You are definitely not alone with smelling things that aren’t really there.
I think I am the second one here. I thought exactly what Miranda wrote. I am seeing ENT doctor and he gave me antibiotic which I don’t think it would help me. I told him that I might need to see a neurologist but he insisted me letting him treating me first. But I think it caused by depression.
I have this. Not being pregnant didn’t make it go away. I googled “olfactory hallucinations” and it gave me phantosmia. Of course, this has to coincide with increasing periods of memory loss that have started to become distressing and a melanoma on my head. It can’t just be the phantosmia, no-o-o-o-o. I’m going to go with it just being my depression (chronic major depressive disorder for 20 years), but it’s disturbing. I totally freaked out just a little bit ago, believing that the house was on fire. It went from the phantom cigarette smoke to ‘house is burning’ smoke. Very frustrating. Especially as I’m allergic to cigarette smoke, so smelling it makes me panic (fearing an asthma attack).
Did yours go away with birth?
Hmmm. No. I’m sad to say not being pregnant hasn’t made it go away. It’s way less now, but sometimes I can still smell the cigarettes.
Hi Miranda–
I too developed a burning/ chemical smell late in my recent pregancy. I delivered 7 days ago and still have this on again/ off again smell that noone else detects. Has yours decreased even more at this point? I was relieved to see your post as I thought I was going crazy.
Exactly Miranda. My baby is 4 months old and I still smell cigaret all the time and I hate cigaret smell…it makes me feel sick in my stomach. How is your phantosmia now? What did u do?
I have it too. Couple of years ago, and now – for the past two weeks, constant.
Today saw my doc about it – and now start the tests – first eye test for anything sinister, then take it from there.
Have no idea, but it’s annoying and worrying.
I flippin have this too. I smell the most pungent, unbearable smoke smell in my nose. All the time… but only at my house. I went in the Dr the other day and because I had like 10 seconds of dilated, non responsive pupils, I have an emergency MRI Tuesday. Emergency, but not at the ER, because I would rather die of a brain tumor than pay 750 and possibly not have the ER order the MRI… Specialist would be 50.
I had the baby 11 weeks ago. I do have postpartum, I also got an IUD. I have Bi Polar disorder…BUT I’ve had this happening for a little over a year. The worst period of it prior to now is around the time I was first pregnant, probably 5 weeks. Until then, it had come and gone very infrequently.
The smell is always around while I’m at home, but when I leave, it goes away… Occasionally, I’ll smell it slightly, but only at home is it this strong…
CAN ANYBODY else post a follow up??? I’m wigging out and this is doing nothing for my hypochondria
Update???
Realize this is an old post but want to help others who went through this. My symptoms were similar the smell was more like a campfire odor that drove me crazy. Went to the ENT Doctor and he said there was nothing wrong but sometimes it goes away and sometimes not. So I started playing with my diet. Turns out my caffeine intake was the cause. When I cut it out entirely it went away. I still drink caffeine and I get flare ups now and then but if I cut myself off, it goes away after a day or two. Try it. Hope it helps.
Wow, for me it’s a rubber yeasty type smell.. it’s hard for me to describe it…
but it drives me a bit cookoo. I cut out caffeine for awhile and noticed it stopped.
today I had a cup of coffee and wham, it’s back!
after reading your reply this has confirmed my theory that caffeine is the culprit to the phantom smell…
I have been experiencing this for quite some time as well. The burning/ cigarette smell phantosmia which comes and goes away without any apparent cause.
I’m not even sure where to start with but I feel like maybe caffeine is responsible somehow. Thankyou for sharing this. Will try to cut down on it maybe that helps.
I have this problem. It started during my pregnancy and hasn’t gone away in the 1.5 years since baby arrived. I also think it only happens when I drink coffee (but I only drink decaf), and it doesn’t happen every time. I have Grave’s, maybe that related?
I’m smelling exhaust fumes right now and it’s driving me nuts! I experience three phantom smells from time to time: cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and pencil shavings. I googled “phantosmia support group” and this Site was the first thing that came up R0FL!
I have been trying to figure out what I’ve been smelling for the past 4 years! It’s been driving me and my family crazy. The smell is definitely in the smoke category – you can almost feel the particles deep in the back of your nasal passage. The smell would come and go – I wanted to blame it on my wife’s cooking, she uses a lot of garlic and red pepper powder but no one else has an issue with a lingering smell. Yesterday, we went on a long drive to our child’s event and I had two large cups of coffee before eating food (just forgot to eat.) We had a pretty stressful day and then went out to eat at a Thai restaurant. At the restaurant I noticed that I “smelled that smell” and it had been a long time since I smelled it (at least a couple of months). The smell followed me home and bothered me all night. I also had insomnia from having too much coffee without food to start the day and that gave me the connection of the phantom smell and caffeine so I started googling first thing this morning. I really think that caffeine + stress + some smell trigger is the culprit. We aren’t going crazy!!!
It’s caused by caffeine. With me it’s only with a caffeine pill or super strong coffee. Others may be more sensitive. When I read “cigarette” I’m thinking…ehh maybe… I first called it “dirt”… then I read someone who called it “corn chips” and yeah- I’m going with corn chips. I wish I knew how to make it go away Bc I enjoy caffeine!! Today I dabbed some lavender oil under my nose, but it’s not helping too much. Gonna experiment with other lotions and oils and report back on what works best. These caffeine corn chips are deep up in there!! It’s definitely caffeine though peeps!! Ironic that you’re having this discussion on a website called caffeineandcabernet!!
I love this article and wonder if there is still a dialogue or even a support group by now? My story started in February and I’ve finally decided I’m not dying and I don’t have a brain tumor but I still have so many questions!
Replying to my own comment as I just noticed the recent posts. My smell is almost always ashtray, smoke, or dirty /dusty window screens. I can so relate to the Chad’s explanation of “feeling the particles deep in the back of the nasal passage. In fact for a while that’s what made me think it was something else. Mine often kick starts when I get in the car or get to work and sit at my desk. Have also noticed when eating hard, or crunch things like apples or shredded wheat. Many many doctors and fearful months later the ENT did a CT scan of my passages and frontal part of my brain and phantosmia is what we landed on. I am doing a prescription liquid steroid mixed in with the neti pot solution to tame any inflammation right now. Will it ever go away? Will it get worse?
Interesting. I have the same thing. I noticed it for the first time around a week postpartum with baby #4. It was the 4th of July and we had people over. I was convinced that someone left cigarette butts on my screen porch, but they weren’t there.
I haven’t had caffeine in over 10 years (not even chocolate) so it’s not caffeine for me. I’m chalking it up to hormones and hoping it goes away once things even out. My baby is 10 weeks old.
THIS IS TRUE FOR ME! My symptoms started when I got my first round of Covid and now every time I’m very dehydrated or have too much caffeine it comes back with a vengeance!