8.0/10 (17320 reviews)
An Experienced Doctor Will Answer Your Health-Related Questions. Certified & Verified Doctors Will Answer All Your Medical Questions
- Get Medical Answers
Get Answers from Verified Medical
Professionals Online 24/7. Ask Now!
- Ask a Doctor Online Now
Get Personal, 1-on-1 Answers from
Doctors Online. Ask Now!
- Ask a Doctor
Get Personal, 1-on-1 Answers 24/7.
Get Medical Answers in Minutes.
- Ask a 24 Hour Vet Online
A Veterinarian Will Answer You Now!
Questions Answered Every 9 Seconds
- Ask a doctor one-on-one
Have Health Questions? Talk to a
Don't wait for medical care
- Ask on JustAnswer Now
Get Answers from Real Experts 24/7.
Be Connected Online in Minutes!
- Get Medical Answers
Search results
Jan 31, 2024 · You can often treat mild sinusitis without seeing a GP by: getting plenty of rest. drinking plenty of fluids. taking painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (do not give aspirin to children under 16) avoiding things that trigger your allergies. not smoking. cleaning your nose with a salt water solution.
- Nasal and Sinus Cancer
Nasal and sinus cancer is a rare cancer that affects the...
- Steroid Nasal Sprays
Steroid nasal sprays, also called corticosteroid nasal...
- Decongestants
Decongestants are a type of medicine that can provide...
- Antihistamines
Antihistamines are medicines often used to relieve symptoms...
- Common Cold
a blocked or runny nose; sneezing; a sore throat; a hoarse...
- Lost Or Changed Sense Smell
A change in your sense of smell can be unpleasant and affect...
- Nasal and Sinus Cancer
A change in your sense of smell can be unpleasant and affect how things taste. But it's not usually serious and may get better in a few weeks or months. Causes of lost or changed sense of smell. Changes in sense of smell are most often caused by: illnesses such as a cold, flu or COVID-19; sinusitis (sinus infection) an allergy, like hay fever
- Overview
- Nasal polyps
- Sinus infection
- Postnasal drip
- Tooth decay
- Tonsil stones
- Phantosmia
- Chronic kidney disease
- COVID-19-related parosmia
- When to see a doctor
Several conditions may cause a foul smell in your nose, such as nasal polyps, sinus infection, and postnasal drip. A doctor can make a diagnosis and recommend the best treatment.
Almost every day, at least one bad smell finds its way into your nostrils. However, what about bad smells that emanate from your nose?
A variety of health conditions may trigger a rotten smell in your nose. Fortunately, most of these foul fragrances are temporary and not signs of a life threating condition.
That said, you may need to have a healthcare professional examine your sinuses and throat for proper treatment.
Nasal polyps are soft, noncancerous growths shaped like teardrops. They may form on the wall of your nasal cavity or sinuses as a result of chronic inflammation.
Sometimes, you may experience a rotten smell in your nose. This is due to fluid buildup inside the polyps, which comes from the damp lining of your mucous membrane.
Other, more common symptoms of nasal polyps may include:
•decreased sense of smell and taste
•runny nose
•stuffy nose
Sinus infections, also known as sinusitis, can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi.
Symptoms of sinusitis may include:
•yellow or green nasal discharge
•congested nose
•swelling, pain, and tenderness around your cheeks, forehead, and eyes
•headache
Smelly mucus in the nose, especially when it thickens and drips incessantly down the back of your throat, is a sign of postnasal drip.
Normally, mucus helps:
•keep your nasal membranes healthy
•respond to infections
•humidify the air you inhale
•keep foreign particles out of your airways
Tooth decay happens when bacteria collects on a tooth and eats away at the surface. This bacteria buildup may cause bad breath and a bad smell to come through your nose.
Good oral hygiene, which includes brushing your teeth and flossing daily, is the best way to prevent tooth decay and tooth and gum problems.
Your tonsils include crevices and folds that can trap:
•saliva
•mucus
•food particles
•dead cells
Sometimes the debris can harden into tiny objects called tonsil stones. Bacteria can feed on tonsil stones, sometimes generating a bad smell in your mouth and nose.
Phantosmia is a hallucination of your olfactory system. This means you smell odors that aren’t there, but you think they’re in your nose or somewhere around you.
Phantosmia can develop after a respiratory infection or a head injury. Conditions like Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors, or inflamed sinuses may also trigger phantom smells in your nose.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive loss of kidney function.
Your kidneys are responsible for filtering waste products from your blood, which are then excreted in urine. If the kidneys aren’t functioning well, waste materials may build up in the body.
These materials may produce an ammonia-like smell that you could notice in your breath and the taste in your mouth. As a result, you may also have an ammonia-like smell in the back of your nose.
This development usually occurs only after CKD has advanced to stage 4 or stage 5.
A loss of smell is a symptom of COVID-19.
However, the authors of a 2022 article suggest that some people may even experience a distorted sense of smell. This condition is known as parosmia.
Examples of parosmia may include food smelling bad or perceiving cigarette smoke in a house despite there being no history of smoking.
This condition could gradually worsen, which may have severe health implications. For example, the authors suggest that some people perceive food as smelling rotten. This may then lead to someone eating much less.
COVID-19-related parosmia may occur 3 months after the initial viral infection. The parosmia may be caused by alterations that occur as damaged olfactory receptors regenerate after a loss of smell.
There isn’t a single treatment for COVID-19-related parosmia. However, a healthcare professional may recommend olfactory training therapy.
Speak with a healthcare professional if:
•the bad smell in your nose lasts for more than 1 week
•you frequently experience a bad smell in your nose
•you experience other symptoms, such as facial swelling, nasal obstruction, blurred vision, and headache
- James Roland
The lining in your nose, sinuses and throat becomes swollen and creates more mucus than normal. Causes of catarrh include: infections like cold, flu and sinusitis; pollution and cigarette smoke; allergic reactions to things like pollen, dust and animals; conditions that affect the nose, such as nasal polyps
May 10, 2021 · Sinus infections often go away on their own without medical treatment. There are, however, some things a person can do at home to relieve the bothersome symptoms.
May 19, 2024 · Common cold. One of the most typical reasons for a distorted sense of smell is the common cold. The build-up of mucus blocks the delicate chemoreceptors that line the nose, affecting their ability to be stimulated and send those electrical signals. Hay fever.
People also ask
Why does my nose smell bad?
What causes a musty smell in the nose?
Can a nose infection cause a bad smell?
What causes a stuffy nose?
Why does my nose smell like mucus?
Mar 9, 2023 · Sinuses are structures inside your face that are normally filled with air. Bacterial infections, viral infections and allergies can irritate them, causing them to get blocked and filled with fluid. This can cause pressure and pain in your face, nasal congestion (a stuffy nose) and other symptoms.
