It seems that everybody gets a different smell. this happened to me while I was in the swimming in the sea so I smelled something like Iodine or Salt water like-smell since 4 months now and from time to time, I smell the same smell in my nose
I was so happy to read this! I too have been fighting off this Old Man Winter bug that took a bite out of me last week. I thought I was starting to feel better, and thought that going to my brother's for the Super Bowl would give me an appetite. But as soon as I walked into his house, my nose was filled with the scent of boiling bleach water. After realizing that I wasn't losing my mind, I noticed that everything that has vinegar in it fills my nose with that same smell...ketchup, hot sauce, hot relish, salt and vinegar chips, etc. And tabacco smoke smells like burnt chemicals. It is so annoying!! I am so looking forward to this being over...
I had a severe case of pneumonia when I was 21. For a few months after recovering I had a very strong and pungent taste/smell of chlorine/bleach whenever I put anything with tomatoes near my mouth (particularly ketchup or salsa.) That was 29 years ago. Over the last few weeks I had a head/chest cold that turned into sinusitis. Went to the doctor yesterday and got on clarithromycin and steroids. Feeling much better, but for the first time in 29 years I have the exact same aftertase. Not as bad but definitely the same. Whether it is from a pneumonia virus or not is a mystery but it is connected to whatever infection I had. I've had plenty of colds/flus/sinusitis/bronchitis over the years but those were the only 2 times I've had the taste. I am, and always have been, a very fit and active person.
I acquired a similar phantom acrid, sharp smell after a recent severe chest cold which turned into a sinus cold.
From reading many of the replies I'm starting to wonder if this condition is a sort of tinnitus of the nasal cavity. Regardless of whether the cause is infection or chemical, accute or chronic - it's an after effect of prolonged irritation or trama to the sensory regions of the nasal pasages - similar to the high pitch ringing in the ears known as tinnitus - instead of phantom sound it's a phantom sharp odor.
The small hairs called cillia in the inner ear responsible for hearing are very similar to the cillia responsible for smell.
I think you have a sinus infection, but not one that antibiotics will cure. Try eating yogurt with no sugar, and/or taking a probiotic. Get lots of garlic, radishes and onions in your diet. Chances are antibiotics will only make it worse.
I think you have a sinus infection that can be cured by eating yogurt, the kind with live cultures and little or no sugar. Possibly probiotics. Try eating lots of garlic, onions, and radishes. Stay away from alcohol, sugar, mushrooms and any food that contains yeast, until the ammonia smell goes away.
I have this too
I started having bad smells in my nose about 6 months ago. Sometimes like blood, but just sometimes. Then more constantly like a dirty dog. Then all the time in waves with post nasal drip. The doctor gave me antibiotics which had no effect and nose drops which had no effect. then another doctor gave me steroid nose drops which seemsed to make it worse. I had no pain or any other symptoms of sinus problems. I then somehow stumbled ac across an article on oil pulling, and as I already used coconut oil for eating and skin use, decided to try oil pulling. Wow within a couple of times the smell started to diminish and within a week I would say it was 80% better. Now a month on it is almost gone. Also the slightly sore throat and nasal drip have stopped. I am so pleased and would be realy interested if anyone else with this problem would like to try this very easy and non invasive therapy and report back if it has any effect. I just want to tell everyone it has worked for me and to see if it can help anyone else.
I have had the ammonia smell problem off and on for years. Sometimes it is so intense my eyes burn. I feel better that it affects many others. When I try to explain this symptom no one understands. The nearest I can come to what it reminds me of is when I was a child and I was swimming in a public pool. Too long and the smell & burn would be there. Now I'm not anywhere near a pool and this smell occurs. Don't understand.
I forgot I posted this a few months ago. As an update - I took Cipromax for a few days and the symptoms cleared completely.
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I agree as I had bad back pains for years, then anxiety and that all went away and now I started now can't smell or taste. Also have rhinitis. I started to try Sinus Wars product for taste and smell. I plan to coconut oil pull to see if it helps.