Bad Smell In The Nose How Is The Treatment
It’s certain that you’ll come upon some unpleasant odors. However, some medical conditions might generate a lingering odor in the nostrils that has no obvious source. While most cases are minor, the feeling can be distasteful and have an impact on one’s quality of life. In the vast majority of situations, treatment can offer relief. The following are some of the most frequent reasons of foul nasal odor.
What Is A Fungus
A fungus is a living organism. It cant make its own food, so it takes its nutrients from decomposing matter in the soil, water or plants where it lives. Fungi live in the air, on surfaces, and on humans and other animals.
Scientists classify fungi in groups. They include mold, yeasts and mildew. Some fungi are big enough to see , and some are so small you can only see them with a microscope.
There are more than 100,000 species of fungi. They live all around us, and most arent dangerous. But some fungi can invade the body and multiply, leading to serious health problems. Different types of fungi cause infections in many parts of the body. Some examples are yeast infections, thrush and toenail fungal infections.
Chronic Sinusitis Causes And Symptoms
What causes chronic sinusitis? Chronic sinusitis can develop after an acute sinus infection, nasal polyps or a deviated nasal septum. According to American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, chronic sinusitis can be a problem if you have allergic rhinitis or asthma.
Symptoms of chronic sinusitis can develop to become more persistent. The common ones include sinus pain, reduced sense to smell and runny nose .
Other symptoms:
- A swollen face feeling
- Difficulty in breathing
Individuals with a persistent nasal allergy can experience inflammation since chronic sinusitis is mainly marked by inflammation of the sinuses.
Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Mold Infection
How To Get Rid Of Sinus Infection Odors
The best way to get rid of sinus infection odors is to seek sinus infection treatment. For some, over-the-counter medications and rest are enough treatment to do the trick. And we also recommend checking out our list of the best foods for sinus infection treatment.
But for those suffering from frequent or chronic sinus infections, it may be best to seek additional medical treatment. One of the most minimally invasive treatments available for chronic sinusitis is balloon sinuplasty, which is an in-office procedure that provides long-lasting sinusitis relief.
Consuming Foods Drinks & Medications
When you eat or drink, tiny molecules travel to your nose and stimulate your sense of smell. Your ability to taste and smell relies on these particulates moving smoothly.
Foods, drinks and medications all release smells as your body breaks them down. Some may stay in your mouth for longer or have a particularly unpleasant smell. The biggest culprits are:
You May Like: How Fast Can You Get A Yeast Infection
Dr Sarah Jarvis Says:
Changes in your sense of smell are rarely life-threatening, but they can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Your senses of smell and taste are closely linked, and many people who lose their sense of smell find that food loses much of its taste as well. You can recognise ‘basic’ tastes – bitter, sweet, salty, sour and umami – without needing smell, but more complex flavours need both senses to appreciate them fully. In fact, most of the flavour of food is largely due to its smell.
Like taste, smell is a chemical sense. Receptors in your nose turn messages from smells received into electrical signals for the brain to interpret. You can smell food through your nose without tasting it but when you’re eating, the smells also travel to the back of your nose from the back of your mouth.
One of the most common 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, which can also lead to a build-up of mucus and a blocked – along with a runny, itchy – nose, can have the same effect. However, these conditions are unlikely to lead to abnormal smells – partial or complete loss of sense of smell is more likely.
A more common reason for a musty smell in the nose is a sinus infection. This can be acute or chronic .
When To See A Doctor
When you have a bad smell in your nose for more than 1 week and theres no external source, you should see your doctor. If you dont already have a primary care doctor, our Healthline FindCare tool can help you connect to physicians in your area.
Because a rotten smell in your nose often means youre also dealing with a sinus infection, nasal polyps, or another condition, its likely you also have other symptoms.
And because an ammonia smell in the nose can signal advanced kidney disease, see a doctor right away if you have that symptom.
This is especially true if you have other symptoms such as kidney pain and changes in the appearance and smell of your urine.
Read Also: Antibiotic For Yeast Infection And Uti
What Are The Sinuses
The sinuses are hollow, interconnected spaces inside your skull. They extend across your forehead, behind your nose, between your eyes and under your cheekbones. Sinus walls have a layer of mucus that traps bacteria and keeps the air inside moist.
Sinuses need to drain frequently. If theres a blockage or inflammation, the sinuses dont work like they should.
How Long Does Parosmia Last
Parosmia can potentially persist for weeks or months after developing COVID-19.
In a May 2021 study , researchers examined a group of 268 people who developed parosmia after having COVID-19. They found the participants had smell alteration that lasted from about 10 days to 3 months. Every person in the study either had a partial or complete loss of smell before developing parosmia.
More than 75 percent of people also had an altered sense of taste and only 0.7 percent had other nasal symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose.
In another study published in March 2021, researchers found that in a group of 195 healthcare workers with COVID-19, 125 developed dysfunction of their ability to smell, and 118 developed taste dysfunction.
The researchers found that 89 percent of the study participants had full or partial recovery within 6 months, and most of them recovered to some degree within the first 2 months.
You May Like: How To Prevent Bladder Infection After Intercourse
Q Is There Anything I Can Do About Odor Metal
A. If your nose smells metallic, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition. If this occurs often enough, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition such as a brain injury or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease . If the odor metal is not causing you any symptoms, then there is no need for concern however, if the odor metal is causing distress then it is best to see your doctor for further evaluation so that they can determine if there is any underlying cause for the odor metal or if they will need to perform additional tests in order to rule out more serious conditions such as cancer or stroke.
Keep Your Body Hydrated
Considering and planning what to take for sinus infection is quite important in helping to rid of the symptoms from a viral or bacterial infection. Moreover, this is ideal for your natural course of healing.
Ensure you continue taking sufficient fluids including water or natural fruit juice to try maintain a good ratio of tissue fluid in body to surrounding. Patients are more likely to lose a lot of when they have a cold or sinus infection.
You May Like: You Realize Your Computer Has Been Infected With Malware
Digestive Conditions And Other Medical Conditions
Some digestive conditions, such as acid reflux, can cause bad breath and a bad taste in the mouth.
Also, although fairly benign conditions are usually behind a bad or unusual smell in the nose, it is rarely linked to more systemic or serious health conditions, which may include:
- diabetes, which may cause a sweet smell
- liver disease, which may cause a strong musty smell
- kidney disease, which may cause an ammonia-like smell
The best way to treat a bad smell in the nose depends on the underlying condition.
That said, there are some home remedies that can help reduce a bad smell in the nose:
Sinus Inflammation Nose Or Allergy
Sinus inflammation occurs along the mucosal lining normally after an infection caused by a virus or bacteria. However, inflammation of the sinuses can also occur as a result of a nasal allergy.
Hence, is it a nose infection or allergies? Chronic sinusitis can cause inflammation of the sinuses though patients cannot tell the difference between chronic sinusitis symptoms and allergies. Nevertheless, a set of symptoms like headache behind eyes, facial tenderness, loss of taste or reduced sense of smell are crucial in telling one has nasal infection.
The bottom line see an ear specialist in order to avert wrong treatment for a problem not well identified by self-diagnosis of symptoms.
Read Also: Anti Inflammatory For Ear Infection
Dental Issues And Poor Oral Hygiene
Cavities, or holes in the teeth, can trap bacteria that release unpleasant gases such as sulfur when they break down. Cavities usually arise due to tooth decay or gingivitis, which can include inflamed gums or gum disease.
These unpleasant gases, which become foul-smelling odors, can travel through small holes in the back of the mouth that connect to the sinuses and cause a bad smell in the nose.
Poor oral hygiene increases the number of food particles left in the mouth that can decay, increasing the risk of developing a bad taste or smell in the mouth.
Dental issues can also increase the risk of developing plaque, which is a thick film of bacteria that can cause tooth decay and inflame the tissues between the teeth and gums .
Why Do I Smell Blood In My Nose But Not Bleeding
Some people often experience a strong smell of blood in their noses, but this is not the same as bleeding. The smell of blood coming from the nose indicates that you have a collapsed or ruptured blood vessel, usually resulting from an infection, such as sinusitis or otitis media. This happens when your bodyâs immune system fights infection by producing red blood cells and plasma through your bone marrow. When the blood vessels rupture, they can allow air to enter your nose, causing blood-like symptoms.
So, Why do I smell blood in my nose but not bleeding?
The first thing you have to understand is that when you experience the smell of blood in your nose but not bleeding, it could be caused by an infection or a collapsed blood vessel. The reason why it doesnât bleed is that there is no way for the blood to escape. If you have sinusitis or otitis media and your immune system has produced red cells and plasma, this will cause your nose to run like water while leaving behind the smell of blood. This is because when air enters with the smell of blood, it will either cause nasal congestion as well as bleeding if there was no infection involved.
Don’t Miss: Otc Oral Yeast Infection Medication
Other Factors To Consider
In any of these situations mentioned above, if OTC treatments do not provide rapid improvement in symptoms, seeing an ENT specialist can help differentiate between the various conditions that may be causing smell loss.
Your age as well as how long you have had symptoms of smell loss before seeking treatment, no matter what the cause, are the two main factors affecting your ability to regain your sense of smell. Therefore, if your smell does not return quickly, you should see an ENT specialist as soon as possible.
For those with loss of smell, there are safety concerns that should be considered, such as making sure all smoke detectors are working properly installing natural gas or propane leak alarms if there are gas appliances, fireplaces, furnaces, or water heaters in the home and checking food expiration dates.
Explaining The Smell Caused By Sinus Infections
In my career of dealing with patients that have chronic sinusitis , many have commented on the constant foul smell they experience when they have an active sinus infection. Descriptive terms that Ive heard in the past include gym socks, locker rooms and foul smelling garbage. Other descriptive terms include rotten fruit or meat and sewage.
Unfortunately for these patients, the location of the infection is the most important cause for the smell because of the proximity of the infection to the olfactory apparatus that processes our ability to smell. However, there are other mitigating circumstances that contribute to the foul smell. These include the type of bacteria associated with a particular patients sinus infection.
In most instances, one of the factors involved with a foul smell is due to the microbial make-up that the patient has with their sinus infections. This is mostly seen in patients that have chronic infections. In patients with chronic infections, the microbial make-up is more poly-microbial in nature. In other words, there are multiple bacteria involved, and in some instances, fungi that may be a contributing factor to the smell patients are experiencing.
Also Check: Root Canal Infection Years Later
Cleaning Inside Your Nose Can Help
Rinsing the inside of your nose with a saltwater solution may help if your sense of smell is affected by an infection or allergy.
You can make a saltwater solution at home.
You do not need to use all of the solution, but make a fresh batch each day do not reuse any left over from the day before.
Some pharmacies sell sachets you can use to make a saltwater solution and devices to help you rinse your nose.
Sinusitis Or Sinus Infection
What is sinus infection? If the sinuses become blocked or filled with fluid, bacteria or other infection causing germs can accumulate causing infection. These would result to inflammation or swelling of the sinuses resulting to a sinus infection.
Also known as sinusitis, sinus infection may be considered a nose infection if caused by colds that develop and nasal polyps. Sometimes allergies and non-allergic rhinitis can contribute to nasal infection.
The following are types of sinus infection.
Don’t Miss: Off The Counter Yeast Infection Medicine
Medications For A Sinus Infection
Sometimes, your sinus infection wont go away without care from your primary care doctor or otolaryngologists . Most bacterial sinus infections can be cured with the help of antibiotic medicines a type of medicine that kills bacteria. Antibiotics will help you feel better after a couple days, but its important to finish the entire amount that your doctor prescribed.
Are Sinus Infections Contagious
A sinus infection caused by a virus is contagious. When you sneeze or cough, the virus can travel in droplets of moisture through the air. If another person breathes in the virus, they might develop a cold that turns into a sinus infection. In order to limit the spread of sinus infections, remember to cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. And wash your hands frequently to avoid leaving the virus on objects that you touch.
If your sinus infection is caused by a bacteria or fungus, its not contagious. But you should still wash your hands frequently and cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze.
Don’t Miss: Baby Ear Infection Vs Teething
Signs You Have A Sinus Infection
Posted in Nose | January 14, 2022
Are you experiencing pressure around your nose, forehead, and eyes? Does your face feel like its overly full?
These are some of the more common signs of having a sinus infection. Your sinuses are tiny, empty spaces that connect the inside of your nose.
Theyre found behind your forehead and cheekbones. When you have a sinus infection, the lining of your sinuses swells up. The swelling of the lining of your sinuses prevents mucus from draining down your throat and nose properly. Factors that increase your risk of developing a sinus infection are:
Other telltale signs of a sinus infection include:
Horrible Fusty Sweet Smell In My Nose Sinus Infection
Cheetah
Over the past few years I’ve had what seems to be a recurring sinus infection with the same symptoms each time. The main symptom is a horrible smell in my nose and a feeling of pressure around the top of my nose, but no congestion or mucus. I saw a GP last time and she said the top of my nasal passages were very red. She prescribed a spray which seemed to work and, this time – I’ve had it for nearly a fortnight now – I asked for the same spray. Unfortunately, it has made no difference.
Has anyone else had similar symptoms, particularly the fusty, sweet smell? I’d be interested to know what might work to clear it, or what I could discuss with my GP.
0 likes, 10 replies
Recommended Reading: When To Get Meds For Sinus Infection