Phantom Smells!

I have recently become aware of a strange condition that I have evidently had for a long time. For years I have often smelled cigarette smoke when the A/C comes on. Of course, I just figured that sometime in the past, some cigarette smoke got into the system and was still being recirculated. I’d even considered hiring someone to come clean our ducts, but I wanted to wait until we have completed our house remodel. About a month or so ago, I read on a CPAP support group where someone had posted a question about whether anyone else had started smelling smoke after beginning to use their CPAP. Even though I had been smelling it long before I started using my CPAP, a light bulb came on. I asked Dennis if our house ever smelled like cigarette smoke, and he said it did not (and he has a very keen sense of smell…especially where cigarette smoke is concerned). So I started googling. It turns out there are a couple of conditions that can cause one to smell something that isn’t there. One is phantosmia (or phantom smells), which is also referred to as olfactory hallucinations. The second is parosmia, where you smell something (such as coffee), but it smells like something else (like burnt rubber).

Upon learning about this condition, I started paying much more attention to when it occurred. I used to think it was only when the A/C came on, but it turned out to be more likely to occur then, but not only then. It would usually last a few minutes, then go away, but it would happen multiple times a day. The causes of this condition are varied…the most common being a sinus infection, damage to the nasal passages, or as the result of medication. However, it can also be a symptom of a neurological condition, including a brain tumor or dementia. (Parosmia is common among people who lost their smell as a result of COVID. After regaining their sense of smell, it became distorted.) One thing that everyone agreed on was a medical evaluation was recommended to rule out anything serious. So when I went for my checkup last week, I brought it up.

There was a nurse practitioner in training that was shadowing my PA. When I broached the subject, she got really excited. She had never heard of this and was very keen to learn more. My PA was familiar with the condition, for which I was most thankful. It had been about a week since I had experienced any phantom smells, but she wanted to change my nasal spray to see if that might be the source of my problem. I’ve been off of my old spray for several days now. I still haven’t smelled the cigarette smoke…going on almost 2 weeks now. I don’t know if this is just a short reprieve, and it will eventually return, or if the nasal spray was causing the problem. I’m just enjoying the relief right now. If it returns, my PA will send me to an ENT who will run tests to see if it is sinus related or neurological. I have been reading posts and questions on a Facebook support group page, and what I’ve experienced is very mild compared to what many others suffer. Most of them are former COVID patients who now have parosmia, and it greatly affects their sense of taste…making it hard to eat. I’m thankful that mine has been just a minor nuisance! Time will tell if it is gone or if it turns out to be caused by something other than my nasal spray. Right now, I’m just enjoying not having the smell of cigarettes in my nose most of the time!