Smelling things that aren't there (phantosmia)

Causes of phantosmia

Phantosmia is usually caused by an infection such as:

• a cold
• flu
• sinusitis (sinus infection)

Less common causes include:

• growths in your nose (nasal polyps)
• migraines
• epilepsy
• mental health problems like depression
• a head injury

Cleaning inside your nose can help

Rinsing the inside of your nose with a salt water solution may help temporarily stop the strange smell.

You can make a salt water solution at home.

See a GP if the strange smell doesn't go away in a few weeks

Your GP may refer you to a hospital specialist for tests to find out the cause.

Treatment for phantosmia depends on the cause

Treating the cause of your phantosmia may help get rid of it.

Sometimes it might go away on its own, but it can be permanent.