Certain Foods Drinks And Medications
Foods and drinks are full of microscopic molecules that stimulate the sense of smell.
Most of our ability to enjoy the taste and smell of food and drink relies on molecules traveling to the sinuses through a passageway near where the roof of the mouth connects to the nose.
All foods release smells as our bodies break them down and digest them. However, certain foods and drinks, as well as some drugs, may linger in the mouth or trigger an unpleasant smell in the nose,
How Does Sinus Infection Cause Bad Breath
Sinusitis clogs up the nose and causes dryness in the mouth. Plus, the mucus in the infected sinuses smells bad, so it leaves an unpleasant odour when the air you exhale comes in contact with it, leading to bad breath. While a good oral care routine is important to not make the condition worse, halitosis that occurs due to an inflamed nasal tract does not go away on its own. Bad breath due to sinus can only go away when the sinus is treated.
Dont Miss: Best Antihistamine For Sinus Congestion
Throat Irritation And Cough
As discharge from your sinuses drains down the back of your throat, it can cause irritation, especially over a long period of time. This can lead to a persistent and annoying cough, which can be worse when lying down to sleep or first thing in the morning after getting up from bed.
It can also make sleeping difficult. Sleeping upright or with your head elevated can help reduce the frequency and intensity of your coughing.
Don’t Miss: Can You Get A Sinus 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 youre 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 .
Sinus Pain And Pressure
Fluid trapped in the sinuses can fill the sinus cavities, causing intense pain and pressure. The sinuses may be sensitive to the touch. A person may have an urge to sneeze but be unable to do so.
The pain can be in the cheeks, around the eyes and nose, or in the forehead because these areas are where the sinuses are. Bending over may make the pain worse.
Sometimes, the pressure and pain are intense enough to interfere with sleep.
Sinusitis may also cause the tissue in the nose to swell.
Recommended Reading: What Is Best To Take For Sinus Infection
Is It A Sinus Infection Or Cold
It can be difficult to tell the difference between a sinus infection and a cold as the symptoms can be very similar. Sinus infections often develop after a cold.
Sinusitis tends to last longer than a cold. Cold symptoms tend to get steadily worse, peaking at 35 days, then gradually get better. Sinus infections may last 10 days or more.
Some symptoms are more likely to be caused by sinusitis than a cold, including:
- swelling of the tissue in the nose
- green discharge from the nose
- a swollen or tender face
Unlike a cold, sinusitis can become chronic, which means it lasts longer than eight weeks. Chronic sinusitis causes swelling and irritation in the sinuses and usually develops after a person has had acute sinusitis. Sometimes the symptoms go away and then come back again.
Ongoing sinus symptoms even if they get better and then come back may indicate chronic sinusitis.
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.
To treat sinusitis symptoms with home remedies , try:
Avoid using decongestants on a long-term basis without talking to a doctor first because they can make congestion worse if used for too long.
- symptoms last longer than 10 days with no improvement
- fever lasts longer than 3-4 days
- the pain is very intense
- a person with a suspected sinus infection has a drugs that suppress the immune system, or organ failure
Causes Of Bad Smell In Nose
Rhinoplasty
This is a procedure that is sometimes called the nose job or cosmetic nose surgery. It is used to enhance facial harmony and the proportions of your nose. It can also be used to correct the impaired breathing caused by the structural defects in the nose.
The surgery is intended to correct some of the following issues of your nose:
- Nose size in relation to facial balance
- Nose width at the bridge or in the size and the position of the nostrils
- Nose profile with visible humps or depression on the bridge
- Nasal asymmetry
- Nostrils that are large, wide or upturned
- Nasal tip that is enlarged or bulbous, drooping, upturned or hooked
The bad smell after this surgery is caused by quite a number of factors. However, the best thing to do is always talk to your plastic surgeon over the problem. It is not always easy to point out the cause of the bad smell with ease.
The first reason could be because it is just crusting which can be treated with the help of a nasal spray. The other thing could be because you are having a problem with healing or the nose has developed some complication in terms of an infection.
The other thing that is very probable is that it could be from the sweating coming from bandaging or extraneous mucus that can be concentrated in the area. Blood accumulation and congestion in the nose could also lead to this. The plastic surgeon is always at the best position to tell you what the problem is.
Sinus surgery
Cold
- Nasal congestion
- Headache
- Fatigue
You May Like: Best Medicine For Sinus Infection
How Can I Prevent Loss Of Taste In The Future
Preventing sinus infections from developing in the first place is the best way to ensure you keep enjoying your meals.
If youre prone to seasonal allergies, make regular sinus irrigation a habit during the seasons that affect you the most.
You may also want to talk to an ENT doctor about treating your allergies more aggressively with prescription allergy medications to prevent the swelling that blocks the sinuses.
Nonsurgical Treatment For Chronic Sinusitis
Your ENT doctor will recommend treatment options based on the severity and cause of your chronic sinusitis symptoms. Treatment options may include:
- High-volume saline irrigations flush the nose and sinuses of excess mucus. We recommend saline solutions for use two to three times per day until symptoms subside.
- Nasal steroid sprays reduce inflammation in the nose. These are available by prescription or over the counter.
- Oral steroid taper relieves symptoms within one to two weeks. A taper means that the dosage is decreased over the course of treatment.
- Antibiotics may be prescribed for up to three weeks if a bacterial infection is present.
- Expectorants include medications such as guaifenesin , which thin the mucus. This makes it easier to cough up the mucus or blow it out your nose.
Read Also: How To Relieve Congestion And Sinus Pressure
How Can Sinus Problems Affect Your Taste Buds
If you are having problems with your ability to taste or smell, you are certainly not alone. 200,000 people visit the doctor every year to address a problem with their ability to taste or smell, and sinus infections are one of the leading causes of reported loss. There are a few factors to consider when determining the nature of your acute sinusitis that require individualized treatment, but what they all have in common is that they can affect your ability to taste and smell.
A lack of ability to taste is most commonly linked to an inability to smell. Your sense of smell is activated when you chew through a channel connecting the roof of your mouth and throat to your nose. If this channel is blocked by sinus pressure, inflammation, or excess mucus, your odor receptors will not activate, and you will lose most of your ability to taste.
An Introduction To Your Sinuses
You have four pairs of sinuses located around your nose and eyes. These air-filled chambers vibrate, adding tonality to your speech, and the mucous membranes that line them filter the air you breathe.
The membranes, or mucosa, can produce up to a quart of mucus per day. As the mucus continually drains away down the back of your throat, it traps bacteria, germs, and viruses. The mucus also keeps your throat and nasal cavities from feeling dried out and scratchy. When you have a sinus infection, your sinus cavities swell and stop draining. The trapped mucus can become infected, causing even more congestion and inflammation, which causes further swelling and blockage. Its a vicious cycle. When this happens over and over, or happens and doesnt go away for weeks or months, you have sinusitis.
You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Sinus Allergies
Also Check: Is Claritin D Good For Sinus Congestion
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 My Nostrils Smell Bad
If you havent been feeling well and find yourself suddenly thinking, Oh man, the inside of my nose smells bad, its time to do a little investigating.
A bacterial sinus infection may be behind why the inside of your nose smells rotten, or why you might notice smells when blowing your nose. When healthy, your sinuses are naturally able to drain mucus . During a sinus infection, however, your sinuses become swollen and potentially congested. This can trap mucus and all that it has filtered from the air, which can, in turn, lead to some rather unpleasant odors.
The fluid that builds up in nasal polyps has also been known to cause bad nasal smells, as does the mucus that accumulates at the back of the throat during postnasal drip.
Don’t Miss: Sore Throat And Sinus Pressure
How Can I Get My Sense Of Taste Back After A Sinus Infection
The best place to start is focusing on reducing the inflammation in your nasal passages. If you can open up your sinuses and facilitate drainage, your smell will return faster.
Saline irrigations are helpful to wash out signs of infection and clear inflammation. You can purchase over-the-counter options like NeilMed Sinus Rinse at any pharmacy.
Topical steroid sprays like Flonase can also help to reduce inflammation.
If necessary, an ENT doctor can prescribe a compounded irrigation treatment. This is much like a saline rinse, but the solution also contains antibiotics or steroids to treat the sinus infection more aggressively.
Pain Or Pressure In Your Sinuses
Facial pain is a common symptom of sinusitis. You have several different sinuses above and below your eyes, as well as behind your nose. Any of these air-filled cavities can hurt when you have a sinus infection.
Inflammation and swelling can cause your sinuses to ache with dull pressure. This is because inflammation may alter the typical path of mucus from the nose to the back of the throat.
You may feel pain in:
- your forehead
- on either side of your nose
- in your upper jaws and teeth
- between your eyes
This may lead to a headache. Headaches caused by sinus infections can occur where the sinuses are or in other places.
Don’t Miss: Fastest Home Remedy To Get Rid Of Sinus Infection
How To Get Rid Of Bad Smell From Nose
There are two levels that can be used to approach the treatment of bad smell emanating from the nose. These are the use of simple home remedies, chemical approach and lifestyle or behavior changes. The approaches are explored based on the cause of the smell.
Bad smell from colds and nasal conditions
In order to treat bad smell from colds and nasal discomfort in general, the procedure is as follows:
Alternatively, another good remedy is made when you:
There is yet another approach that can be used to treat cold in general. This to be done, you ought to:
Bad smell from stuffy nose:
What Are Sinus Infections
Sinusitis or sinus infection is a medical condition in which the cavities around the nasal passages become inflamed. Cold or allergies can trigger sinusitis, and in most cases, it gets resolved on its own. Chronic sinusitis, on the other hand, can be caused by some infection and last up to eight weeks.
Here are some of the common symptoms to look out for headache, nasal congestion, facial pain, runny nose, and bad breath . You may also experience pressure behind your eyes and cheeks and occasionally have a stuffy nose as well. In acute cases, one can also experience fever, fatigue, cough, and postnasal drip.
You May Like: Can Your Face Swell From A Sinus Infection
Read Also: Best Medicine To Clear Up Sinus Infection
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.
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.
You May Like: How To Get Better From Sinus Infection
Can You Smell A Sinus Infection
Sinusitis, more commonly known as a sinus infection, affects around 31 million people in the U.S. Symptoms include pain and pressure in sinus cavities, congestion, headache, bad breath and loss of smell. As mucus drains from the sinuses into the nasal cavities and throat, you may experience a bad smell.
Having Trouble Tasting And Smelling This Could Be A Sign Of Sinusitis
When your sinuses are inflamed and not draining properly, the effects can be fairly obvious as congestion hampers your ability to breathe and leads to pain and discomfort. But if youre also experiencing a loss of taste and smell, the cause may stem from the same problem sinusitis.
At Florida Ear, Nose, Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. Wade Han and our team specialize in nasal problems, and we understand the widespread impact this seemingly small area of your health can have on your overall wellness. For patients in Orlando and Kissimmee, Florida, who are struggling with the symptoms of sinusitis, weve pulled together a basic primer on the problem and how it can affect your health and your senses.
If youre having trouble tasting and smelling, heres a look at why sinusitis may be at the root of the problem.
Dont Miss: Can Sinus Infection Cause Permanent Hearing Loss
You May Like: What Will A Doctor Prescribe For A Sinus Infection