1. < Brain & Nervous System

Cigarette smoke

Posted by spyked @spyked, May 16, 2021

For several months I have been smelling cigarette smoke when no one is smoking. It started out occasional and is almost constant now. I have also been seeing black things that look like maybe spiders or small animals out of the corner of my vision that are definitely not there. I have to assume the smelling is Phantosmia and for some reason I’m hallucinating at same time. Thoughts?

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Amanda Roe | @amandajro | May 17, 2021

Hello @spyked and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am curious if you have had COVID? Apparently, according to this article, a fraction of people who tested positive have reported this as a symptom.

COVID-19 Can Warp the Senses Even After Recovery:
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20201109/covid-19-can-warp-the-senses-even-after-recovery#:~:text=Some%20say%20they're%20smelling,in%20their%20sense%20of%20smell.
Did seeing the black things start at the same time or after the smell of cigarette smoke?

REPLY
1 reply
spyked | @spyked | May 17, 2021
In reply to @amandajro "Hello @spyked and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am curious if you have had COVID?..." + (show)
@amandajro

Hello @spyked and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am curious if you have had COVID? Apparently, according to this article, a fraction of people who tested positive have reported this as a symptom.

COVID-19 Can Warp the Senses Even After Recovery:
https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20201109/covid-19-can-warp-the-senses-even-after-recovery#:~:text=Some%20say%20they're%20smelling,in%20their%20sense%20of%20smell.
Did seeing the black things start at the same time or after the smell of cigarette smoke?

Jump to this post

Covid negative literally hundreds of times. I am a healthcare worker and tested at a minimum twice a week for over a year. The smells started first and then seeing things.

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1 reply
Amanda Roe | @amandajro | May 18, 2021
In reply to @spyked "Covid negative literally hundreds of times. I am a healthcare worker and tested at a minimum..." + (show)
@spyked

Covid negative literally hundreds of times. I am a healthcare worker and tested at a minimum twice a week for over a year. The smells started first and then seeing things.

Jump to this post

You can say that with literal certainty given that test schedule!

I found this link and took an excerpt from it that you may find helpful (below).

- Phantosmia: Common Causes
https://www.healthline.com/health/phantosmia#common-causes
Common causes
While the symptoms of phantosmia can be alarming, they’re usually due to a problem in your mouth or nose rather than your brain. In fact, 52 to 72 percent of conditions affecting your sense of smell are related to a sinus issue.

Nose-related causes include:
common colds
allergies
sinus infections
irritation from smoking or poor air quality
nasal polyps

Other common causes of phantosmia include:
upper respiratory infections
dental problems
migraines
exposure to neurotoxins (substances that are toxic to the nervous system, such as lead or mercury)
radiation treatment for throat or brain cancer

Do any of those symptoms resonate? (I realize that still isn't addressing the visual symptoms.)

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