1. Burnt Toast
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Many people who suffer with seizures often sense one coming because they experience phantosmia. The most common type of seizure that causes them to smell burnt toast is a temporal lobe seizure and the smell of burnt toast will last just a few minutes.
2. Burning Rubber
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Many people have admitted to smelling burnt rubber right before suffering an epileptic fit. Again, the temporal lobe issue can prompt phantom smells and the most common one in people with epilepsy is the smell of burnt rubber, almost as if a car tyre was on fire.
3. Cigarette Smoke
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Cigarette smoke when you’re not a smoker could be a symptom of Parkinson’s disease – it could be one of the first symptoms. This neurological disorder can cause a range of symptoms but the smell of cigarette smoke is one of the first and earliest symptoms.
4. A Chemical
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Migraines can cause olfactory hallucinations, including the smell of chemicals when you’re no where near something that could cause this smell. Smelling chemicals can be a symptom of a migraine with aura, which is a type of migraine that includes sensory disturbances.
5. A Metallic Smell
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People being treated for cancer with radiation therapy may experience phantosmia – the metallic smell they’re experiencing is a side effect from the radiation treatment which is used to treat throat or brain cancer. Its annoying and unpleasant but it usually goes away after a few minutes.
6. Rotting
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Sinus infections can sometimes cause someone to experience olfactory hallucinations including the smell of rotting. This is a particularly unpleasant one but tends to only be a temporary symptom that is resolved once the infection is treated.
7. A Stale Or Mouldy Smell
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Neuroblastoma can cause a person to experience a stale or mouldy smell from time to time. Neuroblastoma is a cancer that develops of immature nerve cells found around the body and most commonly arise around the adrenal glands or nerve cels that sit on top of the kidneys.
8. Alcohol
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People who get random moments where they can smell alcohol have been found to either be suffering with anxiety, stress or depression or are prone to suffering with their mental health. This has been found to be more prevalent in adults between the ages of 21-50.
9. Rotten food
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A sign of dental problems is the smell of rotten food, getting whiffs throughout the day but not understanding where it’s coming from? You could have a cavity without even realising. Not many people have the Kimmy K gift of sniffing out cavities, but if you smell rotting food more often than not you should get yourself checked.
10. Baked bread
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When someone has diabetes, even before they know about it, they may experience random smells of baked bread and their urine may also smell of rotten apples. It’s strange how our bodies can sense when something is off even before we realise.
11. Patchouli
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Now, this is a weird one and the person suffering with Parkinson’s may not actually smell this but a woman recently noticed that her husband smelt odd. “Sort of woody and musky” she told the Telegraph. Parkinson’s is a notoriously tricky disease to diagnose and by the time people are diagnosed, they’ve lost half of the dopamine producing brain cells the disease attacks.
12. The Smell Of A Goat
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A bizarre but interesting one is researchers found that the smell of goats was linked to schizophrenia and an even more interesting fact is that the compound TMHA that is found in this odor might even be the cause of schizophrenia – which would open up some amazing avenues for treatment.
13. Freshly Baked Cookies
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If someone has suffered a brain injury that may have potentially caused injury to the nasal passages, it’s common for them to lose their sense of taste and smell (similar to covid patients) but to get whiffs on baked biscuits from time to time.
14. Smoke
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Strokes are very serious and affect approximately 795,00 Americans each year – around 135,000 of those people die as a result unfortunately. But one thing that researchers have noticed is that people who have suffered a stroke have also smelt burning not too long before the incident.
15. Iron
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This ones a strange one because many different people of different ages and genders have reported smelling Iron from time to time, but one thing that has been noticed in studies is that the older people who have gone on to develop Alzheimer’s reported smelling iron from time to time on a regular basis.
16. Fish
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Since the world went into lockdown in 2020 and people around the globe caught COVID-19 there have been reports of people who completely lost their taste and smell after becoming infected who also experienced smelling fish from time to time especially when cooking.
17. Sewage
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The main reason that people experience the unfortunate smell of sewage is because of an upper respiratory infection. The smell usually comes and goes but it’s still uncomfortable for the person, I mean, who wants to smell sewage, ever?
18. Gas leak
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A sign that you may be suffering with long-covid is that you can smell gas, like there’s a gas leak nearby. There are still many studies going on to test people who have been suffering with long-covid and how the side effects of the illness has been affecting people differently.
19. Cheese
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Anxiety for a lot of people can be a very frustrating thing to deal with, heart palpitations, restlessness, dizziness and even phantom smells. Many people who suffer with anxiety report smelling cheese, especially shortly before an anxiety attack weirdly.
20. Milky, musky smell
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A bit of a strange one now, but Clairealance’s (Clairvoyants who communicate with the dead through smell) say that the milky, musky smell people get a whiff of, is actually someone from the other side trying to communicate with them.
21. Cilantro
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Now, this one doesn’t really have an explanation for it, but again, like the people who can smell fish and gas leaks (I’m not sure what’s worse) there are people who have been reporting phantom smells of Cilantro since being infected with COVID-19. It’s quite clear that it’s really messed with some people’s senses.
22. Sulfur
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The smell of Sulfur is often a sign that you’re about to experience a migraine. People who suffer with migraine can usually tell when one is coming on and unfortunately, for a lot of people they can be crippling. Its best to make sure that if one is coming on, that you’re in the comfort of your own home.
23. Strong, floral scents
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If you’re not wearing any perfume that contains a floral scent and you’re not around anybody wearing floral scents this could be a sign of pregnancy. Not always but it is one of the lesser known symptoms. If you’re a man and you’re experiencing this phantom smell, then if could be a sign of nausea.
24. Phantom smells explained
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Around one in fifteen Americans experience phantom smells and more often than not, these odors are unpleasant. The good news is that phantom smells tend to decrease with age, especially in women. But why do people experience them? We’ve gone through potentially illnesses, but why else do people experience them?
25. A sign of a spiritual presence
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There are some people out there who believe that phantom smells are actually a sign of a spiritual presence or message from someone on the other side. This could be a loved one you’ve lost or it could be a message from someone who’s passed away who’s close to a relative or friend of yours.
26. A sign of psychic ability
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Some people believe that smelling toast or burnt toast for example isn’t a sign of illness but a sign of psychic ability. It’s an indication that you have heightened intuitive abilities to tune into you spiritual self and potentially communicate with those who have passed.
27. A sign of spiritual cleansing
image source: NPR
Another interpretation of smelling burnt toast is that it’s a sign of spiritual cleansing and this could mean that you are going through a period of change or transition in your life – or about to go through one. The smell of burnt toast is a symbol of ‘out with the old, in with the new’.
28. A warning sign
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The third and final interpretation of a phantom smell is a sign of warning. This could mean a warning about something in your life that needs to be changed or needs attention or it could be a warning about a potential danger or threat that you’re about to face.
29. Other possible causes for smelling burnt toast
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Other than suffering with Temporal Lobe Seizures, people with Parkinson’s Disease also experience this, sinus infections, migraines & some types of ear infections can also cause a person to smell burnt toast from time to time. Phantom smells can often be a sign of illness so if you keep experiencing them, go and speak to your doctor.
30. DISCLAIMER
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We are not doctors or scientists, so anything written in this article should not be taken as gospel. We are here to provide information that could maybe help some people and if anyone is experiencing any changes they should go and seek medical help – it’s always better to be safe.
31. And Now… If You Smell Any Of These In Your Home, Beware! Rotten Egg
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Eggy smell isn’t the nicest smell anyway, but rotten eggy smell? Oh dear. If you’re smelling rotten egg in your home – and no, it’s not your failure at cooking an egg properly – it can be a sign of natural gas, or a gas leak. So you’ll want to call the gas company ASAP – once you’ve gotten out of the house!
32. The Bathroom Smells… Weird
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No, we don’t mean a questionable scented candle you just bought, or an even more questionable bowel movement you just have! Bathrooms always have that distinct ‘bathroomy’ smell – but if yours is very potent, it could be a sign of clogged pipes or sewerage problems!
33. Your Basement Or Garage Is A Tad Musty
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Spaces like basements and garages are very prone to getting musty because they’re not used or warmed like the rest of the house. If yours is smelling very musty of late, it can be a sign that mold has settled in – and if the smell is getting stronger over time, it’s only getting worse.
34. That Fishy Smell Ain’t Fish
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Nobody wants a fishy smell in their home, even if you eat fish regularly and you had it for dinner. That fish smell isn’t what you’ve been cooking, though – a strong smell of fish could be a sign of a power outlet overheating, which can be caused by overloaded circuits or wire issues.
35. You Can Smell Wet Dog – But You Don’t Have A Dog
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Or, you have a dog, but you know for a fact it’s the cleanest, driest pooch on the planet. The smell of wet dog is something every pet owner will know to deal with, but if you’re smelling it in your home without the usual explanation, it can be a sign of an infestation of rodents.
36. The smell of smoke could be one of many things
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Of course, the most obvious cause for the smell of smoke will be a home fire, so rule that out first! Then rule out whether anybody is having a sneaky cigarette. A smell of smoke that comes and goes could mean a faulty wire inside the wall. Another reason could also be if you used to be a smoker and harmful smoke smells are sticking around for a long time.
37. That ‘new home smell’ isn’t a good thing
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We all bask in this idea of ‘new car smell’ or ‘new home smell’ because we feel like it’s nice and clean! But actually, that ‘new home smell’ could mean a problem. It can be the fumes from Organic Volatile Chemicals which come from things like new carpets, new furniture and new paint. It’s a good idea to air everything out.
38. A strange chemical odor
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Of course any sort of chemical odor in your home is going to have you scratching your head (and nose) with worry. This could be a sign something is malfunctioning with your heating, boiler or furnace. A lot of the time, this can be carbon monoxide smell.
39. A tangy metallic smell
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This kind of smell, with no visible cause, can often come from electrical burns or overheating of electrical equipment, which can also include your furnace. A lot of the time, any tangy metallic smell will be an overheating or fire risk of some kind of metal in your home!
40. A smell of burning dust
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If you’re not very big on dusting or cleaning your home regularly – we feel you – there might be a serious build up of dust, and if you have dust on things like the top of radiators, your wood-burning stove or anything else that warms up underneath, it could just be the smell of that – and not usually a cause for concern!
41. An oily odor
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If you can smell oil in your home, the most obvious thing will be an oil leak, if you have anything that uses oil, like a furnace. The smell could also mean a clog in the system, too. If you don’t have anything that uses oil in your home that you know of, it’s time to call in the professionals either way!
42. An ammonia smell (that’s not ammonia)
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If you’re smelling what seems to be ammonia in your home – but you know it’s not actual ammonia – it could actually be a very stinky sign that something might have died in your walls, or elsewhere in your home, like a rodent or critter. Always worth getting it checked!
43. A musty smell coming from a fireplace you don’t use
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This could be an indication that you have too much moisture in your chimney, and it’s stuck there with not being used for a long time. Moisture in your chimney flue can easily form mold when it’s been sat for a while, so that could be the musty smell you’re getting!
44. It stinks of smelly socks!
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You swear you washed your gym gear properly this time, but it still stinks of smelly socks! Who’s the culprit? Well, it could be mildew and mold build up, and especially as a result of a leak you might not know you have. Be sure to check areas like the kitchen or bathroom for leaks.
45. You swear your home smells like a waste plant
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You don’t even remember what a nice home smells like anymore because yours just smells like it’s the official site for an industrial waste plant! This is a serious sign that you could be inhaling potentially toxic sewage gas that could be coming from your bathroom pipes.
46. A melted plastic smell
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You could be getting whiffs of melted plastic or what smells like burning rubber in your home. This could be exactly what it smells like, of course, but it’s more about finding where the smell is actually coming from! You’ll need to find out if anything plastic or rubber is melting in your home.
47. Your house smells like a sweaty gym
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What’s one step up from a sweaty sock smell? Your house smelling like an entire gym that’s been used 24/7 nonstop. If you have a sweaty gym smell at home even though you barely get up off the couch, it could actually be a sign of bacteria growth in your heating, ventilation or air conditioning system.
48. You don’t smell anything
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Okay, this one is more about a substance that could be present in your home – but you would never be able to smell it. And that’s carbon monoxide. This is where a carbon monoxide detector comes in, because you’ll never be able to smell when carbon monoxide is present in your home.
49. Wild animal smell
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It’s always possible for animals like squirrels and rodents to get stuck in your walls, attic or other pesky spaces. If you can smell wild, dirty animal smell out of nowhere, and you don’t have any pets at home, you might want to check for squirrels or a bug infestation.
50. It smells like cat pee
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… But you don’t have a cat! Or you have a cat who is well-trained with the cleanest litter box in the whole world. There’s no denying cat pee is a whole different league in terms of smell – and it can actually signify black mold, which is one of the worst you can be dealing with.