Hi, Im 15 and have an anxiety disorder. About 2 weeks ago i smelt cigar smoke only once. It happened about 4 times over the 2 week period until i smelt what i thought was smoke only for it to be more like from a candle. From then on in i have smelt smoke 4 or 5 times a day. I had heard once that smelling smoke could mean a brain tumour but on all the brain tumour sites there was no sign of anything like that. I then typed in 'smelling smoke' on google and found one random thing which said it could be some kind of sinus infection or a brain tumour. I have had an on-off headache since i started getting anxious about it. I have had some weird kind of crackling in my ears too but i dont know if that means anything.

Thanks a lot.

Sam

By the way this smoke has varied from burning toast to normal smoke.

Hi Sam. I also smell smoke occasionally. I have smelled cigarette smoke for two years now but it comes and goes. I went to see my ENT because sometimes it would make me sick to my stomach. He sent me for an MRI because he said the first thing you think of is a brain tumor but the MRI was normal. My doctor could find no reason for it. I finally accepted that it is just a "quirk" of mine.

However, I would suggest that you see a doctor about it because everyone is different.

Shannon

Sam, look up "phantom smells" on the internet. The odors vary, and they include smoke. The most serious cause is brain tumor, so a neurologist might be the first specialist to see. Other less serious causes are head injury (which injures the olfactory nerve), surgical trauma to the nose, or polyps of the sinuses. An ENT would probably be able to help after the neurologist gives you an all clear.

wow this happened to me on a few occaisions especially when i was younger but i never thought anything of it... thanks for the post sam i think ill look into it also