Why do tomatoes sometimes smell acrid to me?

January 7, 2006 10:54 PM

Sinus/smell problem.

First off, I've discussed this with a physician, who told me that he had no idea what my problem was. So, you're not my doctor, this isn't medical advice, etc.

Anyway, from time to time, my sense of smell becomes very sensitive, and certain smells, like thousand island dressing, tomato (especially catsup, canned tomato, and tomato paste), cheese (even American and cheddar), and butter are nothing short of acrid. I can faintly smell any of these things even an hour after I've moved away from them. They linger in my sinuses, bringing me great misery.

Anyone have any idea what could cause such a dysfunction?

I am not pregnant. I am a male.

posted by Kwantsar to Science & Nature (11 answers total)

From the Merch Manual: "Hyperosmia (increased sensitivity to odors) usually reflects a neurotic or histrionic personality."

I'm just sayin'. Don't kill the messenger.
posted by drpynchon at 11:02 PM on January 7, 2006

Response by poster: Fair enough, drpynchon, but I should specify that the smells that I can't stand (when afflicted) are generally pleasant or neutral scents. A skunk or cesspool wouldn't be any more bothersome than usual.
posted by Kwantsar at 11:13 PM on January 7, 2006

Try adjusting the copper or zinc in your diet. Deficiencies in either can affect your sense of smell.
posted by Rothko at 11:40 PM on January 7, 2006

Curezone.com is a great site for asking about alternative therapies. I've heard theres one called 'doctor yourself' too.
posted by merlin17 at 12:32 AM on January 8, 2006

Any chance you have spent much time with chronic low-level sinus infections? They can wreak havoc with your senses, so relatively-strong-but-normal odors seem far stronger when you are finally infection free.
posted by SpookyFish at 4:45 AM on January 8, 2006

aren't the symptoms you describe more like dysosmia than hyperosmia? it's not all smells, and you're finding "pleasant or neutral" smells unpleasant. so perhaps the merck manual says: "Dysosmia (disagreeable or distorted sense of smell) may occur with infection of the nasal sinuses, partial damage to the olfactory bulbs, or psychologic depression. Some cases, accompanied by a disagreeable taste, result from poor dental hygiene. Uncinate epilepsy can produce brief, vivid, unpleasant olfactory hallucinations."
posted by andrew cooke at 7:31 AM on January 8, 2006

Yeah, it's dysosmia, more than hyper-. My take is more an analogy, but it's pretty reasonable to see neural tissue (olfactory nerve, in your case) become excessively irritable if there's any prior trauma. In your case, I would say a nasty sinusitus or a chronic sinus issue. We often would like it if certain nerves just went dead after injury instead of becoming irritable. See "Meralgia Paresthetica".

Have you seen an ENT?
posted by docpops at 7:56 AM on January 8, 2006

Here's my situation: for about 3 months I smelled something that could only be described as fried peppercorns in rancid oil. Made me crazy. Then I completely lost my ability to detect odors. Went to the doctor and he stuck a scope up my nose and we saw what could only be described as an outtake from Alien. He gave me a steroid pack and 180 antibiotics. My sense of smell came back for a while and slowly disappeared again.

I mention this because what you have sounds similar. I tried every homeopathic cure known and nothing has touched it. The best advice is to suck it up if you can and see an ear/nose/throat doctor and make sure that you don't have mold or something living in your sinuses.
posted by DeepFriedTwinkies at 11:38 AM on January 8, 2006

Response by poster: Good stuff. Have not seen an ENT (partially because my GP was "meh" about my problem). Maybe I will.
posted by Kwantsar at 12:25 PM on January 8, 2006

You might try wax, boogers, and phlegm - it's an ENT's blog.
posted by niloticus at 4:46 PM on January 8, 2006

Kwanstar, you are not alone. I have experienced the same issue from time to time, all my life. Sometimes it's sensitivity to vinegary smells, like ketchup. Other times everything I eat tastes like peanut butter. For weeks.

This is classic sinusitis. I have chronic problems due to allergies, and even the steroid sprays don't do much to help. The only time I smell and taste normally is when I'm taking prednisone for my asthma.
posted by shifafa at 11:57 PM on January 8, 2006