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What Causes A Intermittent Feeling Of Bad Smell?
Question: My mother is 43yrs old,she has been intermitently experiencing bad smell,she says she is suffocating for a few minute because of that,she will randomly roam in the house to search for the cause of smell,piease guide what to do
Brief Answer:
This is indicative of hallucinations
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for using Healthcaremagic.
I read your query and understand your concerns.
I assume that she is experiencing bad smell although no such such smell is noticed by other family members. In that case she is experiencing olfactory hallucinations which means there is perception (bad smell) without stimulus (no bad smell present in reality).
Although it can be present normally in few persons but feeling of suffocation points toward its grievous nature. The current symptom is generally indicative of psychiatric illness and she needs proper evaluation by expert psychiatrist.
I request you to see a psychiatrist in person. He will take more detailed history and will do mental status examination to reach final diagnosis. Once that is done a treatment can be prescribed to manage current problem.
I must assure you that it is treatable condition although many a times it takes weeks to get complete relief.
I hope this helps you.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386
Thanks and regards
This is indicative of hallucinations
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for using Healthcaremagic.
I read your query and understand your concerns.
I assume that she is experiencing bad smell although no such such smell is noticed by other family members. In that case she is experiencing olfactory hallucinations which means there is perception (bad smell) without stimulus (no bad smell present in reality).
Although it can be present normally in few persons but feeling of suffocation points toward its grievous nature. The current symptom is generally indicative of psychiatric illness and she needs proper evaluation by expert psychiatrist.
I request you to see a psychiatrist in person. He will take more detailed history and will do mental status examination to reach final diagnosis. Once that is done a treatment can be prescribed to manage current problem.
I must assure you that it is treatable condition although many a times it takes weeks to get complete relief.
I hope this helps you.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386
Thanks and regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
she is an epileptic patient experiencing one episode for every 2days,long back doctor said cause is idiopathic,during attack her mouth deviating towards right,right side partial seizure ,she also loss consciousness for a minute suddenly means while doing any activity suddenly she stops she will be in the same posture as if before for a while with no post icteral confusion,some times it is also present,i dont know whether it is a syncopal attack or absence seizure,or a mixed tpe seizure,few years back she experienced blood sianed skin oround the eye ball like an black out,doctor said because of pooling blood in the orbitafter using medication it disappeared in 4days,she says some fluid is trickling down at roof of the nose, for ons twice know it is not there,after so many years she is experienced thisintermittent bad smell,she refused to visit doctor,this information will help youin diagnosis,is there an relation for her bad smell withthis information,some times she had partial tonic clonis seizure,some times absence seizure only during dayin ihe same posture with loss of activity with no confusion,sometimes loss of consciousness with confusion,please guide
Brief Answer:
Yes there is relation
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for reverting back to me.
With the additional details it appears that she is still experiencing seizures and intermittent bad smell is part of seizures. The current phenomenon is known as complex partial seizure with olfactory aura.
From the clinical description there is high possibility that her temporal lobe affected and she is experiencing these seizures.
Loss of consciousness and post ictal confusion is not essential in partial seizures and they can occur without these two symptoms.
I am of the opinion that you need to see a neurologist as soon as possible.
I hope this helps you.
If you have more questions feel free to write back to me.
Thanks and regards
Yes there is relation
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for reverting back to me.
With the additional details it appears that she is still experiencing seizures and intermittent bad smell is part of seizures. The current phenomenon is known as complex partial seizure with olfactory aura.
From the clinical description there is high possibility that her temporal lobe affected and she is experiencing these seizures.
Loss of consciousness and post ictal confusion is not essential in partial seizures and they can occur without these two symptoms.
I am of the opinion that you need to see a neurologist as soon as possible.
I hope this helps you.
If you have more questions feel free to write back to me.
Thanks and regards
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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