Definition
Cacosmia is the perception of an unpleasant odor, which can be real (objective cacosmia) or imaginary (subjective cacosmia).
In the first case it is a sensation linked to a real olfactory stimulus (the bad smell is really present). Therefore, cacosmia may be due to a nasal or sinus infection, as in the case of some forms of rhinitis, sinusitis or tonsillitis. In other cases, it is the result of a tumor of the nasal cavities or derives from the presence of a foreign body.
Subjective cacosmia, on the other hand, is a "false" sensation, which can occur in the case of lesions of the olfactory pathways (toxic or infectious neurites of the olfactory nerve), during particular physiological states (pregnancy) or in the case of neurological diseases, traumas or tumors cerebral (meningiomas). In other cases, subjective cacosmia is a prodromal symptom of some forms of epilepsy from the uncinate area (hooked crises) or can be hallucinatory in the course of psychiatric illness. In these cases, fetid odors are perceived, such as rotten eggs, burnt meat or sulfur.
Possible Causes * of Cacosmia
- Encephalitis
- Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE)
- Pregnancy
- Meningioma
- Rhinitis
- Sinusitis
- Tonsillitis
