It never ceases to amaze me how astoundingly varied the contents of the Internet are. Sure there’s a lot of misinformation and a slew of jackassery, but where else can you research moon-based deities, look at scary people from Wal-Mart, keep up with your friends (at 140 characters or less), and more, all at the same time?

A quick Google search today revealed almost instantly that I am not alone in experiencing a strange (possibly sinus-based) phenomenon. Every once in a while, and more often when I have a cold, I have had recurring “phantom” smells. I’ve tried on numerous occasions to explain this to people, and it’s been exceedingly difficult. The best description I can give is that I sense/taste something akin to burned coffee/smoke in the back of my throat and base of my nostrils. It seems to localize right where the nasal cavities open to the throat.

I’ve always assumed that I wasn’t alone in this experience. (How often is one truly the only individual to encounter something?) Even then, it was comforting to find so many other people with the same problem and that it can be caused by any number of things and can mimic a variety of “smells”. The most common culprits causing this seem to be allergies, fumes from electronics, issues with certain brands of dryer sheets, sinus infections, and more. My guess for what’s causing my issue is sinuses; likely a mild sinus infection. Granted, there could also be some more severe causes such as brain tumours, but as I’ve experienced no other symptom I’m pretty comfortable ruling it out.

If this continues much longer I’ll check in with my doctor, but for now I feel much relieved.