Parosmia
Parosmia
Parosmia is a false smell, i.e., the subjective sensation of a smell which does not exist (i.e., an hallucination). Such smells are usually unpleasant (cacosmia), may be associated with a disagreeable taste (cacogeusia), and may be difficult for the patient to define. Causes include purulent nasal infections or sinusitis, and partial recovery following transection of olfactory nerve fibers after head injury. Transient parosmia may presage seizures of temporal lobe cortical origin (olfactory aura), particularly involving the medial (uncal) region.
Cross References
