Do your sneezes smell so bad that even YOU can’t stand them?
Are your sneezes so stinky that you do all you can to muffle them even if you’re the only one in the room?
The good news is that cancer is not a cause of a foul-smelling sneeze.
“Sneezing results in a forceful ejection of air and body fluids from the nose and mouth,” says Gene Liu, MD, MMM, President, Chair, Department of Surgery; Chief, Division of Otolaryngology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group.
“Anything that can give you bad breath can cause sneezes to stink. A few examples of potential causes would be dry mouth, cavities, acid reflux, H. Pylori infections in the stomach, yeast infections and diabetes.
“Additionally, sinus infections, allergies and many other sinonasal conditions can also contribute.”
These include tonsil infection, and in toddlers and preschoolers, the cause may be a foreign object stuck up the nose (assuming that older kids and adults don’t care to jam things up their nostrils).
Dr. Liu explains, “Given the very long list of reasons for this problem, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. A visit to your primary care physician would be helpful.”
For all you know, a diagnosis of diabetes might be made. Many people have diabetes and don’t know it. Symptoms of diabetes include:
- Urinating more than usual
- Unintentional weight loss
- Increased hunger
A visit to your dentist will be helpful to rule out a cavity or rotting area under a silver filling.
It may take time to get to the bottom of the problem, but don’t give up.
“On occasion, if no general health issues are found, an ENT physician may be consulted to evaluate the nose and throat regions more thoroughly.”
Do yourself, and all of those around you, a big favor: Find out why your sneezes are just plain stinky!
