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My Snot Smells Terrible! Please Help Me!

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May 1st, 2007
It sound like a joke, but this is quite distressing. About a few days ago I noticed a god-awful smell coming from my "snot" (I don't know a better term for this). I don't think it applies to the runny kind, just the crusty kind. If I put it in a kleenex, it stinks up the entire kleenex. If I get some on my finger, it will reek up my hand. It goes without saying, there's no more nose picking for me folks, no sir'ee.

But seriously, this is freaking me out. It seriously smells like poop... or maybe more like the stinkiest feet smell you can imagine. Picture a treeplanter's toe jam... kind of like this.

What should I do? I'm living in Japan right now and I don't know if I want to go to the doctor with this... besides the language barrier there's also the embarrasment. I mean, is this something that will go away on its own? It makes me wonder about my breath, too. Does this mean that something's rotting inside of me? My sweet smelling breath has always been one my selling points, especially with the ladies. I can't just suddenly go and have halitosis now. It's like Delilah cutting off Samson's hair!! I'll be ruined!

The smell is so extreme but I can't detect it when it's in my nose. It's when the snot LEAVES the nostril that it seems to start doing its dirty work. Quite puzzling, that...

Has anyone else had renegade odour with regards to their snot before? I'm serious. My humourous tone is just a cover up for the severe shame that I'm experiencing right now.

DOC, what's a guy to do!? I'm 28 years old by the way--this might help, say if it's a usual condition for men of my age, you know.

Thanks,

Cash
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First Helper shy17
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littlesqueaks
replied May 1st, 2007
Experienced User
Sounds like a possible sinus infection or upper respitory infection. Snot can put off an oder when there is an infection or something going on in your upper respiratory area. You might want to see a physician to be certain good luck.
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postmanpat
replied March 20th, 2010
have had same problem for years myself.no mater how many times i clean my nose it will not go away.also the smell got in my breath to.just a nightmare.think ive found a cure though.try douching your nose with hydrogen peroxide.available at any chemist.use as a mouth wash as well
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cookie3466
replied April 28th, 2010
Did you used to smoke cigarettes? When I smoked some years back, my nose smelled like marijuana mixed with cologne. My nose and cologne reacted to create this marijuana smell. I too worried about my breath but no one ever said anything. About a year after I had stop smoking, the smell disappeared. You could pour mouth wash into your nostrils?
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cookie3466
replied April 28th, 2010
Did you used to smoke cigarettes? When I smoked some years back, my nose smelled like marijuana mixed with cologne. My nose and cologne reacted to create this marijuana smell. I too worried about my breath but no one ever said anything. About a year after I had stop smoking, the smell disappeared. You could pour mouth wash into your nostrils?
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mmorrisroe
replied July 27th, 2011
I'm having the same problem, some crusty snot keeps gathering at the tip of my left nostril, it smells nasty and I'm worried it's something serious, I had surgery on my nose about 10 years back, could this have something to do with it?
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Salamander2
replied May 27th, 2012
Has this been resolved for you? I am experiencing something similar. I have recently taken one week of antibiotics and it failed to kill this (what I assume to be) infection.
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SmellyNose
replied August 2nd, 2012
Not a Sinus Infection
I have had sinus problems and sinus infections AT LEAST two to three times a year my entire life, and my nose never smelled bad during those sinus infections. Suddenly last October (2011) the inside of my nose started smelling HORRIBLE!! like an butt-hole or terribly-smelling feet. I get a cut and scab in my left nostril and it lasts for months and months. I do not think this is a sinus infection at all. I am so curious and worried as to what it is! I have read many forums about this and no one has a better answer than "oh must be a sinus infection",NO I know what a sinus infection is and what it feels like, what the symptoms are, this is not a sinus infection by any means. Does anyone even know? I have made an appointment to see my physician but the week before the appointment my smelly nose and scab went away so I cancelled the appointment, now the smell and scab is back. If anyone is an ear, nose, and throat physician please write in and give us the knowledge as to what is plaguing us with this stink! Help!
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reezo
replied August 10th, 2012
Smelly Nose- Did you ever find out what it was? Same exact thing going on.
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shy17
replied October 14th, 2012
smelly snot
it could be something serious. i had that a couple years ago. when it first started happening i though the person i was talking to had disgusting breath, but in fact i started smelling it all the time. i let it go for about 2 years without getting it checked. finally i a wicked sinus infection that ended up spreading all over my body. i had a 104 temp that i could not kick for over a week. i had to be admitted to the hospital and was told i was lucky i was alive. had i waited another day the infection probably would have spread to my blood. scary stuff. it ended up i had 3 large polyps in my sinus cavity. i ended up have to have surgery and have them removed. on a side note i had a bad tooth i had been putting off having removed and this year it cracked. i went to the emergency dentist and he pulled out the bad tooth. ends up i had a huge abscess that was at the end of the tooth partially into my sinus cavity....the doc told me he was surprised that i hadn't had serious sinus problems. i said i had polyps removed a couple years before and he told me the abscess had probably caused them. when it comes to infections in your head don't mess around get it checked asap. listen to your body its trying to tell you something!
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do1692hw
replied October 31st, 2012
I am having the same thing, right now. I am 68 years old and in general good health. I now have a

cold that produces a lot of yellow mucus on on the left side. When I blow it out it smells like

excrement! I was going around the house for several days and every time I blew my nose I thought oh

my goodness, the cat must have pooped in this area, until I finally connected the smell to blowing

my nose. The more yellow mucus the worse the smell. I did have a flu shot last month, and this is

otherwise a very mild cold, so I'm not going to worry too much about it, just let you people know

you are not alone.

I had polyps surgically removed from my nasal passages twice, once in 1988, again in 2010. Both

times it made a dramatic improvement in my breathing ability, and I have not lost my sense of smell,

which is listed as a possible negative side effect of such surgery. I have never smoked in my life.

Even with this mucus producing cold, neither nasal passage is blocked, I am breathing freely.
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