Foul Smell in Nose AFTER Sinus Surgery

[ricocsk]

I've been reading a lot of posts about "smells" in the nose, but I haven't seen anything with my particular circumstance.
Three weeks ago, I had sinus surgery. I had thickening in the frontal and maxillary sinuses, and a couple of polyps removed. Recovery was going fine until yesterday when I began to have this smell in my nose. I have a relative who has chronic bad breath. The only way I know to describe the smell is to say that it smells like my aunt's bad breath. It can be very faint, but at times will come on very strong like opening a garbage can and getting an intense wave of bad smelling stuff. I'm also getting a lot more drainage down my throat and have actually had to blow my nose more these last two days than I did the first three weeks after surgery.

I have been using saline spray numerous times a day since my surgery, so I can't figure out why I would start having these problems now.

[mom_of_living_miracle]

I also had sinus surgery a few weeks ago and have developed a bad smell within my nose. I first noticed it about 4 days ago and it comes in waves. Seems to get stronger if I turn my head. To me it smell like stagnant water and dirty feet. It makes me sick to my stomach. I also use saline nasal spray and also nasal washes. Yesterday I noticed a lot more drainage down the back of my throat and today the smell has gotten a lot worse.

Have you received any relief yet from your "smell"?

[chemimbalance]

I had nasal polyps removed last week and today I noticed a strange smell but only on the right side and a nastyish taste in the back of my throat.  I see my doctor tomorrow to get the splints removed and will ask her what is going on.

[mommyof382]

I'm a 28 year old mom of 3 and 3 weeks ago today I had my tonsils out, a septoplasty in the left side of my nose, and polyps removed from the right side of my nose. I had a horrible recovery from the tonsillectomy and septoplasty but the polyp removal wasn't so bad. About a week ago I started having a terrible rotten smell in the right sidde of my nose. It was so bad that it almost made me sick. Well this morning I had gotten up choking on the mucus draining into my throat. I gently blew my nose (it's still a lil sore on the left side) and a nickle sized booger came out. Gross huh? It was partially dried blood and red blood to. I realized immediately that it was the cause of the terrible smell. I thought I would be sick! So far the smell is gone (for today) and I hope it doesn't return. Any ideas on what this could have been? I thought it may have been some stitches that didn't dissolve or possibly a smal piece ot the packing he had pulled out? I dunno...please any thoughts on this are appreciated. My ENT is out until after September 9th.

Thanks!

[Songbird58]

I had a second sinus surgery in November of 2008. It is now October of 2010, and I still have a bad smell in my nose (left side).  I have problems with sinus pressure and pressure behind my left eye as well.  Fortunately, no one else can smell it, but it does smell horrible; ammonia is the closest I can come to describing  the smell.

My ENT told me he thought it would go away in time, but how long is too long? I'm just worried about an infection spreading to the brain.  Should I be worried?  I was furloughed from my job in February, and although I have insurance, money is tight, and I don't want to spend the money on a visit if I don't need to.  I also just posted on an allergy forum, as I've recently had issues with severe dizziness. Any thoughts?

[It_is_Me_Me]

You story sounds so familiar to my husband's, and now, today is 2017.  How are you doing?  

[It_is_Me_Me]

You story sounds so familiar to my husband's, and now, today is 2017.  How are you doing?  

[Radar6869]

Hello All. It's funny we were never told about the smell during the pre operating discussion with the doc. I also have the smell of stinky feet. It gets so bad my wife has to turn her head when we lay in bed. I thought i was a odd ball but it looks like it's part of the post surgery blues. I flush 5 times a day to keep the bacteria away. Just the other day i was flushing frequently when i decided to blow my nose and like mommyof382 i blew out a finger nail sized nugget. Sure felt good but the smell is still there. Hopefully someone out there has the miracle cure.

[AELAAN]

Smell in nose after sinus surgery is common, it is part of healing, make sure you keep rinsing.  I use a neilmed bottle and flush three times daily.  It has been 9 days after the surgery and it (the smell) started the 5th day.  It went away for a bit but now it is back with a vengange.  My doctor told me to keep rinsing, keep carefully blowing my nose, finish the anti biotics.  What could be happening here is that in my case after 5 years of suffering all "old stuff" is coming out with the rinses.  Also if you keep smelling the odor make sure to go see your dentist, remember that some of the roots of your teeth or even dead roots could cause it too....