Sudden bad smell?

[Solarjunkie]

Any ideas what could cause a person to suddenly experience a bad smell, which seems to be coming from themselves? No jokes please, this is a serious worry, seems to get worse when bending down, as if it came from the stomach. Has been happening for several days. No one else can smell it.

[Mowbray]

I quick guess - if you're saying it's coming from your stomach it may be your belly button???

[WaldoMcFroog]

However distasteful this smell is, I would suggest for your own peice of mind you ask someone close to smell your stomach at a close range to determine whether this is something real or something you have imagined.

The overwhelmingly most likely cause of an imagined smell is that is it psychosomatic and that it simply isn't there. This can happen if you are stressed about something. Reduction of the stress will cause the sympton to disappear.

There are rare cases of smells being associated with brain tumours - however, I cannot stress enough that I am not a doctor and have no way of knowing whether this is even a possibility in your case. It is highly unlikely that it is a brain tumour. I understand that the smells associated with brain tumours are often citrus smells, which yours, by the sounds of it, is not.

If you are, as you say, seriously worried about this, you should go to a qualified doctor immediately.

[WaldoMcFroog]

May I just add, the belly button answer is the most likely of all!

[undercovers]

do you suffer from sinus problems, could be the onset of an infection - bending over making the infected material more noticable smell wise - maybe - but i am guessing - know its a hassel but the doc or nurse might be the best bet

[netibiza]

If you are female may I suggest that maybe you have a tampon left inside - they really pong - but other folk cannot detect it.

[Solarjunkie]

Thanks for your suggestions so far. It is not me that is affected, but a member of my family. In this particular case, very unlikely to be psychosomatic, but of course that is always a possibility.

I meant from the stomach on the inside, there is sometimes a slight taste associated, so not navel.

Sounds like the sinus option is the most likely, I'll keep monitoring the situation to see if it crosses the line to need medical intervention.

The only thing I had heard of as a possibility was a stomach ulcer (or indeed rarely a brain tumour) so I thought I'd tap your collective experiences!

[purplefish]

could it be because of acid in the stomach?

[Hgrove]

I agree with the above.  It sounds like reflux.