Causes and treatment of unpleasant odor from the nasopharynx

Probably, every person at least once in his life felt an unpleasant smell from the nasopharynx. The reasons for this symptom are many, ranging from malnutrition and diseases of the oral cavity and ending with pathologies of the lungs and liver. The symptom may be temporary or accompany the person permanently. But be that as it may, it is extremely important to find out the nature of the unpleasant symptom and use the correct therapy for the disease in order to avoid complications or the transition of the disease into a chronic form.

Why is there a smell?

In order for a specialist to be able to prescribe an effective treatment, it is necessary to find out the cause of the odor from the nasopharynx. Doctors identify several main factors that cause this symptom:

infectious diseases of the nasopharynx organs;
pathology of other organs and systems;
an unpleasant symptom as the main symptom of the disease.

Diseases of the organs of the nasopharynx

Various viral and bacterial infections can provoke the development of an inflammatory process in the oral cavity, affecting the nasopharyngeal mucosa. In this case, diseases such as sinusitis, rhinitis, tonsillitis and others may develop. If untreated, there is an intensive increase in the number of pathogenic microorganisms, which causes the appearance of greenish discharge from the nose and bad breath.

Often at the final stages of rhinitis, a purulent odor can be felt, since at this stage of the disease the amount of mucus in the nose decreases sharply, and its viscosity increases.

Also, the cause of the smell from the nasopharynx can be dryness in the nose, which provokes the appearance of fetid crusts, as well as an increase in the number of pathogenic microorganisms. This condition is often observed in allergic, medication and atrophic rhinitis.

Important! It is impossible to independently remove the formed crusts, as this provokes the appearance of cracks and the spread of infection.

Diseases of other organs

Oddly enough, a bad smell in the nasopharynx is often provoked by problems of the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, liver, dental pathologies, diabetes mellitus (causing the aroma of acetone).

Quite often, a foreign smell causes various abnormalities that develop in the oral cavity:

bleeding gums, provoking a metallic taste;
caries, accompanied by the development of a large number of bacteria, the waste products of which provoke the emergence of an obsessive aroma;
lack of good hygiene, as a result of which food remains stuck between teeth or dentures, over time, begin to give off an unpleasant odor.

Lack of saliva

A stench from the mouth or nose may appear after a night's sleep. In this case, the reason is the decreased activity of the salivary glands at night, which contributes to a decrease in the amount of saliva. It is known that saliva plays an important role, participating not only in the digestion process, but also in cleansing the oral cavity of bacteria that can cause odor from the nose.

Also, the reason for the decrease in the work of the salivary glands is:

A strict diet or prolonged fasting, because saliva in the required amount is produced during sleep.
Insufficient fluid intake (an adult should consume at least 1.5-2 liters of water per day).
As a result of the use of certain medications such as Atropine or Hyoscin.
As a result of drinking alcohol.
For diseases affecting the salivary glands (sialadenitis, tumor development).

Important! An insufficient amount of saliva promotes the intensive development of bacteria, which causes the appearance of an obsessive odor.

Treatment

Sometimes people mistakenly think that bad odor is not a serious problem and does not require special treatment. However, various odors from the nose or mouth often indicate the presence of a dangerous medical condition. Therefore, immediately after the patient has an unpleasant symptom, you should consult a doctor to find out the cause and choose an effective treatment.

Diseases of the oral cavity

If it was possible to establish that pathologies associated with dental diseases and bad habits became the cause of the bad smell, then to eliminate the symptom, you should follow simple recommendations.

If possible, after each meal, rinse your mouth with water to remove food debris.
Use a toothbrush not only for teeth, but also for cleaning the inner surface of the cheeks and tongue.
To clean the surface between the teeth with special dental floss.
Minimize sugary foods and meats by adding more fresh fruit to your diet.
It is necessary to quit smoking, minimize alcohol consumption.
Eat regularly, which will allow saliva to be secreted in the required amount.
Drink enough liquid to moisturize the nasopharyngeal mucosa.
Use a rinse aid that will not only eliminate the unpleasant odor, but will also help to reduce the number of bacteria.
Visit your dentist regularly.

If, using the above recommendations, it was not possible to eliminate the unpleasant odor, you should seek the advice of an otolaryngologist and gastroenterologist.

Infectious diseases

A fetid odor from the throat appears when there are plugs on the tonsils, which result from frequent colds, rhinitis, tonsillitis. In this case, the elimination of the unpleasant symptom will be directly related to the removal of plugs. Treatment is carried out using procedures such as:

rinsing the mouth and throat with a solution of furacilin;
treatment of the surface of the tonsils with streptocide (one tablet should be dissolved in a glass of warm boiled water) with rinsing.

Important! Treatment should be carried out for at least seven days. If the unpleasant symptom cannot be eliminated, other methods of therapy should be sought.

If sinusitis or other purulent inflammations in the nasal cavity and sinuses become the cause of stench from the nasopharynx, then in this case they apply:

antibacterial drugs (Azithromycin, Augmentin);
vasoconstrictor drops and sprays (Evkazolin, Nazol, Nazivin);
antipyretics, if inflammation is accompanied by an increase in temperature (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen).

If the cause of the rhinitis, which caused an unpleasant odor, was an allergic reaction, then in this case it is necessary to eliminate the allergen and take an antihistamine (Diazolin, Suprastin, Zodak, Loratadin).

Important! When treating a fetid odor from the nasopharynx caused by the formation of a purulent secretion, it is important to thoroughly cleanse the pharynx and nasal cavity from purulent discharge.

Also, in the treatment of sinusitis, rinsing of the nasal cavity with antiseptic solutions (Furacilin, Miramistin, Chlorhexidine) is indicated. This procedure can significantly improve the patient's condition, reduce the severity of the inflammatory process.

Conclusion

A bad smell from the nose can be caused by a wide variety of reasons. At the same time, many people often mistakenly believe that a bad smell is not harmful to health. However, in order to reduce the likelihood of complications and the transition of the disease to a chronic form, at the first signs of an unpleasant symptom, you should undergo an examination and find out its cause. Only a timely and correct diagnosis will help to choose an effective treatment and cope with the disease and unpleasant symptom.It should also be remembered that a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition and timely treatment of inflammatory processes will help to significantly strengthen the immune system and avoid the occurrence of an unpleasant symptom.