The sudden presence of a smell associated with an event that is not in occurrence, is sometimes called a phantom smell, or phantosmia. Phantom smells may occur with any type of injury to the olfactory nerve or its brain origin, which could be due to trauma, stroke, seizures, tumors, or even migraines. read more
Its good to consider stroke if you suddenly smell burnt toast while shopping at the Macy's perfume counter, but its far more beneficial to learn how to spot a stroke FAST! The additional signs & symptoms of stroke (sans phantosmia) are conveniently listed on the screen-shot of the StrokeApp. read more
Phantom smells, like burnt toast and burning hair, can be a sign of a stroke, but they can also be a sign of other conditions, explains NBC News. A tumor can also cause people to experience phantom smells, as can an infection in the brain. read more
There is a fairly common misconception that if you smell something that is not there (such as burnt toast) it is a sign of a stroke. This is not true. However, because a stroke can occur in any region of the brain, the sense of smell can be affected. read more