Is my sense of smell stronger than others?

September 30, 2025 •

4 min read

According to research, humans are capable of detecting and distinguishing an estimated one trillion different scents, a number far greater than previously believed. If you find that certain odors are overwhelmingly strong or cause you discomfort, you may wonder, "Is my sense of smell stronger than others?"

Quick Summary

Factors like genetics, medical conditions, and professional training can influence your olfactory abilities. A heightened sense of smell, or hyperosmia, can be congenital or acquired due to underlying health issues. A heightened sense of smell is sometimes linked to specific conditions and hormonal changes. Specialized testing can help determine the cause of heightened smell sensitivity.

Key Points

Normal Variation vs. Hyperosmia: Most differences in smell sensitivity are due to normal genetic variation and training, but a rare condition called hyperosmia causes a pathologically heightened sense of smell.
Genetics Play a Major Role: Your individual "odor print" is largely determined by the specific combinations of olfactory receptor genes you inherited, influencing your ability to detect particular scents.
Medical Conditions are a Factor: Sudden or chronic hyperosmia can be a symptom of underlying medical issues, including pregnancy, migraines, autoimmune disorders, and neurological conditions.
Signs of Concern: Indications that your heightened sense of smell may be a problem include strong physical reactions to odors (nausea, headaches) or a significant avoidance of social situations due to scents.
Seek Professional Help if Needed: If your heightened sense of smell is bothersome, interferes with your life, or appears suddenly, consulting an ENT specialist can help identify the cause and potential management strategies.
Training Can Improve Smell Acuity: For those without medical hyperosmia, techniques like olfactory retraining can help stimulate olfactory neurons and enhance the ability to perceive and identify smells.

What is hyperosmia?

Hyperosmia is a condition where a person's sense of smell is significantly stronger than average. While normal variation in smell acuity exists, hyperosmia is a rare, heightened sensitivity that can be overwhelming. For some, like those in professions such as perfumery, this can be advantageous, but for many, even faint smells can be overpowering and cause discomfort or illness.

Signs of a heightened sense of smell

If you suspect you have hyperosmia, you may notice these signs:

Extreme sensitivity to smells, even those others don't notice.
Negative physical reactions to certain odors, including nausea, vomiting, or headaches.
Avoiding places or products with strong scents.
Changes in taste perception.
Being easily bothered by common environmental smells.

Factors influencing smell sensitivity

Several factors contribute to individual differences in smell ability.

Genetics and your "odor print"

Genetics significantly impact smell perception through variations in olfactory receptor (OR) genes. These genes determine which receptors are present in your olfactory system, influencing your ability to detect specific scents. The number of OR genes and their variations contribute to a unique "odor print" for each individual.

Environmental and learned factors

Your environment and experiences also shape your sense of smell.

Professional training: Professions that rely on smell, such as winemaking or perfumery, can train individuals to recognize a wide array of scents, enhancing their olfactory abilities.
Exposure: Repeated exposure to certain smells can alter sensitivity, making you more or less attuned to those specific odors.
Age and health: Smell acuity can decrease with age, and conditions like allergies or respiratory infections can also affect your sense of smell.

Health conditions linked to hyperosmia

A sudden or persistent heightened sense of smell can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester, are a common cause of temporary hyperosmia, sometimes leading to nausea.
Migraines: Hyperosmia is often experienced before or during a migraine attack.
Neurological conditions: While less common than smell loss, hyperosmia can occasionally be linked to conditions like epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, or Alzheimer's disease.
Other conditions: Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, Addison's disease (adrenal insufficiency), and certain medications can also be associated with changes in smell function, including hyperosmia.

When to seek medical advice

If a strong sense of smell is negatively impacting your life, causing distress, or affecting your health, consult a healthcare provider. An Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist can investigate the cause through examination and testing.

Hyperosmia vs. anosmia

Hyperosmia (heightened smell) is the opposite of anosmia (loss of smell). Here's a comparison:


Feature	Hyperosmia	Anosmia
Symptom	Overwhelming sensitivity to odors.	Inability to detect odors.
Triggering odors	Any smell, often causing discomfort.	Odors are not perceived or are significantly weak.
Causes	Genetics, pregnancy, migraines, certain medical conditions.	Infections (like COVID-19), head injury, polyps, age.
Effect on quality of life	Can lead to anxiety, avoidance, appetite changes.	Impacts enjoyment of food, safety risks.
Diagnosis	Medical history, exam, possibly imaging or smell tests.	Olfactory testing, sometimes imaging.

Conclusion

While genetic and environmental factors contribute to variations in smell acuity, a persistent and bothersome heightened sense of smell (hyperosmia) may indicate an underlying medical condition. Professionals demonstrate that olfactory perception can be enhanced through training. If your strong sense of smell is impacting your daily life, consulting a healthcare provider, such as an ENT specialist, is recommended for diagnosis and management. You can find more information on hyperosmia from Verywell Health.

Why do I feel like I have a superhuman sense of smell?

Feeling: A strong sense of smell might be normal variation or hyperosmia. Hyperosmia often involves discomfort or physical reactions to odors.

What are the key indicators of a heightened sense of smell?

Indicators: Key signs include overwhelming sensitivity to faint odors, strong negative reactions to scents, and significant impact on daily life or appetite.

Can I test if my sense of smell is stronger than average?

Test: While you can't test this precisely at home, clinical tests like the UPSIT are used by ENT specialists to evaluate olfactory function.

Is having a strong sense of smell hereditary?

Hereditary: Yes, genetics, specifically variations in olfactory receptor genes, significantly influence your smell sensitivity to certain odorants.

Can a person's diet affect their sense of smell?

Diet: Diet doesn't typically cause hyperosmia, but deficiencies like B12 can affect smell. Hyperosmia itself can also change food preferences.

What medical conditions are associated with a heightened sense of smell?

Conditions: Hyperosmia can be linked to pregnancy, migraines, autoimmune disorders, epilepsy, Lyme disease, and hormonal imbalances.

Can a strong sense of smell be a symptom of anxiety or stress?

Anxiety/Stress: Heightened smell sensitivity has been noted in those with anxiety, and stress can influence how strong smells are perceived.

What should I do if my strong sense of smell is causing problems?

Action: If your heightened sense of smell is bothersome or affects your health, consult a healthcare provider like an ENT specialist.

Is it possible to train my sense of smell to become stronger?

Training: Yes, olfactory training involves regular exposure to different odors to improve recognition and discrimination.

Why does my sense of smell change during pregnancy?

Pregnancy: Hormonal changes, especially early in pregnancy, can cause a temporary heightened sense of smell, sometimes leading to odor aversions.

Can certain medications cause a heightened sense of smell?

Medications: Yes, some medications, including certain antibiotics, antihistamines, and drugs for rheumatoid arthritis, can cause hyperosmia as a side effect.

Is it normal for some odors to be more powerful to me than to others?

Normal Variability: Yes, individual sensitivity to specific odors varies due to genetic differences in olfactory receptors, and this is typically normal unless it is overwhelming.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is a wide range of normal olfactory acuity, and it is common for some people to be more sensitive to certain smells than others. However, when this sensitivity is overwhelming and causes physical discomfort or illness, it may be a sign of a rare condition called hyperosmia.

Signs include an overwhelming sense of smell, heightened awareness of subtle odors, and strong negative reactions like nausea or headaches from certain scents. A medical evaluation by an ENT can help provide a diagnosis.

A sudden, strong sense of smell can be caused by hormonal fluctuations, such as those during pregnancy or the menstrual cycle, exposure to toxins, migraines, or starting a new medication.

Yes, your sense of smell can be trained. Professionals like perfumers and sommeliers practice identifying scents to sharpen their abilities. Olfactory training, which involves regularly smelling and identifying different scents, is also used to help people recover or improve their sense of smell.

Yes, genetics play a significant role in determining your sense of smell. Variation in olfactory receptor genes can cause some people to be more or less sensitive to particular odorants.

Medical conditions associated with a heightened sense of smell include pregnancy, migraines, epilepsy, some autoimmune diseases (like lupus), Addison's disease, and certain neurological conditions.

Diagnosing hyperosmia typically involves a review of your medical history, a physical examination, and potentially imaging tests like a CT or MRI scan to rule out underlying issues. Your doctor may also use standardized smell tests.

Hyperosmia is a heightened sensitivity to smell, while anosmia is the complete or partial loss of the sense of smell. They represent opposite ends of the olfactory spectrum, though both can have significant impacts on a person's quality of life.

It is not necessarily a cause for worry unless it significantly disrupts your life. If your strong sense of smell is persistent, appears suddenly, or causes distress, it is recommended to consult a healthcare provider to determine the cause.