When I sneeze hard, it creates a smell in the air. Why?

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

There is absolutely nothing that you need to worry about. 1. Sneezes can often be pungent-smelling in few people, and it is sometimes genetically determined without any underlying condition. However, in your case, the most likely problem could be underlying allergies which could cause stasis of secretions in the sinuses leading to bacterial growth and ketone break down, causing this pungent odor. 2. If you have been asymptomatic or do not have your nose bothering you most of the time, the only thing that you need to do is to douche the nasal cavity with normal saline. It is available in premixed sachets and is marketed as Nasowash, Netiwash, etc. You can douche the nasal cavity to wash out any retained secretions. 3. In a week or two, you should be fine, and the odor should disappear. It would be best to take care of the allergic symptoms by avoiding the triggering factors and wearing an N95 mask whenever you feel you tend to get exposed to those triggering factors. I hope this answers your query. If there is anything more that you need to enquire about, kindly do let me know, and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Warm regards.