Osmophobia or olfactophobia refers to a fear, aversion, or psychological hypersensitivity to odors. Osmophobia seems to be a consistent part of the patient’s migraine history, but additional criteria are needed to differentiate it from episodic tension-type headache (ETTH). [1]The phobia generally occurs in chronic migraine sufferers who may have odor triggered migraines.[2][3] Such migraines are most frequently triggered by foul odors, but the hypersensitivity may extend to all odors. One study found as many as 25% of migraine sufferers had some degree of osmophobia.[4] The condition may also be present in individuals in substance withdrawal, specifically opioid withdrawal syndrome, where it is usually associated with nausea and/or vomiting.
The term osmophobia comes from the Greek ὀσμή - osmē, meaning "smell, odour"[5] and φόβος - phobos, "fear".[6]Olfactophobia comes from the Latinolfacto, "to smell at".[7]