How bad smells affect your health

There is also evidence that the opposite can be true, with malodours damaging our health, although scientists are still trying to disentangle the precise link between odour pollution and any direct physiological impacts. A 2021 review of studies found some “biological plausibility” behind symptoms like headache or vomiting caused by bad smells. For instance, nasty odours can trigger the vagus nerve, a key part of the nervous system linking the brain and gut, making one feel sick or nauseous. But the scientists behind that review ultimately concluded that more research into the physiological impacts of smells is needed to draw clear-cut conclusions.

The extent of the affect on our health also depends on how worried we are by the odour. “The health impact is mediated through an individual dislike or fear of an odour,” says Pamela Dalton, a cognitive psychologist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, in the US, who has spent 32 years investigating the health impacts of odours. The more anxious you are about an odour, the more it can impact your health and wellbeing.

Lifestyle changes

A persistent bad smell can seep into many parts of life. It can push someone to make lifestyle changes, which can, in turn, be harmful to their health. These changes are known as “maladaptive actions”. For instance, one may feel compelled to keep windows shut on a hot day or avoid going outside to exercise or spend time with friends. Living with the stink in Westbury, “affects your social life,” Corner says. “If you’re planning a barbecue in the summer, you’re hoping it’s not going to stink you out.”     

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Still, the merest whiff of stench may be intolerable for some people, but for others, it can be barely noticeable. “There will be a wide range of responses; some will say they smell it occasionally, or it just doesn’t bother them,” says Dalton, who regularly investigates odour complaints. Age, gender, allergies and lifestyle choices like smoking are all among the factors how people perceive odours.