What does it mean when you smell random scents that aren't there?

[YellowRubberDuckie]

My mom just caught two big wiffs of perfume, and I, sitting next to her, couldn't smell. Is she having a stroke or something?
Duckie

[Nite Owl]

1. Does she get migraines?

Happens to me sometimes.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Epilepsy, stroke, brain tumor

If this becomes a steady thing, make her see her doctor.

Most of the causes of phantom smells are benign; but since they tend to involve the brain, you don't want to shilly-shally with it.

--p!

[LynzM]

3. The things mentioned above

Migraine, epilepsy, also sometimes happens when you are pregnant, oddly enough. I hope she's ok!

[Sanity Claws]

Some new agers think

that the smells indicate a guide or spirit is visiting you. This afternoon, as I was sitting at my desk, I got a whiff of pot. I swear. I must have a guide who enjoys a smoke of smoke every once in a while.

[CO Liberal]

9. Your Guide is Timothy Leary

:-)

[libhill]

4. Sounds like a ghost

to me. I had a friend once, whose girlfriend of several years died tragically. He used to tell me that, sometimes at night, as he was on patrol (he worked as a night security officer)he could smell her particular brand of perfume, and sensed her presence. I fell by his job site one night, just to visit and say hello. I smelled it too- needless to say, I got the hell outta that building, and never went back.

[BBradley]

8. Or a yeti

[libhill]

10. Or

one of them thar sassy sqautch critters.

[madmom]

5. I woke up one night to the smell...

of perfume several years ago,I listened for sounds from daughter, nothing. I figured a friendly spirit.Nothing sense tho.

[Terran]

6. Glitch in the Matrix

As some other DU'er said in another thread. I can't take credit, but I like the idea.

[Cannikin]

7. Toast? Electrical fire? Definately stroke.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

11. If it happens repeatedly, she should get it checked out

Don't mean to scare you - as someone else posted, it could be a sign of a neurological problem.

As a side note, several weeks ago my sister attended a seance in hopes that the medium could make contact with our deceased loved ones. The medium supposedly contacted our mother, sister and our brother's father (we're half-siblings). She said Mom was "restless" in the afterlife because she felt she'd left things in a mess for us and was worried. She told us to talk to Mom and tell her everything's fine. When I went to bed the night my sister told me about this, I smelled some perfume, as though someone were near me. Instead of heavy perfume I use light body splashes, which normally wear off by the time I turn in for the night, so it couldn't have been mine. It was a very strange sensation. Was it Mom? I don't know. I just know it was weird.

Disclaimer: I don't necessarily believe in the above; I'm just reporting what my sister said.