Smelling petrol or gasoline in your nose can be due to upper respiratory infections, certain neurological conditions or even head injuries.
Smelling petrol or gasoline in your nose when the petrol or gasoline is not actually present is called phantosmia.
Phantosmia or smelling of petrol or gasoline in your nose can also be a symptom of a condition called parosmia, which is where smells are distorted or even perceived differently than they actually are.
Having a head injury or trauma to the head such as a blow to your head can disrupt your olfactory system and lead to phantom smells.
Even infections like the flu, cold or sinusitis can also cause temporary changes in your smells and can result in smelling petrol or gasoline.
Conditions like some types of brain tumors, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy can cause phantosmia and cause you to smell gasoline or petrol in your nose.
Even certain medications can have phantom smells including smelling of petrol or gasoline in your nose.
And nasal polyps which are non cancerous growths in your nasal passages can sometimes cause a persistent bad smell.
Having a dry mouth and reduced saliva production can also result in changes in your smell and cause a bad taste in your mouth.
Most cases of phantom smells are nothing to worry about.
However if the phantom smells persists or you have other symptoms such as confusion, dizziness or headaches you should see a doctor.