There is a fairly common misconception that if you smell something that is not there (such as burnt toast) it is a sign of a stroke. Websmelling burnt toast isn't a definitive sign of a stroke. This is not true 1.

Instead, it's typically a phantom smell, known as phantosmia, caused by various medical conditions, such as sinus infections. Weblike many effects of stroke, taste and smell changes can recover in the first few weeks and months after a stroke. Webjul 27, 2017 · smell.