Because the sense of smell and taste are so closely related, sufferers often report a loss of taste. Each year, more than , people receive medical help related to issues with their sense of taste and smell. Loss of taste and smell is a common symptom of COVID with a majority of patients reporting problems. There are several possible reasons why someone might lose their sense of taste and smell, but in most cases, most people get their taste and smell back after the underlying causes are remedied.
However, if symptoms persist or if you suspect your loss of sense of taste and smell is related to a more serious condition, such as COVID, contact a health professional or a physician as soon as possible. Be sure to record your symptoms and any changes in your condition so you can provide them to your physician.
If a viral infection, such as influenza or SARS-CoV-2, is suspected, your physician will want to run tests to determine the underlying cause. Quite often, a family doctor or healthcare professional will refer a person suffering from a loss of taste and smell to an ear, nose, and throat specialist, known as an otolaryngologist also called an ENT for further diagnosis and treatment. The most common causes of extended loss of smell occur as a result of upper respiratory infection and sinusitis sinus infection.
For many infections like upper respiratory infections, it appears the post-infection smell loss is typically temporary because of the olfactory system's phenomenal plasticity. Sinusitis is where you have swelling of your sinuses, typically caused by an infection. It causes your sinuses to swell and become inflamed, interfering with drainage, causing mucus buildup. With acute sinusitis, it may be hard for you to breathe through your nose.
The space around your face and eyes may feel swollen and you may have a headache or throbbing facial pain. The common cold is usually the cause of acute sinusitis. Unless you develop a bacterial infection, most cases of acute sinusitis resolve within a week or so and home remedies might be all you need to treat acute sinusitis.
Sinusitis lasting over 12 weeks regardless of being treated is referred to as chronic sinusitis. Symptoms of chronic sinusitis include:. With chronic sinusitis and decreased sense of smell, inflammation interferes with the ability of your sinuses to drain and is why you experience a loss of your sense of taste and smell.
Air movement in your sinuses usually helps the volatile molecules settle in, providing a brain signal letting you know what it is you're tasting. Therefore, a sinus infection could make your sense of taste dull, even while you still know if something is sweet or salty. An allergic reaction like hay fever affecting your sinuses. In a case where your loss of smell is due to sinus disease, the condition can be treated.
However, for thousands of cold sufferers each year, this loss of smell and a diminished ability to taste become persistent. Even with a full recovery from the acute nasal stuffiness that accompanies a cold or sinus infection, for some, a change in taste can last months.
For an unfortunate few it can last years or even for the rest of their lives. There's no good estimate for how many people live with smell loss, although the Anosmia Foundation estimates two million to five million American adults have taste and smell disorders. Congenital anosmia, being born without a sense of smell, is a rare condition, but acquired smell loss through things like an infection, smoking, nasal growths or a brain injury is more common.
That loss can be total, or what's known as hyposmia, a diminished sense of smell. Aging also plays a role, and a large proportion of the population has some degree of smell loss in their 60s and beyond. The senses of smell and taste are very closely linked. Most people who visit a doctor because they think they have lost their sense of taste are surprised to learn they have a smell disorder instead.
Generally, a smell or taste disorder will fall into these four categories:. Ageusia: Loss of sense of taste. Call a pharmacy or contact them online before going in person.
You can get medicines delivered or ask someone to collect them. They'll check for any obvious causes, such as sinusitis or nasal polyps. They may refer you to a specialist for tests if they're not sure what the problem is. Treating the cause might help. For example, steroid nasal sprays or drops might help if you have sinusitis or nasal polyps. A treatment called smell training can also help some people. To find out more about smell training, see:.
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