Index
It is a condition in which a person loses their sense of smell partially or completely.
It is generally a temporary occurrence caused by a stuffy nose after a cold or flu. However, older adults are at risk of permanently losing their sense of smell due to the various health complications that emerge with age.
Other health conditions that affect your brain or nerves, such as tumors or head trauma, can also cause permanent loss of smell in people of all ages.
What are the causes and risk factors for anosmia?
Most of the time, anosmia is the result of a blockage or inflammation of the nasal passages . This prevents odor molecules from entering your nasal passage and causing loss of smell.
There are some other causes that are believed to trigger anosmia. They are as follows:
Irritation of the mucous membrane by:
- Sinusitis.
- Cold.
- Gripe.
- Chronic congestion from non-allergic rhinitis.
- Smoke.
- Influenza.
- Allergic rhinitis.
Among these, the common cold is one of the leading causes of anosmia for many. Also, the anosmia caused by these triggers usually eases over time.
Other factors that can lead to blockage of your nasal passages are:
- Tumors
- Polyps
- Bone deformities within the nasal septum or nose.
As mentioned above, damage to your brain and / or nerves can also trigger anosmia. Your nasal passage has receptors that carry information from the nerves within your nose to your brain.
Any damage to these nerves can lead to an altered sense of smell or a complete loss of it. Several medical conditions can cause this damage.
These are:
- Brain tumors.
- Alzheimer disease.
- Hypothyroidism
- Huntington’s disease.
- Schizophrenia.
- Parkinson’s disease.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Stroke.
- Diabetes.
- Epilepsy.
Some factors can increase the risk of developing anosmia.
They include:
- Advanced age.
- Hormonal imbalances
- Medications such as antibiotics and medications for high blood pressure.
- Exposure to chemicals.
- A head or brain injury.
- Medical treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy.
- Malnutrition.
- Alcohol abuse.
- Smoke tobacco.
In very rare cases, some babies are born without smell due to genetic factors. This condition is known as congenital anosmia.
Although the main symptom of anosmia is loss of smell, affected individuals may also have some other signs due to their reduced or lost sense of smell.
Signs and symptoms of anosmia
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of libido
- Depression.
- Altered sense of smell.
- Sudden weight loss or gain.
If you decide to visit a doctor for anosmia, you may be asked to undergo the following tests to find out the cause of your condition
How to diagnose anosmia?
Your healthcare provider or doctor can start by writing down the symptoms you’ve been experiencing. They can then go ahead and examine your nose, perform a complete physical exam, and even ask about your medical history.
Depending on these tests and your answers, your doctor may suggest that you perform one or more of the following tests:
- Computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to view the brain.
- X-ray of your skull.
- Nasal endoscopy to observe the nasal passage.
Once the cause of your condition is determined, your doctor will suggest a treatment procedure accordingly.
Coping and treating anosmia
If the onset of anosmia is triggered by a cold or flu, you may not need further treatment, as your smell will return when your nasal congestion improves.
Other treatment strategies for anosmia may include:
- Medications such as antihistamines and steroids.
- A nasal decongestant or nasal sprays.
- In case you have polyps, they may need to be surgically removed.
- Acupuncture.
- Stop taking any medications that may be triggering anosmia.
Unfortunately, anosmia is not always treatable if the cause is advanced age or if it is present from birth. Hence, in such scenarios, one must treat and deal with this condition before it leads to further complications or accidents.
Some ways that an affected person can live with anosmia are:
- Install fire detectors and alarms in your home.
- Give up smoking.
- Limit alcohol consumption.
- Try and avoid refrigerating leftovers as you may not be able to tell if they have gone bad or not.
- Keep your stress under control.
Coping with anosmia will be much easier for those who have been battling this condition for a while. But for those who have recently lost their sense of smell, things can be a bit difficult.
Listed below are some complications experienced by those with anosmia, especially those who have recently been diagnosed with the condition.
Complications of anosmia
Some complications that arise with anosmia due to an individual’s inability to smell are:
- The inability to taste food can cause an affected person to end up eating too much or too little.
- Consumption of poisoned food.
- An increased risk of being caught in a fire as the affected person will not be able to detect the smell of smoke.
- Loss of intimacy or libido due to the inability to smell aromas (pheromones).
- Loss of ability to smell chemicals or other dangerous substances in the home.
- Mood disorders that can lead to depression.
- Social retreat.
- Inability to smell body odors.
While none of us can relate to what a person suffering from anosmia is going through, the least we can do is empathize with them and offer support in any way we can.
