Loss Of Sense Of Smell: Causes And Treatments
Anosmia is a loss of smell that can be partial or complete. It typically isn’t a symptom of a severe condition, but it can sometimes be the sign of something more serious. Anosmia is usually a temporary condition resulting from a cold or upper respiratory infection, but it can be permanent. In addition, anosmia can be miserable to deal with, even if it isn’t a sign of something more severe.
What’s causing my loss of smell?
Anosmia can result when the sinuses become swollen or inflamed. The most common causes of this inflammation include a cold, flu, allergies, sinusitis, and nonallergic rhinitis. Nasal obstructions can also block the airway and lead to smell loss. Some nasal obstructions include polyps, tumors, and deformities.
Some other, more serious, causes of the loss of smell include Alzheimer’s, brain tumor, aneurysm, diabetes, chemical exposure, malnutrition, cocaine use, medications, hormonal imbalance, Parkinson’s, rhinoplasty, radiation therapy, and age.
Symptoms
The only symptom of loss of smell is the actual loss of the ability to smell. However, it’s important to make sure that your loss of smell isn’t the result of a cold or allergy. If you have been suffering from the loss of smell for more than a week or two, you should schedule with us.
How do we treat the loss of smell?
The treatment of your anosmia all depends on what is causing it. After we diagnose a cause, we can develop a treatment plan that may work for you.
If your loss of smell is caused by a cold or allergies, treating the symptoms of these can help bring back your smell. If it is determined that you aren’t suffering from a cold or allergies, we can then check for a potential nasal blockage or infection. Once the true cause of your loss of smell is treated, your smell should return.
It’s important to know that not all loss of smell can be treated effectively, especially in elderly patients.