Anosmia – When You Lose Your Sense of Smell and What to Do

Your sense of Smell may not seem crucial – until it vanishes. Total loss of smell, known as Anosmia, can greatly impact your life. Understanding the common causes, effects, and treatments empowers you to seek solutions when anosmia strikes.

What Causes Anosmia?

Many conditions affect the Olfactory Nerves or brain pathways necessary for smelling:

• Viral infections like cold, flu, sinusitis or COVID-19
• Head trauma that injures the frontal brain area
• Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s
• Nasal and sinus polyps or tumors
• Exposure to toxic chemicals or radiation
• Congenital anosmia present from birth
• Vitamin deficiencies of zinc, niacin or vitamin A

Anosmia related to other disorders like infections or polyps may improve with treatment. However, damage to olfactory nerves or brain centers often causes permanent loss of smell.

Effects of Anosmia

Losing smell impacts your health and safety in surprising ways:

• Food tastes bland, causing poor appetite and nutrition
• You can’t smell smoke, gas leaks, spoiled food, or other hazards
• Social isolation and depression result from loss of connections through smell
• Anxieties develop about personal hygiene and unawareness of body odor

Diagnosing the Cause

To pinpoint the reason behind anosmia, your doctor will:

• Take a medical history and scan for related diagnoses
• Check vitamin and nutrient levels through bloodwork
• Perform a scratch test using odorants
• Order a CT or MRI to visualize the olfactory nerves and brain
• Refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) or neurology specialist

What Can Be Done?

While many cases cannot be cured, treatments to optimize function exist:

• Steroid nasal sprays for sinusitis-related anosmia
• Surgery to remove nasal obstructions like polyps
• Smell training to stimulate neural pathways through repeated exposure to key odors
• Adding flavor enhancers and spices to improve food palatability
• Practicing odor safety measures like gas detectors and fire alarms
• Pursuing counseling for resultant depression or anxiety

Don’t give up hope. Work with your doctor to explore every option to regain your lost sense of smell. Even partial improvement makes a meaningful difference in restoring this vital sensory ability.