Growing old is a major cause of smell loss as the ability of the olfactory neurons to regenerate declines. So can head trauma, exposure to noxious chemicals, cancer treatments, smoking, gum disease, antibiotics and various blood pressure, cholesterol, reflux and allergy medications, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Common cold and flu viruses, nasal polyps, thyroid disorders, severe allergies, sinus infections and neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis can all damage the ability to smell and taste - at times, permanently.

People have been losing their sense of smell and taste for centuries. 'Yes, there are some people that won't recover, so for those folks, we want them to not ignore it. Justin Turner, an associate professor of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.Īnyone still struggling with a loss of smell and taste 'should think positively and assume their sense of smell will return,' Turner said. 'That's exactly what olfactory training is for your sense of smell.'Īs science learns more about how COVID-19 attacks and disrupts smell, 'I think you're going to see interventions that are more targeted,' said rhinologist Dr. 'The way I explain it to patients is if you had a stroke, and it made your arm not work, you would go to physical therapy, you would do rehab,' Patel said. Zara Patel, a professor of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. Smell or olfactory training encourages people to sniff essential oils twice a day, said rhinologist Dr. Support and advocacy groups such as AbScent and Fifth Sense have mobilized to help, offering affirmation and hope, tips on smell training and even recipes to bolster appetite. More than two years into the pandemic, researchers found an estimated 15 million people may still have problems perceiving odours, while 12 million may struggle with taste. Such is the reality of some 5% of global COVID-19 survivors who have now developed long-lasting taste and smell problems, according to a 2022 study.

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Without smell, you may not recognize the telltale signs of fires, natural gas leaks, poisonous chemicals or spoiled food and drink. Appetite and enjoyment of life may plummet, which past studies show can lead to nutritional deficits, cognitive decline and depression.ĭanger lurks as well. Taste and smell are intertwined, so food may be bland or flavourless.

Without warning, you can no longer inhale the sweet odor of your baby's skin, the roses gifted by your partner or the pungent stink of your exercise clothes. Your ability to smell can also disappear completely, a condition called anosmia. Oddly, that's a good thing: It's a sign you still have a working sense of smell - even if it's miswired in your brain. Imagine waking up one morning after recovering from COVID-19 to find that your coffee smells like unwashed socks, your eggs reek of feces and your orange juice tastes metallic.

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