Anosmia is a medical condition that corresponds to a total or partial loss of odor, this loss may be related to temporary situations such as a cold or flu, but it can also occur from more severe or permanent changes, such as radiation exposure or a tumor. development, for example.
Because smell is directly related to the sense of taste, the person with anosmia is generally unable to differentiate the flavors, although he does have a perception of what is sweet, salty and bitter acid.
The sense of smell can be classified into
Partial anosmia: considered the most common form of anosmia and is usually related to flu, colds or allergies;
Permanent anosmia: occurs mainly from accidents that cause permanent damage to the olfactory nerves or by serious infections that affect the nose and do not heal.
Diagnosis of anosmia is made by your doctor or otolaryngologist, using imaging tests such as nasal endoscopy, for example, to identify the cause to indicate the best treatment.
In most cases, anosmia is caused by situations that promote irritation of the nasal mucosa, which cannot be interpreted. The most common causes include:
Allergic and non-allergic rhinitis;
Sinusite;
Flu or cold;
Exposure and inhalation of humus;
Brain trauma;
Use of certain types of drugs or exposure to chemicals.
In addition, there are other less common situations that can also cause anosmia, such as nose obstruction by nasal polyps, nose deformities, or tumor development, some diseases that affect nerves in the brain can also cause alterations in the smell, such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, or brain tumors.
In this way, whenever a loss of smell occurs for no apparent reason, it is very important to consult an otolaryngologist, to know what is the possible cause and start the most appropriate treatment.
According to several reports of people who have been infected with the new coronavirus, loss of smell appears to be a relatively common symptom and may persist for a few weeks, even if the other symptoms have disappeared.
See the main symptoms of COVID-19 infection and reality in our online language.
Diagnosis is usually made by an otolaryngologist and begins with an evaluation of the person’s symptoms and clinical history to see if there is a condition that may cause irritation of the nasal mucosa.
Depending on this evaluation, your doctor may also order additional tests, such as a nasal endoscopy or MRI, for example.
Treatment of anosmia varies greatly depending on the cause of treatment, in severe cases of cold anosmia, flu or allergies, rest, hydration and use of antihistamines, nasal decongestants or corticosteroids is generally recommended to reduce symptoms
When a respiratory tract infection is identified, your doctor can only accept the use of an antibiotic if it is caused by a bacteria.
In the most severe situations, such as some type of nose obstruction when the years are caused by brain changes, your doctor may refer the person to another neurology specialty to treat them in the worst way.