Chronic Smell and Flavor Loss is a broad term that covers several distinct disorders. Smell and taste are closely linked. Patients may have difficulty recognizing smell versus taste dysfunction and frequently confuse the concepts of “flavor” and “taste.”
People often use the terms taste and flavor interchangeably. Most common smell disorders include hyposmia (a partial loss of smell), anosmia (complete loss of smell), and Parosmia (distorted odor perception). Every year, thousands of people develop problems with their sense of smell. As per American Academy of Neurology, more than 200,000 people visit a physician each year for help with smell disorders or related problems.
All these disorders affect the patient’s quality of life and sometimes they are a sign of an underlying disease like diabetes, obesity, poor nutrition, or other nervous system diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. Some disorders can alter the sense of smell, such as Infections in the sinuses, partial damage to the olfactory nerves, viral hepatitis, exposure to radiation therapy for head or neck cancer, and mouth infections. Apart from these, certain antibiotics, antihistamines and antidepressants, cigarette smoking, head injury, and nasal polyps also cause Chronic Smell and Flavor Loss.
Symptoms of chronic smell and flavor loss vary greatly. Some people may not be able to smell anything. Others may have a reduced ability to smell or taste certain things that are sweet, sour, bitter, or salty. In specific cases, normally pleasant tastes or smells may become unpleasant. For the diagnosis purpose, along with a comprehensive health history and physical exam, few tests are also performed. “Scratch and sniff” tests and “sip, spit, and rinse” tests, where chemicals are placed on certain parts of the tongue, are commonly performed for diagnosis. If there is no clear cause of anosmia, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head (including the sinuses) is done to look for structural abnormalities (such as a tumor, an abscess, or a fracture).
Other commercially available olfactory tests include the three-item forced-choice microencapsulated Pocket Smell Test, the Brief Smell Identification Test, and a squeeze-bottle odor threshold test kit. Treatment primarily depends on the patient’s symptoms, age, the severity of the condition, and general health. Treatment includes correcting the underlying health problem, Surgery to remove blockages that may be causing the disorder, steam inhalation, nasal sprays, few antibiotics, and quitting smoking.
Chronic smell and flavor loss Treatment
Chronic Smell and Flavor Loss disorders are usually common in the general population, with loss of smell occurring more frequently. While the most common causes of smell disturbance are nasal and sinus disease, upper respiratory infection, and head trauma, frequent causes of taste disturbance include oral infections, oral appliances (e.g., dentures), dental
procedures, and Bell’s palsy.
Additionally, advancing age has been associated with a natural impairment of smell and taste ability. Chronic smell and flavor loss are somewhat linked with appetite, nutrition, and if not treated generally lead to weight loss and malnutrition. As these disorders are not extremely life-threatening, therefore, medical attention received so far is not up to the mark. Currently, no marketed drug therapy exists specifically for this indication and prescribed medications are given to correct the underlying health problem.
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