We all are well aware of the importance of all five of our senses which are namely taste, smell, vision, hearing, and touch, and are carried away by their sense organs i.e. tongue, nose, eyes, ears, and skin respectively. All five of these make us human beings and it’d be a very tough life if a human supposedly loses any one of these. Even imagining your life without any one of these organs is a task in itself. One such condition which comes when we lose our sense of smell, both partially and permanently, is known as Anosmia.
Loss of smell is now more associated with COVID, however, Anosmia has been in existence for a long time and can be connected with a bunch of different seasonal viruses too. If you also have gone through something like this in the recent past, but don’t know if it was Anosmia or not, then keep on reading and have a brief understanding of what is this disease, what causes it, and what is Anosmia treatment, if there is any.
What Actually Is Anosmia And What Causes It?
As we told already, when we lose the sense of smell, either partially or permanently, it is known as anosmia. The temporary loss of smell is experienced by almost everyone when we catch a cold or fever and the lining of our nose is irritated. But, serious conditions that affect our brains or our nerves can lead to permanent anosmia. It also could come with old age and although, it’s not that serious but can severely affect the quality of life a person leads.
Anosmia Causes
It is mainly caused by a blockage or swelling in the nose and it prevents the smell from entering inside. Also, some problems in the system that sends the smell signals to the brain can cause it. Damage in the brain or nerves can lead to anosmia, as well.
Other causes include exposure to toxic chemicals, an overdose of certain medications, cocaine abuse, and even due to radiation treatment of the area near the neck or head. With old age, one becomes more susceptible to this disease.
To fully detect this disease, one should immediately reach out to their doctors followed by a bunch of tests like CT scans, MRI scans, or even X-Ray of the skull.
How to Treat Anosmia? – Anosmia Treatment
Anosmia treatment is completely dependent on what has caused this disease in the first place. If it were through blockage due to common cold or fever, then it would possibly go within a few days, and you’ll be relieved and back to your old self. But if it doesn’t, then you are required to visit a doctor as soon as possible.
When anosmia is caused by nasal irritation, then following such methods could cure it to some extent:
1. Decongestants
2. Antihistamines
3. Steroid Nasal Spray
4. Antibiotics for nasal infections
5. Reducing exposure to nasal irritants and allergens
6. Cessation of smoking
Nasal obstruction can be easily removed by removing whatever obstructs the passage.
Also Read: Home Remedies For Sinus
Certain complications come into being with this disease and they are:
1. Inability to sense the taste of food, which can lead to loss of appetite
2. Food poisoning due to eating spoilt food when its smell isn’t recognized
3. Not able to sense smoke, in case of fire
4. Smell related memories are lost
5. Loss of intimacy
6. Mood disorders
7. Losing the ability to judge dangerous chemicals by smell
Simple precautions to take around your house, work and kitchen, if you are suffering from Anosmia
1. Labelling the food expiration dates on food items or the date of purchase to understand when it goes bad.
2. Reading all labels on kitchen items and ensuring you eat healthy food.
3. Use electrical appliances more.
Also Read: Home Remedies For A Blocked Nose
So, this was our detailed piece on Anosmia, the condition of loss of sense of smell, and what causes it, along with Anosmia treatment. It is necessary to move to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist doctor to get the diagnosis of Anosmia if one experiences it for quite some time. With precautions and early treatment, one can always stay safe from such diseases and stop them from turning into something with prolonged and adverse effects.