A smell disorder is a condition that changes your normal sense of smell. The changes may be temporary or permanent. Your sense of smell is so closely connected to your sense of taste that a smell disorder usually changes your sense of taste as well.
More than 2 million Americans have some sort of permanent smell or taste disorder. Most often, these disorders are not caused by other, more serious problems. They can happen just because you are getting older. However, the sudden loss of these senses can be a sign of a serious problem, such as a brain tumor. Although such serious problems are rare, you should report any change in taste or smell to your healthcare provider.
A number of things can change your sense of smell.
Smell receptors are in the lining of your nose. They are nerves that pick up smells. These receptors are connected to the olfactory nerves. The olfactory nerves are connected to the part of the brain that interprets smells.
Your sense of smell is at its best between the ages of 30 and 60. Around the age of 60 you start to lose your sense of smell. Aside from normal aging, your sense of smell may decrease because of a blockage in the nose or because nerves have been damaged.
The most common causes of a poor sense of smell are:
Other things that can cause a loss of smell are:
In addition, some psychological disorders and seizure disorders cause people to think they smell unpleasant odors that are not really there.
Not much is known about what might cause an increased sense of smell.
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history and will examine you. Your ability to smell is tested by seeing if you can identify easily recognized odors such as chocolate and coffee. More specialized testing can be done with other odors. Your provider will try to determine if the problem is in one nostril or both.
It may help to keep a log about:
If an underlying cause can be found for the smell disorder, your healthcare provider will treat it. For example, if the smell disorder is caused by medicine, your provider may suggest that you change your dosage or stop taking the medicine. If the cause is related to allergies or sinus problems, a steroid nasal spray or salt-water nasal wash may help.