What to do if you do not feel the taste. Reasons for the lack of smell. Disorders of the nervous system

Loss of smell with a cold is a common occurrence. A person loses the ability to smell if both nostrils are completely blocked. Living in a world devoid of aromas is not very fun, so everyone who suffers from this ailment would like to know how to restore the sense of smell with a runny nose.

Why

Before we learn how to restore the sense of smell with a runny nose, let's talk about why it disappears.

Located in covered with the so-called neuroepithelium. When air hits his cilia, a signal is sent to the brain, which is recognized by the nerve center responsible for this, as this or that smell.

With a runny nose, the nasal passages are filled with secretions, and the nasal mucosa swells. This defensive reaction organism to the activity of viruses and bacteria. But these same secretions and swelling block normal work neuroepithelium. As a result, the ability to smell smells is reduced and may even disappear altogether. In some cases, the sense of smell is not immediately restored even after the treatment of the common cold.

To restore the sense of smell, there are many means related to both traditional and folk medicine. However, before using them, it is better to consult a doctor. The body of each person is unique, and it is impossible to predict in advance what his reaction to this or that substance will be, whether it will cause allergies.

medical supplies

How to restore the sense of smell and taste with a cold? Primarily, best solution going to see a doctor. Only he can find out the cause of the cold. Depending on this, treatment will be prescribed.

To combat a runny nose and its consequences, as well as to relieve swelling, various vasoconstrictor drugs are often used, such as Naphthyzin, Nafazolin, Galazolin and others.

Their instillation into the nose gives a quick but temporary effect. In addition, these funds should not be used for more than five days in a row, otherwise there is an addiction to them, and in the future they will act worse. Finally, similar drugs with constant use lead to drying of the mucous membrane.

If the sense of smell is lost as a result allergic reaction, the doctor will prescribe antihistamines, and if this is due to the activity of bacteria - antibacterial.

Before using the drops, it is advisable to rinse the nasal cavity to clear it of mucus. To do this, you can use saline or a decoction of chamomile.

Inhalations

How to quickly restore the sense of smell with a cold? One of the most effective ways- inhalation. The easiest option is to breathe over the steam of boiled potatoes. For inhalation also use:

  • Soda solution. Its temperature should not be more than 30 o, otherwise the soda loses its healing properties.
  • Herbal infusions. To restore the sense of smell, chamomile, linden, mint, eucalyptus, sage or calendula are best suited. For infusion, take one or two tablespoons (tablespoons) of dry grass and 0.5 liters of boiling water.
  • Essential oils. They drip a few drops. Oils of fir, juniper, mint and eucalyptus are used.

With any method of inhalation, steam should not burn the nasal mucosa, so boiling water should first be slightly cooled. You need to breathe over the steam for 10 minutes, covering your head with a cloth. After inhalation, it is better to lie down, covered with a blanket, and in no case go out into the cold air.

Exercises

How to restore the sense of smell after a cold? Help him to restore simple exercises. The muscles of the nose should be tense for one minute and then relaxed. Repeat for ten minutes. During the day, you can perform 10-12 such series.

In addition, the massage of the wings of the nose works well.

Similar exercises are useful for preventing loss of smell.

warming up

How to return the sense of smell in You can warm up the nose with a regular table lamp. It should be directed to the nose, located 25-30 cm from it. To protect the eyes, it is necessary to use dark glasses. The duration of the session should be 10-15 minutes.

Another way is to use salt, calcined in a pan. It is poured into a small bag, cooled slightly and applied to the bridge of the nose. To restore the sense of smell, such warming is done for a week 3 times a day.

Finally, it is common and useful with a boiled egg. It should be applied to the bridge of the nose through a handkerchief, and kept for 6-7 minutes.

Washing

Have you lost your sense of smell? What to do? Nasal irrigation may help. It is carried out to relieve swelling of the mucous membrane. It can be done with a salt solution. It is better to use the sea. If ordinary salt is used, then iodized salt should be taken. To prepare the solution, the ingredient (1/2 teaspoon) is dissolved in 0.5 liters of water.

The washing itself is carried out using a syringe or syringe. The solution is injected in turn into each nostril, the procedure is repeated until the nose is free of mucus.

In addition to saline, you can use a solution based on string or chamomile for washing.

Another option for washing is to inhale the saline solution so that it is felt in the larynx. The solution for this is prepared based on the calculation - a teaspoon of salt per 200 ml of water. The procedure itself should be approached carefully, take a breath slowly, and in no case exceed the dosage of salt in the solution so as not to cause burns of the mucous membranes.

Drops

How to restore the sense of smell with a cold? Drops prepared from a decoction of chamomile, sage and mint are considered the most effective. They are dripped into the nose up to 8 times a day, while the sense of smell is usually restored within two days.

Another means of quickly returning the sense of smell is drops based on aloe juice. The cut leaf of the plant is left in the cold for 4-5 hours, then cut into small pieces and the juice is squeezed out. Drip should be 4 times a day. The course lasts 2-3 days.

There are several more effective formulations drops to restore the sense of smell, which you can prepare yourself. For their preparation use:

  • Menthol and camphor oil taken in equal proportions.
  • Beetroot juice with honey.
  • Lemon juice.
  • Fresh celandine juice, diluted with water at the rate of a drop of juice per teaspoon of water.
  • Onion juice (one drop per tablespoon of water).

These drops are used three times a day, for several days, until the result is achieved.

Cotton swabs

How to restore the sense of smell with a cold? Cotton wool is impregnated with the prepared composition and placed alternately in each nostril for twenty minutes. This procedure is preferably carried out before bedtime. The composition is prepared on the basis of propolis with the addition of various ingredients:

  • Propolis with creamy and olive oil(ratio 1:3:3).
  • Propolis, honey and peppermint oil (ratio 1:1:2).
  • Propolis and butter, mixed as 1:2.

The components of the solutions are combined in a water bath.

Garlic juice (1 part to 10 parts of water) can also be used to soak tampons. They are kept in the nose for 10 minutes up to three times a day.

other methods

As an additional therapy that helps to quickly restore the sense of smell, inhalation of the smell of wormwood, garlic or onions is used. Dry herb wormwood, garlic or onion peel burn, and then inhale their smell for about five minutes. These pungent smelling substances contribute to the normalization of the perception of odors.

Good results are also obtained by lubricating the nasal passages with Asterisk balm.

Inside you can take a decoction of sage. It is prepared from two tablespoons of dry grass per liter of water. The mixture is brought to a boil and infused for 2-3 hours. Drink half a glass three times a day.

By themselves, these methods will not restore the sense of smell, they are used in conjunction with inhalations, rinses and nasal drops.

Colds in most cases are accompanied by severe rhinitis, against the background of which a person loses such feelings as taste and smell. To understand why this happens, you should understand the mechanism of development of such a complication.

Why did the sense of smell and taste disappear with a cold?

There can be several reasons for the loss of taste and smell. The most common of these include the following:

  1. Cold viral nature. Such a disease develops quite quickly, first there is itching in the nose and sneezing, then nasal congestion develops, and abundant discharge appears.
  2. Sinusitis and sinusitis. These pathologies, most often, become a complication common cold. They are characterized sharp deterioration condition and well-being of the patient, fever, headaches and loss of olfactory and gustatory sensations.
  3. Incorrect use of drugs for the common cold. When too long-term treatment or overdose of vasoconstrictors may develop various complications, one of which is the loss of taste and smell.
  4. Irritants. If the oral or nasal mucosa comes into contact with certain substances or foods (for example, onions, coffee, vinegar, strong alcohol) taste and olfactory receptors may be temporarily blocked.
  5. Allergic reaction. It proceeds with swelling of the nasal mucosa and abundant watery secretions, this can cause loss of odors and taste.
  6. Hormonal disruptions. In some cases, impaired perception of taste or smell is due to pregnancy, use oral contraceptives or menstruation.
  7. With pathologies such as polyps, inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa, adenoids, violation of the anatomy of the nose, curvature of the septum, the perception of odors worsens.

Why did the smell disappear with a cold?

The loss of the ability to taste and smell with a cold occurs as a consequence of the disease itself. The main reason for this is swelling of the mucosa and a violation normal functioning receptors. So, the nasal mucosa includes a special area on which the receptors responsible for smells are maximally concentrated. With the development of a cold, the entire mucous membrane, including the area with olfactory receptors, swells, which worsens their work. In addition, due to copious discharge from the nose, the penetration of aromatic molecules to the nasal mucosa is disrupted. All this leads to loss of smell. With timely and proper treatment in the process of recovery, it gradually returns.

Why does the taste disappear with a cold?

Per taste sensations receptors located on the tongue respond. At the same time, the mucous membrane of the tongue in diseases is practically not subject to change. The loss of taste during a cold is primarily due to the loss of smell, since olfactory sensations are closely related to taste. If the human brain does not receive information about the smell of food, it cannot always fully and correctly determine the flavors and nuances. However, the main sensations from food (sweetness, bitterness, acidity) remain.

The connection between smell and taste

Taste and smell are closely related to each other. In the process of determining sensations, the brain analyzes signals from the olfactory and taste buds. As a result, it becomes possible to distinguish subtle shades of taste. Without the participation of smell, only the main sensations from food are determined, such as sweet, bitter, salty and sour taste. However, more complex information also requires the work of olfactory receptors, for example, the taste of tea, strawberries, watermelon, and so on.

Lost taste with a cold, what to do?

How to restore the taste and smell of food with medicines

If the taste and smell are gone during a cold, then, first of all, the underlying disease should be treated. Since when getting rid of the mucosal edema, the sense of smell and taste will return. Specialists usually prescribe medical preparations several groups:

  • antibacterial agents;
  • vasoconstrictor sprays or drops;
  • antihistamines;
  • moisturizing solutions.

Vasoconstrictors help to cope with swelling of the mucous membrane and reduce nasal discharge. They can be used for allergic, viral or bacterial rhinitis, sinusitis and other diseases. These drugs include: Nazol, Otrivin, Tizin, Oxymetazoline, Pinosol, Xymelin and others.

Apart from vasoconstrictor drops, it is recommended to irrigate the nasal passages with moisturizing solutions several times a day. To do this, you can use Quicks, Aqua Maris, Physiomer, Salin and other saline solutions. They contribute to the discharge of mucus and the normalization of the olfactory receptors, as well as increase the mobility of the cilia.

If the decrease in sense of smell is caused by sinusitis, then the patient is prescribed medications with antibacterial action such as Isofra, Polydex and others. They have an anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive effect, and also destroy pathogenic bacteria that cause disease.

With the allergic nature of rhinitis, as well as with a runny nose of a different etiology, antihistamines may be prescribed. This group includes: Zodak, Claritin, Nasonex, Orinol, Flixonase and others.

Folk remedies

To help restore lost sensitivity to smells, the following folk remedies will help:

  1. Inhalations. The duration of the procedure should be about 5-10 minutes. To conduct it, you can use boiled hot potatoes, herbal infusions(calendula, St. John's wort, chamomile and others), lemon juice or essential oils(e.g. lavender, basil, eucalyptus).
  2. Cotton swabs. They are made from cotton wool or bandage, rolling it into a small tube or turunda. The resulting swab is moistened healing solution. Aloe or Kalanchoe juice diluted with water, a mixture of propolis with water or oil, melted honey with butter and other means can be used as it.
  3. Drops. To relieve mucosal edema, diluted celandine juice can be instilled into the nasal passages, beetroot juice(it is diluted with water, a little honey can also be added to the mixture), horseradish root juice mixed with water at the rate of 1 to 10.
  4. Washing. To do this, prepare a solution: 100 ml of water will require 3-4 drops of iodine solution and 10 g of salt (preferably sea salt). The resulting mixture must be stirred and shaken until the ingredients are completely dissolved. Then, using a syringe without a needle, the nose is washed with a solution.

Occasionally, a runny nose can lead not only to the appearance of sinusitis or sinusitis, but also to a violation of the perception of smells. When it becomes the main issue for the patient. This problem can be quickly solved if you consult with an otolaryngologist in a timely manner. Consider, how to get your sense of smell back quickly and without consequences.

Therapy is prescribed only after the type of smell disorder is correctly determined. The imbalance of smell is divided into the following types:

  1. Hyposomia. Manifested by a violation of the perception of strong and faint odors, the operation is partial.
  2. Anosomy- complete loss of perception of aromas. This disorder usually appears after severe and advanced diseases or after a stroke. If lost sense of smell and taste, that is clear sign anosomy.
  3. Kakosmiya - false perception of smell. When the smell is normal, but the patient is unpleasant. Such an ailment is extremely rare and has nothing to do with respiratory diseases.
  4. Hyperosmia is a heightened sense of smell, which is usually associated with various mental disorders.

Lack of smell may disturb the patient's peace of mind. People with such ailments become more irritable, fall into depressive states.

Causes of the lack of smell with a runny nose

With rhinitis, a runny nose is accompanied general weakness body, fever, pastosity respiratory tract, difficulty breathing, poor perception of smells.

Also in patients disappears appetite, food becomes tasteless and the patient often responds with "I I can't taste or smell so I don't want to eat. However, after a cold, the sense of smell returns to normal.

One of the main reasons for the deterioration of the perception of odors is the pastiness of the nasal mucosa. Such puffiness appears as a symptom of SARS, hay fever, colds, rhinitis and other diseases that affect respiratory system. If such a problem appears, then do not despair, because usually loss of smell and taste quickly normalizes.

Sometimes the wrong dosage of instillation of nasal drops can also cause missing sense of smell or disease of the central nervous system.

Many patients immediately ask the question: “How to restore the sense of smell?”, Then the otolaryngologist immediately advises to wait a few days for it to happen. recovery mucous membrane. If after this time the symptoms do not pass, then measures must be taken.

If I lost my sense of smell after the flu, what to do? First of all, a week after past illness need to take an EKG biochemical analysis blood and urine. If all indicators are normal, but the sense of smell has not recovered, then the body may need more time to replenish its strength. Only a doctor can answer this question.

Diagnostics

If the patient does not smell or taste, then the doctor conducts special testing - olfactometry. It consists of several stages:

The first stage is the inhalation of several odorous substances contained in special vials. The patient closes one nostril with his finger and begins to inhale. The task of the subject is to guess what kind of smell he was offered and how acutely he feels it. Standard use:

  • vinegar solution;
  • wine alcohol;
  • valerian;
  • ammonia.

These solutions are sorted according to the strength of the aroma. The less the patient smells, the more can be said about his disorders.

Important: you can perform this simple test yourself at home. If no sense of smell, then this method of determination will immediately show violations.

The second step is to recognize various products and liquids:

  1. Vodka laundry soap, valerian.
  2. Sugar and salt.
  3. Onion juice, perfume composition, chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla.

If a person has not been able to recognize any product, this indicates obvious violations of the sense of smell and taste.

Treatment

What to do if the sense of smell is lost? Only an otolaryngologist can answer this question. Treatment is compiled after a detailed diagnosis and preparation clinical picture. Standard therapy consists in the appointment of local and general procedures.

Important: we restore mucous correctly. It is necessary to strictly observe the dosage of the instilled drugs.

As a treatment, sanation of the nasal passages, as well as inhalations, are prescribed. As nasal drops appoint:

  • Tizin;
  • Naphthyzin;
  • Nazivin;
  • Galazolin;
  • Nafazolin.

These drugs have vasoconstrictive properties that remove pastosity of the mucosa and greatly facilitate breathing. After that, you can rinse your nose sea ​​water, salt solutions, protargol, collargol.

In severe cases, if loss of smell causes found,and treatment does not help, then it is necessary to carry out operational measures to eliminate adenoids, polyps, neoplasms. If there are anatomical disorders, then they can cause constant congestion and pastosity, and acute respiratory infections and various viral and infectious diseases only worsen the breathing process.

When I lost my sense of smell, how to restore him with drugs? To prevent relapses, it is important to do immunocorrection. Assign the following funds:

  • Imudon;
  • Likopid;
  • Kagocel;
  • Echinacea.

Also good to drink vitamin complexes which will strengthen the immune system.

V rare cases otolaryngologists resort to endonasal administration of drugs - novocaine blockade, hydrocortisone injection. Also write out tinctures of motherwort, valerian, bromine.

To again feel aromas, it is good to do physiotherapy procedures:

  • Darsonval apparatus;
  • electrophoresis with the addition of diphenhydramine;
  • laser therapy;
  • magnetotherapy;
  • steroid inhalation.

These procedures and medicines help to cure a runny nose and restore olfactory receptors.

Folk methods

Before the question why did you lose your sense of smell and taste, did not ask, because everyone knew how fast deal with this problem at home without using medicines and restore scent.

When instilling the nasal passages are used:

  • aloe juice;
  • horseradish juice;
  • garlic juice;
  • saline.

Solutions are made at a low concentration so as not to burn the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. Pulp is taken from plants and vegetables (or grated). Dilute in a ratio of 1:10 with water. Daily instill 1-2 drops into the nose. If the mucous membrane begins to burn or discomfort is felt, then it is better not to use this method.

There is a huge amount of preparation of solutions for inhalation, and do them as easy as shelling pears. Per short term will return taste and sense of smell. As preparation products for inhalation, you can use:

  • warm potatoes;
  • essential oils based on eucalyptus, fir, basil, juniper, lavender;
  • infusions and decoctions of chamomile, pine and birch buds, coltsfoot, calendula.

At home, you can use a nebulizer or breathe over a pot of health mixture. A person is seated at the table, tilts his head and breathes through his nose and exhales through his mouth. The duration of this procedure reaches about 5-7 minutes. The nebulizer is more efficient and is able to deliver the medicine directly to the site of inflammation.

Infusion from medicinal herbs it is prepared simply: 1 tablespoon of herbs is poured with 250-350 ml of boiling water and infused for an hour. Then the broth is decanted and poured into a container for inhalation.

Return taste quality will help essential oils, which are used as follows: pour 1 liter of water into a container, add 4-6 drops of oil and inhale. What inhalations can be prepared:

  1. Lemon essential. Into a glass hot water, add lemon juice and a few drops of peach or lavender oil.
  2. Camphor-menthol drops. It is done similarly with the first recipe. The duration of therapy is a week. Such drops or inhalations can quickly restore the sense of smell and taste.
  3. In the complete absence of breathing, you can use inhalations with ammonia.
  4. Strongly smelling substances also help well: onion juice, garlic, a weak solution of vinegar, turpentine, coffee, moonshine.
  5. Celandine juice will not only soothe the mucous membrane, but also disinfect it.
  6. As a means for inhalation, you can buy Asterisk balm.

After such effective procedures, the question why does the sense of smell disappear should be gone forever.

V human body all senses are important. After all, when they stop working, our life loses its usefulness and comfort. Often the common cold ends with a loss of smell: smells are not felt, taste is lost. So what to do for people who are faced with this situation - how to restore the sense of smell with a runny nose?

Causes

With a runny nose, the access of air to the olfactory receptors is closed. This means that air particles that carry aromas can hardly penetrate these places due to snot, resulting in a loss of smell and taste.

Particularly susceptible to this condition are people who suffer from chronic runny nose, sinusitis and frontal sinusitis. Adenoids, polyps, allergies, nasal septal defects and neoplasms in the nasal cavity significantly worsen the situation.

Decreased sense of smell always occurs in the second phase of the common cold with viral infection when itching of the nose and sneezing are replaced by profuse liquid discharge and congestion. This happens for two reasons:

  1. Allocations envelop the walls of the nose, preventing air from entering them.
  2. Some viruses block the work of receptors.

Sinusitis

If a week after the cold, the condition worsened, the temperature began to rise, the sense of smell and taste disappeared, persistent nasal congestion and headaches appeared, the disease may have been complicated by sinusitis (sinusitis). Sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous paranasal sinuses nose. The mucous membrane of the sinuses swells, the secret stagnates and turns into pus.

The microorganisms that cause sinusitis destroy the epithelium, so the signals of taste and smell simply stop coming to the brain. This is what causes the loss of smell.

Overdose of nasal drops

Vasoconstrictor drops can be dripped no more than 4-6 hours later and no more than 3-4 times a day. The duration of treatment for most drugs is 3 days. But it is not uncommon for people to abuse these medicines and bury them often and a lot.

With long and frequent use vasoconstrictor drugs the muscular layer of the vessels of the nose ceases to function independently, the nutrition of the vessel wall is disturbed.

It is also possible to overdry the nasal mucosa by the irrational use of astringent drops - Collargol and Protargol.

Allergy

The sense of smell may disappear temporarily for a while allergic rhinitis. This happens due to swelling and abundance liquid secretions, which prevent air from touching the olfactory receptors.

If the sense of smell disappeared due to allergies, then first of all you need to get rid of it with the help of antihistamines and hormonal drugs.

Hormonal disorders

It is not scary if the sense of smell disappeared during pregnancy (against the background of vasomotor rhinitis), menstruation, after taking oral contraceptives. The reason for this is hormonal changes, after which everything returns to normal.

Anatomical changes in the nasal cavity

The reason for the loss of smell can be changes in the nasal cavity, accompanied by secretions:

  • polyps;
  • adenoids;
  • large curvature of the nasal septum;
  • tumors;
  • turbinate hypertrophy.

To restore the sense of smell, you need to get rid of the listed anatomical defects. It is possible that this is only possible with the help of an operation.

Poisons and chemicals

The sense of smell and taste disappears in people working in production toxic substances and contacting with paints and varnishes, oil products, vapors of various acids, etc. This condition is called anosmia or total loss perception of aromas, may or may not be accompanied by a runny nose.

In addition, active and passive smokers they also often complain that they have lost their sense of smell. Receptors can die completely, and it can be almost impossible to restore their original functions.

Treatment

To get rid of this scourge, you need to eliminate the runny nose and establish an outflow of mucus from the nasal cavity.

First of all, you need to limit yourself to the use of nasal drops. Instead, it is better to resemble physiotherapy, for example, electrophoresis, phonophoresis, UV radiation of the nose and throat, bioptron. In an urgent need to improve breathing, you need to accustom yourself to use saline solutions, which well help to eliminate the symptoms and causes of the disease. The minerals they contain natural ingredients significantly improve the functioning of the nasal mucosa.

  1. You need to do gymnastics every day - ten minutes to tense and relax the muscles of the nose. Keep your nose tense for at least a minute.
  2. Massage the wings of the nose.
  3. If the sense of smell is lost, and there is a loss of taste, you need to do warming up. It is recommended to warm the nose with a blue lamp; in its absence, you can use an ordinary student lamp. Heating is carried out at a distance of 25 cm, heat for 10 minutes, once a day for a week.
  4. Rinse the nose daily with pharmaceutical saline solutions - Delphi, Aquamaris, Humer.
  5. Can be instilled into the nose oil drops Pinosol.

Attention! For treatment it is forbidden to use vasoconstrictor drops, sprays and combined drops containing a vasoconstrictor component (Polydex, Vibrocil).

Folk ways

  • Have to do steam inhalation over water with the addition lemon juice, lavender and mint oil. Do them daily, the number of procedures is 10. For inhalation, you can prepare a decoction of sage, calendula, nettle or mint, with the addition of fresh garlic juice. You need to cover your head with a blanket and breathe over the steam for 15 minutes.
  • Insert cotton swabs moistened with honey into the nose for 20 minutes.
  • If the sense of smell is gone, you can breathe over the smoke from burning wormwood, garlic or onion husks.
  • Breathing in will help bring back the taste. strong odors: horseradish, onion, mustard.
  • It is useful to inhale vapors of menthol oil or Zvezda balm.
  • Make hot foot baths with the addition of mustard, eucalyptus, pepper. They improve blood circulation, effectively cope with a runny nose and congestion, drive away a cold, especially if you take hot baths before bedtime.

Prevention

So that you do not lose your sense of smell and taste, you need to take care of your health and follow the following recommendations:

  • do not delay the treatment of a runny nose and colds;
  • during an epidemic of viral diseases, rinse the nose with saline solutions, decoctions of chamomile, calendula;
  • avoid contact with allergens if an allergy is diagnosed;
  • take care of strengthening the immune system;
  • when working with harmful substances use protective masks and respirators;
  • observe safety rules when playing sports.

Loss of smell after a runny nose is not always and not for everyone. It is not normal and requires treatment. Therefore, if the sense of smell disappeared and did not recover a couple of months after recovery, then it is not recommended to hesitate - you need to go to the ENT doctor.

Not so often in patients are diagnosed, which are accompanied by a loss of taste and smell. Many have a strong opinion that such diseases do not pose a threat to life, so it is completely optional to treat them. In fact, a disorder of smell and taste can cause a lot of inconvenience to a person, and also indicate the development in the body dangerous disease. That is why it is important to know how to behave if the sense of smell and taste are lost, what to do to eliminate the pathology.

Most often, with a disorder of taste and smell, the patient has a violation of the ability to perceive odors, and this pathology is called anosmia. The ability of a person to distinguish taste sensations relies on smell, therefore, with the development of anosmia, a decrease in smell is observed.

Usually the cause of the development of anosmia in a patient is the pathological condition of the receptors of the olfactory organs and pathways. This pathological condition develops mainly with progression in the human body. various kinds.

Most often, a violation of smell and, accordingly, taste is observed:

In addition, anosmia can occur if the body has been poisoned with substances such as:

  • morphine
  • atropine
  • nicotine

In the event that a patient is diagnosed with a persistent violation of the sense of smell, then in this case we can talk about the presence in the body, tumors or. With a pronounced violation of the process of smell, experts talk about the development of such a disease as hyperosmia.

With the development in the human body of such pathological process it is important to correctly diagnose, since anosmia and hyperosmia develop completely various reasons and amaze at the same time various organs and fabrics.

To make a diagnosis, a thorough examination of the patient is prescribed, since anosmia in the human body can develop for various reasons. In some cases, a decrease in the sense of smell can signal the development of a fatal dangerous disease, as well as being a harmless nuisance.

Often anosmia develops after polyps or pathological condition nasal septum. The disturbance of smell in this case occurs due to the formation of an obstacle of a mechanical nature, which causes a violation of the flow of aroma into the area of ​​smell.

Types of disease

Medical practice shows that this can occur in the human body in two forms. congenital pathology develops if there is an underdevelopment olfactory pathways or their complete absence. In addition, such anosmia most often develops along with concomitant malformations.

The congenital form of pathology most often develops in the presence of congenital deformities of the nose and problems in the development of the facial skeleton. This pathology can be of both peripheral and central origin.

Anosmia of central origin develops as a result of damage to the central nervous system of an organic nature, among which the following are most often detected:

  • various formations in the brain
  • disseminated encephalomyelitis
  • pathology of the circulatory system
  • injuries and damage to the arteries
  • meningitis
  • traumatic brain injury

With this type of ailment, the patient's ability to perceive odors is not impaired, but he is unable to distinguish them. Such a pathological condition cannot be cured, however, it can recover on its own after a while, when the cause of such a violation is clarified.

The only type of olfactory pathology that can be cured later is peripheral anosmia.

Disappear on your own through certain time able functional impairment sense of smell, which usually develops after:

  • allergic oinitis
  • acute respiratory diseases
  • nervoses

Anosmia, accompanied by a violation of the process of smell and, accordingly, taste, is a disease that may require special treatment, or may disappear on its own. It is for this reason that when signs of this disease appear, it is recommended to consult a specialist about your condition and the need for treatment.

Diagnostics


For staging correct diagnosis and it is important for a specialist to prescribe effective therapy, which will help to identify the cause of such a pathological condition of the body. In order to reveal the patient's ability to identify smells and tastes, the specialist offers him fragrant foods or substances, as well as something that has a pronounced taste.

In the event that the cause of the decrease in taste and smell is unknown, then a conduction is usually prescribed. thorough examination nasal cavity for the presence of various diseases and injuries in it.

In addition, the specialist will prescribe a study of the nerves of the cranial region and the upper respiratory tract.

In severe cases, the following diagnostic methods are used to examine the patient:

  • computed tomography - this procedure allows you to detect the presence of tumors of a different nature and fractures of the nasal cavity
  • magnetic resonance imaging of the brain

If the cause that caused a decrease in the patient's sense of smell and taste is identified, the specialist will prescribe the necessary treatment.

Features of elimination of pathology

It is necessary to start treating a violation of smell and taste only after identifying the cause that caused such a pathological condition of the human body. The purpose of a particular therapy is determined by the type that caused the development of anosmia, as well as individual features the patient's body.

In the event that a violation of smell and taste developed as a result of progression in the patient's body of rhinitis of bacterial origin or, then the pathology is treated using the following methods:

  1. taking antibacterial drugs and
  2. prescription of anti-inflammatory and systemic drugs
  3. the use of topical antiallergic drugs

The use of antiallergic drugs helps to reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa and restore breathing.

In the event that the development of anosmia in the human body provoked rhinitis of allergic origin, then in this case the specialist prescribes the following therapy:

  1. taking antihistamines
  2. the appointment of corticosteroid hormones, which have the strongest anti-inflammatory effect on the body

Often pathologies of smell develop as a result of the formation of polyps in the nasal cavity, and the only effective method elimination of pathology in this case is to conduct surgical intervention. This method of treatment is also used if anosmia develops as a result of the appearance of malignant neoplasms in the nasal cavity.

More information about anosmia can be found in the video.

In this case, only surgical intervention may not be enough, and the specialist prescribes the patient to undergo such additional procedures as:

  • radiation exposure
  • chemotherapy

However, with progression oncological diseases carrying out in the human body radical treatment does not always give positive results, therefore, only symptomatic is prescribed.

Unfortunately, at an advanced stage of the disease, it is almost impossible to restore the sense of smell.

In case of violation of the process of smell due to the curvature of the nasal septum, treatment involves a surgical intervention, during which the specialist aligns it. Many doctors claim that good effect in the treatment of anosmia, zinc and vitamin A preparations are given. Insufficient content in the body of these drugs can cause deterioration and impairment of smell, as well as degeneration of the epithelium.

Alternative treatment

Often patients refuse to treat anosmia with medications and prefer recipes. For achievement positive result such treatment should be carried out after consultation with a specialist and it is best to combine it with the therapy prescribed by the specialist.

Some of the recipes are traditional medicine, the use of which can accelerate the process of restoring the sense of smell of taste:

  1. Well proven menthol oil, a few drops of which can be instilled into the nose and lubricated with whiskey.
  2. It can speed up the recovery of smell, which is used to prepare a special medicines. To do this, in a small container, mix 5 grams of propolis, 15 ml vegetable oil and 15 grams butter. All ingredients should be thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained, which can later be used to soak cotton swabs. Swabs soaked in such a solution are recommended to be placed in the nostrils for 15-20 minutes at least 2 times a day.
  3. accessible and effective tool traditional medicine is considered to be washing the nasal cavity with a solution of salt water. For its preparation it is necessary in a glass warm water mix 5 grams of salt thoroughly and the resulting solution can be used for. To enhance the effect, a few drops of iodine can be added to the prepared solution of salt water.

Loss of smell does not pose a serious threat to the life of the patient, however, this does not mean at all that one should not pay attention to it. With the development of such a pathology, you should seek advice from a specialist who will help to find out the cause of such a pathological condition and select effective therapy if necessary.