|
 Anosmia - Losing Your Sense of Smell - Fact Sheet
 Imagine not being able to smell red roses or the aroma of freshly baked bread. Picture never being able to taste your favourite cuisine or a good wine ever again. This is a sad fact of life for many people after a brain injury.
Of the five senses, smell arguably ranks fourth in importance for humans. Taste, considered the fifth sense, is mostly the smell of food in the mouth. The sense of smell originates from the olfactory nerves which sit at the base of the brain’s Frontal Lobes, right behind the eyes and above the nose. After a brain injury, people may experience a loss of taste and smell which is called anosmia. This usually occurs without actually damaging the nose or tongue themselves.
Why Does It Happen?
A blow to the head can cause anosmia by injury to the olfactory nerve. This nerve sits between the frontal lobe and bony protusions from the skull and is vulnerable to trauma. A blow to the head can also cause anosmia by damage to smell processing cells in the orbito-frontal or anterior Temporal Lobes or by mechanical damage to nasal structures.
Will It Go Away?
If the sensory cortex has been bruised, a gradual recovery of sensation may be possible. One study of 66 subjects showed that 36% improved slightly, 45% had no change, and 18% worsened. However the presence of odour distortions, including phantom odours, decreased over time.
Weight Loss or Gain
Our sense of food flavour is a mixture of both smell and taste perception. Since the ability to taste and enjoy food and drink depends on our sense of smell, anosmia often leads to reduced appetite and weight loss. In some patients it leads to weight gain, because they eat food with a high salt and fat content to gain any enjoyment. Approximately 30% of patients with anosmia know they have lost their sense of smell and taste before being tested by the doctor.
Importance of Testing
It is a good idea to have suspected anosmia tested. If you have acquired a brain injury and have symptoms such as mood swings, impulsive behaviour or planning difficulties, then anosmia has probably arisen due to this trauma. However if you suspect you have anosmia and it does not appear to have arisen from a brain injury you should have it diagnosed correctly then find the dysfunction that is causing it.
What Can I Do?
Find ways to make eating fun again. The texture of different foods becomes very important, particularly how you combine them. Mix half-cooked vegetables with cooked ones for a texture comparison. Eat a hot meal with a cold salad for different temperature experiences. Try spicy food from Eastern cuisines that cause sensations on the tongue. The object is to take some time to make meals interesting and fun, so it is still appealing to eat and feel satisfied afterwards.
If you have lost your sense of smell you may need to take some extra steps to become safety conscious. Install plenty of smoke detectors if you can’t smell smoke in the house. Switch to electricity instead of gas. Read labels carefully in case you are using strong chemicals that need ventilation.
|
Anosmia (no sense of taste or smell) 
