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+91 99454 88546

Smell and Taste Disorders

Smell and Taste Disorders

Smell and taste disorders can significantly impact an individual's quality of life:

Anosmia refers to the complete loss of the sense of smell, while hyposmia indicates a reduced ability to smell, and these conditions can occur due to various factors such as infections, nasal polyps, head injuries, or neurological conditions.

Dysgeusia relates to alterations in the sense of taste, resulting in a distorted or changed perception of flavors and can stem from medications, infections, nutritional deficiencies, or oral health issues.

These disorders can lead to a diminished ability to detect odors or flavors, affecting the enjoyment of food, compromising safety (such as the inability to detect spoiled food), and impacting social interactions.

Diagnosis involves medical evaluations, olfactory and gustatory tests, and sometimes imaging studies to identify underlying causes.

Treatment options vary based on the underlying cause and may include addressing the root issue, medications, taste and smell training exercises, or lifestyle adjustments to manage and improve these sensory disturbances.

Symptoms

Nasal polyps are associated with irritation and swelling (inflammation) of the lining of your nasal passages and sinuses that lasts more than 12 weeks (chronic sinusitis).

However, it’s possible to have chronic sinusitis without nasal polyps.

Nasal polyps themselves are soft and lack sensation, so if they’re small, you may not be aware you have them. Multiple growths or a large polyp may block your nasal passages and sinuses.

Common signs and symptoms of chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps include:

  • A runny nose
  • Persistent Stuffiness
  • Postnasal Drip
  • Decreased or absent sense of smell
  • Loss of sense of taste
  • Facial pain or headache
  • Pain in your upper teeth
  • A sense of pressure over your forehead and face
  • Snoring
  • Frequent Nosebleeds

Risk Factors

Any condition that triggers long-term irritation and swelling (inflammation) in your nasal passages or sinuses, such as infections or allergies, may increase your risk of developing nasal polyps.

Conditions often associated with nasal polyps include:

  • Asthma, a disease that causes the airway to swell (inflame) and narrow
  • Aspirin sensitivity
  • Allergic fungal sinusitis, an allergy to airborne fungi
  • Cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that results in abnormally thick, sticky fluids in the body, including thick mucus from nasal and sinus linings
  • Churg-Strauss syndrome (eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis), a rare disease that causes the inflammation of blood vessels
  • Vitamin D deficiency, which occurs when your body doesn’t have enough vitamin D

Your family history also may play a role. There’s some evidence that certain genetic variations associated with immune system function make you more likely to develop nasal polyps.

Nasal polyps can cause complications because they block normal airflow and fluid drainage, and also because of the long-term irritation and swelling (inflammation) underlying their development.

Potential complications include:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea: This is a potentially serious condition in which you stop and start breathing frequently during sleep.
  • Asthma Flare-Ups: Chronic sinusitis can worsen asthma.
  • Sinus Infections: Nasal polyps can make you more susceptible to sinus infections that recur often.