Loss of smell can be caused by many different reasons, and this problem is seen in one out of every 10 people. Smell is much more important than people think. It should be noted that the ability to smell is extremely important in staying away from harmful gases and spoiled foods. Odorants stimulate the olfactory nerves located in the upper part of the nasal cavities. Odor signals are transmitted to the brain via these nerves, and these signals reach both centers in the brain. Since there are nerves that transmit scent signals in both nostrils, it may not be possible to understand the smell losses, which are sometimes unilateral.

Why Does Anosmia Occur?

koku kaybı neden olur

Anosmia, that is, loss of smell, can also be called olfactory blindness in society. It should be noted that the anosmia can occur temporarily as well as permanent. It is normal for those who have upper respiratory tract diseases such as colds and flu to experience temporary loss of smell during this illness. At the same time, it should be noted that loss of smell may occur temporarily due to reasons such as sinusitis and allergies. It is possible to list other possible causes as follows:

  • Nose and sinus problems
  • Adenoid enlargement
  • Nasal flesh enlargement
  • Deviations in the nose
  • Some anatomical disorders in the nose
  • Smoking
  • Use of certain drugs
  • Some chemicals
  • Receiving chemotherapy
  • Tumors
  • Some surgeries
  • Some neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s
  • Viral infections
  • Systemic diseases
  • Some psychological diseases
  • Epilepsy
  • Traumas on the face
  • Genetic factors

Of course, we do not state that those who experience these disorders will also experience loss of smell. However, they are also known to cause widespread loss of smell.

Anosmia Treatment

First of all, we should say that in order to be able to treat the loss of smell, it is necessary to determine the factor that causes this loss. Temporary anosmia often does not require intervention. However, when a long-term and permanent anosmia occurs, the factors causing this problem must be determined first. Then a treatment procedure can be applied to eliminate the existing problem. Methods such as fixing the deviation of the nose and applying tumor treatment can also provide relief from the loss of smell. However, sometimes it may not be possible to treat the loss of smell caused by specific conditions such as genetic factors.

Does Sense of Smell Come Back?

Koku kaybı ne kadar sürer

We cannot say that the sense of smell will come back in every case. As we mentioned before, it should be known that loss of smell can also occur permanently. Permanent loss of smell may also occur in the case of head trauma or some neurological disorders affecting the brain nerves. Besides, during epileptic seizures some unwanted things such as smelling odors that are not present may be experienced. However, we can say that these situations often appear temporarily. But there are also research results that in some cases the loss of smell becomes permanent. For example, it is known that severe and long-term sinusitis problems cause such a problem. As a result, a clear answer cannot be given about whether the sense of smell will come back or not without examination and some tests.

Is There a Treatment for Loss of Smell?

When patients experience loss of smell, various treatment methods such as drug therapy or surgical treatment can be applied. However, it is very difficult to state that every patient will have a successful outcome. Various drugs can be used to eliminate the smell disorder. In this case, drugs for the smell disorder or loss are preferred. It is not possible to use the same drugs in every patient. Surgical intervention is the preferred treatment method in cases such as tumors or nasal deviations.