Humans do not need the sense of smell as much as other animals. And yet, the quality of life depends on whether we smell or not. It is difficult to determine the taste of food if you do not feel its aroma, and trying to protect yourself from eating spoiled food is very difficult.

In light of recent events related to the global pandemic, the loss of smell is regarded as a serious reason to take a covid test. But this condition is also possible for other reasons. The loss of the ability to smell is called anosmia, which comes in many forms. We tried to deal with this difficult topic in order to understand why the ability to smell disappears, and what can be done about it.

Why can’t a person identify a smell?

Before moving on to the reasons, you need to understand the mechanism of smell itself. In short, the molecules of an odorous substance enter the nose and nasopharynx. There they are “met” by receptors that are responsible for the perception of smells. You can compare it with dopamine, which is a pleasure mechanism. When you press the TonyBet Login wanting to play games, the same mechanism works. It is they who tell the brain the information that it interprets and gives the result: it smells like melon, for example. If at any stage there is a violation, then anosmia appears. It can be congenital or acquired, temporary or permanent. In most cases, restoration of the lost sense of smell is possible. The only exceptions are rare severe cases, most often congenital or associated with trauma. 

Causes of impaired sense of smell

Among the most well-known causes of anosmia in recent years is the coronavirus. This is one of the signs of infection but by no means the only one. If you notice that you have stopped smelling in the absence of nasal congestion, be sure to consult a doctor to rule out covid. Especially if you are still coughing or have a fever.

Loss of smell is also possible with inflammation and swelling of the nasal mucosa. Due to abundant secretions, that is, a runny nose, odorous substances simply physically cannot reach the receptors. If there are polyps and tumours in the nose, or the septum is curved, the molecules also cannot get to the receptors.

There are more serious reasons why people stop smelling. They are associated with damage to the brain or nerve fibres. These can be both injuries and changes associated with disruption of the functioning of various systems: ageing, dementia, thyroid disease, diabetes, malnutrition and much more.

Health care

If you have lost your sense of smell, the first thing you should do is go to the hospital. Moreover, you should not delay with this, because it can be a sign of a serious illness, ignoring which often leads to disastrous consequences. In most cases, it is not difficult to find out the cause of the loss of smell, especially if it is caused by colds, an allergic reaction, or a mucosal burn. If the cause of anosmia is not so obvious, then the doctor will ask you to donate blood and undergo several diagnostic procedures: tomography or MRI, as well as nasal endoscopy. This will exclude diseases such as tumours, damage to nerve tissues or vascular diseases.