Friday, June 24, 2022

Anosmia

A complete absence of smell is a symptom of anosmia. While some people are born with anosmia, others may gradually lose their sense of smell. Anosmia is thought to affect between 3 and 20 percent of persons. Anosmia, often known as scent blindness, can be either temporary or permanent. Temporary anosmia can result from common illnesses that irritate the nose's mucous membranes, like allergies or a cold. Brain tumors and head injuries are two more severe disorders that might result in lifelong loss of smell. Anosmia can occasionally develop with aging. Even though anosmia is typically not dangerous, it can significantly lower a person's quality of life. Anosmia patients may not be able to properly taste their meal and may become bored with it. Malnutrition or weight loss may result from this. Because anosmia may make it difficult to enjoy pleasant smells or tastes, it can also result in despair.

The obstruction in your nasal canal can be removed in order to address loss of smell brought on by nasal obstruction. This removal can entail having the nasal septum straightened, the polyps in the nose removed, or the sinuses cleaned out. The risk of irreversible loss of smell is higher in older adults. Congenital anosmia sufferers do not currently have access to any treatments. People who have lost some of their sense of smell can enhance their enjoyment of meals by adding powerful flavoring ingredients.

In "See What I'm Saying", anosmia diagnosis had a negative impact on Karl Wuensch's life. Due to significant sinus polyps and severely swollen turbinate, Wuensch was diagnosed with anosmia. About two million Americans still have anosmia, a disorder that is incredibly challenging to treat. It damaged his interactions with those around him and made it difficult for him to taste meals. Out of all scents, he claimed he missed the fragrance of people the most because it had an impact on his close and casual relationships. He developed a liking for spicy foods, which helped him learn to enjoy them more. Wuensch has been in remission for almost three years thanks to the fact that anosmia usually improves after multiple treatments.






1 comment:

  1. I loved reading your post! Anosmia was very interesting to learn about in the text, and I learned even more reading your post. I never knew that brain tumors could potentially lead someone to have anosmia and it is quite a scary thing to think about.

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