The term "anosmia" describes a partial or total loss of scent perception. It can affect people of all ages and be either temporary or permanent. Nasal congestion, head trauma, certain drugs, neurological conditions, and viral infections like the common cold or influenza are just a few of the causes of anosmia. In recent years, Anosmia has been more publicized as it has been linked to Covid 19!
This specifically caught my attention due to the fact that my mother lost her smell after having covid. She struggled with smell and also has explained to me how it has shifted her taste more than she expected. It's been 2 years and she still has not been able to smell. After reading the book about the condition and looking into it on my own I am realizing that she most likely now suffers from anosmia.
The absence of smell, or anosmia, can significantly affect daily life. Several parts of our daily activities are impacted by our sense of smell, which is essential to our total sensory experience. For instance, eliminating the capacity to smell might significantly alter how we perceive flavor. Because the complex sensations we ordinarily experience are entwined with our sense of smell, food may start to taste less good and appear less attractive. This may result in a decrease in appetite and associated food habit changes. Anosmia can also compromise one's sense of smell, which is crucial for detecting things like gas leaks, rotting food, and smoke. Something as simple as smell can impact someone's life hugely and that is something those with Anosmia have to experience everyday.
What's interesting to me is how Covid 19 directly affected our senses, which usually a sickness doesn't just take away your sense of smell or sense of taste. I got Covid twice, the first time I lost my sense of taste (got it back within a couple weeks) and the second time I lost my sense of smell(also got it back within a couple weeks).Although I did get my senses back, they were definitely altered for months, for example the ability to smell and taste were there but not as strong as they once were.
ReplyDeleteGoing off the other comment, it is also interesting to me to see how Covid-19 has impacted both taste and smell. When one of my best friends had Covid-19, she complained of not being able to taste or smell anything for months. She would often get upset because she wanted to be able to taste her favorite food and smell her candles. This went on for about a year until she thankfully was able to regain 100% of both her sense and smell.
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