Anosmia Causes

Anosmia is a condition where one's sense of smell (olfactory) is defunct, that is, the sense of smell is absent. It can either be temporary or permanent with the probability of taste buds being affected as well. Anosmia can be a difficult impairment to live with; one should be sure that it isn't something like a cold or flu that can cause one to not being able to smell / taste food.

Anosmia occurs when one has a cold say for instance, but it clears up eventually over a period of time. Identifying the symptoms first and paying attention to how long it's progressed is the first step to determine whether you suffer from anosmia or not. This includes a prolonged period of not being able to smell odors. Try smelling different items like food or everyday products and figure out whether you can differentiate between them. If you experience an oddness to your smelling sensations for quite a while, it is highly advisable to book an appointment for a check up.

Causes of Anosmia

The causes linked with anosmia are aplenty and not easy to detect at first, but as you notice key elements in the way you breathe and how your taste buds function, you'll be able to gauge whether you are likely to have this problem or not. The olfactory epithelium corresponds to an area inside the nose that intercepts smells and odors, passing these signals to the brain. If the expanse of the olfactory epithelium is great, the higher the sense of smell due to the presence of more neurons. Any obstruction leading to a block in air intake restricts the brain from receiving these signals through the olfactory epithelium, thus causing one to lose the ability to smell. The olfactory epithelium in such cases may be damaged or the passages that transmit smell impulses may be impaired, causing olfactory receptor cells to cut off signals to the brain.

Nasal Obstructions
A hindrance causing congestion that restrains air flow through the nose can cause an obstruction in the nasal cavity. There can also be nasal bone deformities or the case of a deviated septum - which is an abnormal displacement of any wall that separates two chambers. In children, a blockage by a foreign body in the nasal passages can occur frequently, check these to be sure that nothing is blocking their air way. If these occurrences happen frequently in a year, check with your doctor if you or your child has an allergic reaction to something, such as pollen.

Nasal Polyps
These are fleshy swellings that sprout inside the nose. The colors may vary from gray, yellow or pink in color. There is nothing to panic about, as these aren't malignant. These can vary in size and sometimes grow like cherry clusters on a stem. You may feel a blocked sensation in the nose and also find it difficult to breathe, often using your mouth instead for air intake. Make a note if this is problematic in the night and if it disturbs your sleep patterns, as it may result in what is known as sleep apnea. The nose may also tend to water which is a common symptom of nasal polyps. Sensations like post nasal drip - the feeling of something constantly running down the back of your throat mainly caused due to mucus formed at the back of the nose as a result of large polyps, is common.

A damaged olfactory epithelium can also take place due to any of the following:

• Tumors that have damaged the olfactory epithelium (nerve or brain tumor).
• Smoking in all forms, that is from cigarettes or drug related substances.
• Occupations that deal with inhaling toxic gas and smoke on a regular basis. Chemical toxins that can be inhaled include sulfuric acid, cadmium, magnesium, lead and other dangerous inhalants.
• Usage of decongestants may cause damage as well.
• As one gets older, complete loss of smell and taste as one ages is evident and possible.
• Radiation can cause sufficient damage to the olfactory epithelium as well.

Anosmia Symptoms

There are many ways to check for the presence of anosmia, and some of the symptoms of this condition include:

• A change in the way your voice sounds.
• Sense of smell and taste is not strong and is indistinguishable.
• Headaches and snoring habits.
• Polyps may be blocking your draining channel meant for the sinuses, into the nose. This can most commonly lead to sinusitis.
• The face and ears tend to enlarge which is uncommon.
• Double vision is highly improbable but can take place nonetheless, due to huge polyps applying pressure on the nerves that need to send signals to the brain from the eyes.
• Patients who have undergone Tracheostomy, a surgical procedure that creates an opening into the trachea where a tube is inserted to provide a passage for air, are more prone to suffer from loss of smell. You can also experience anosmia since air intake isn't through the nasal passages.
• Check for a history of head trauma (as anosmia is caused by a brain defect as well), diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and so on. It is important to know your genetics before you diagnose yourself or others in cases such as these.
• Zinc deficiency is also a factor in determining whether one is suffering from loss of smell.

Types of Anosmia

There are other kinds of smell disorders that add up to similar causes and symptoms. Skim through the following table and associate the relevant diagnostic to your condition and accordingly get it checked out.

Disorder Type	Description
Hyposmia	The sensation of smell is vague and indistinct. One may have partial ability to smell although sometimes it may be hard to detect odors.
Hyperosmia	Sense of smell is heightened where some people have a natural way of smelling odors that are vague to others but very strong to them. Sensitivity is very high in these cases.
Dysosmia	Smells are distorted and are impaired to a point of complete loss of smell. Stimuli doesn't activate olfactory bulb.
Parosmia / Troposmia	In this case normal / pleasant smells are mistaken for acrid odors.
Phantosmia	The presence of a non-existent smell that causes one to think it is present when in fact it is a hallucination of that particular odor.
Presbyosmia	Decrease in the sense of smell as one grows older. Age is a major factor when relating to the cause.
Cacosmia	Sensing odors that are foul or vile. These are non-existent in nature but pertain to bad smells.
Normosmic	This shows that one has normal olfactory senses with no hint of a dysfunction.

Diagnostic Approach to Anosmia

There are ways to which one can ascertain if anosmia and other similar cases of the kind, are what you are ailing from, namely:

• University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT)
• Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research (also known as the scratch and sniff test)
• Transillunimation, a method to visualize front and maxillary sinuses. In a darkened room, a physician shines a bright light against the patient's forehead or cheek. If sinuses are clear, he / she will observe glows in areas of the cheek or the hard palate of the mouth are to locate sinus passages. It is an inexpensive method and is highly useful to rule out problems related to loss of smell.
• Olfactory Function Testing, administered using Butanol for an odor detection test, including the seven identification test. Different odors including wintergreen, vicks and ammonia, are used for the purpose of this test.

It is important to note that different odors may be used in different places as odor testing substances. Rating on the diagnostic may vary depending on your condition.

The reasons why anosmia takes place are better understood by consulting a doctor, as the chances of detecting it yourself are pretty slim. The best way is to pay attention to how your breathing is and if it is restricted in any way. If you are careful and treat the condition soon, your chances of bettering or curing the ailment are good.