Losing Your Sense Of Smell? Find Out Why

Nasal congestion

According to Kulreet Chaudhary, MD, an integrative neurologist and author of Sound Medicine: How to Use the Ancient Science of Sound to Heal the Body and Mind, the most common cause that stands behind loss of smell is sinus blockage and congestion trigger by the inflammation and toxins buildup in the sinuses.

“Causes of poor digestion are multifold and involve excess stress, overworking, poor eating habits, imbalanced microbiome, and overconsumption of processed foods,” says Dr. Chaudhary.

Therefore, if the congestion wasn’t caused by an allergy or the flu, the reason is probably a digestive problem or even the stress. Dr. Chaudhary suggests that the best treatment would be improving digestion.

Aging

Losing your sense of smell can be normal as you get older. The same thing happens to vision and hearing loss. According to Dr. Teitelbaum, around 50 percent of people with ages between 65 and 80 experience the loss of smell. After 85 years old, 75 percent of people experience it.

It’s a natural process that happens due to the accumulation of environmental damage brought to the olfactory nerve.

Medications

According to a 2018 study published in the World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the loss of smell is most of the time caused by medications. Most people won’t even consider medication as being a risk factor, however, research says otherwise.

If you notice that soon after taking a medication you lose your sense of smell, read the label to see if it shows anosmia on the symptom list, and consult your doctor for alternative medication. Meds like antibiotics, antihypertensives, and antihistamines are usually triggering the loss of smell.

There’s no need to worry because the symptom usually fades soon after you stop taking the medication, Dr. Chaudhary says.