How to restore taste sensations with a cold. Loss of taste and smell with a cold: how to restore

A runny nose can cause a lot of discomfort: nasal congestion, worsening sleep, changes in speech. But often the question arises, how to restore the sense of smell and taste in this disease? Why does a person lose the ability to smell and taste differences? How can you help yourself and your loved ones? Therapy and duration recovery period directly depends on the cause that caused rhinitis. The faster and better this cause is eliminated, the sooner the olfactory sensations will return.

The first reason is rhinitis

With strong snot, swelling extends to the entire nasal cavity, which also affects the olfactory receptors. The nasal passages narrow, mucus accumulates, the function of the nerve hairs responsible for the sense of smell decreases, and the brain does not receive a signal to recognize the smell. And since the olfactory center and the taste center are located in the same area of the brain, both suffer accordingly. A person suddenly understands: “I don’t smell, I don’t taste.” In this case, the cause is swelling, which can be eliminated by using the following methods:

The second reason is inflammation of the sinuses.

If the loss of smell during a runny nose is partial, then with sinusitis, the ability to smell and taste food completely disappears. The person loses his appetite. Tasteless food does not cause salivation, the process of digestion is difficult.

Get back lost features quickly with vasoconstrictor drops it will not work, since their area of \u200b\u200baction is limited to the nasal cavity and the treatment of the common cold. For sinusitis, the following measures will be more effective:

UHF - deep heating: relieves inflammation, reduces swelling, returns the missing taste and the ability to distinguish odors.
Electrophoresis in the nose is prescribed both for sinusitis and for prolonged bacterial rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis - reason number three

Rhinitis is one of the first manifestations of an allergy. Loss of smell occurs due to severe swelling of the nasal passages, which, of course, cannot but affect the taste sensations. Although this type of allergy is not inflammatory character, the restoration of lost functions takes several days. With confidence in the allergic nature of the common cold, treatment should begin immediately:

Medicine overdose

Drug abuse does not go unnoticed. The situation when the sense of smell is lost during a runny nose is familiar to many, but not everyone knows that this can occur as a result of excessive treatment. The constant and uncontrolled use of vasoconstrictors leads to the development of atrophic processes in the mucosa. You may feel constant dryness, congestion, loss of smell, loss of taste. The use of conventional drugs does not bring relief.

How to treat the nose in this situation?

It is possible to return the functions of receptors only by completely abandoning the medications.

To restore them, use:

Washing with decoctions of herbs: chamomile, sage, succession.
To quickly restore the sense of smell will help lubrication of the vestibule of the nose with menthol oil.
With snot, UVI is prescribed, and with edema, electrophoresis.

Recovery period after treatment

Usually, after the restoration of full breathing, olfactory sensations and the ability to distinguish taste return. But sometimes, you have to make an effort to restore the lost functions. This happens after a long prolonged rhinitis. What to do when all the symptoms of the disease are left behind, and the functions of the nose are not restored:

Not every runny nose is accompanied by a loss of nasal function.

Such an unpleasant phenomenon as a runny nose cannot quickly disappear or not manifest itself with additional symptoms, the most characteristic is the temporary loss of smell and taste. Why such a state arises, what to do and recover as soon as possible and return the fullness of sensations, our article will tell.

The mechanism of action of the sense of smell

A special olfactory region is located in the upper part of the nasal passage and differs significantly in its structure from the characteristic mucous structure of the nasal cavity. The sensitivity of the olfactory region is developed individually for everyone, so we define the durability of the aroma and subtle notes of smells a little differently. Special receptors transmit molecules to the brain via ultra sensitive nerve fibers. Our main "computer" analyzes and defines the received information, aromas are classified automatically, and the new smell is entered into the "database" for further memorization.

The mechanism of action of the sense of taste

Our tongue is a whole field of small taste buds, which also analyze objects for the presence of another essential feature - taste. This is due to the tiny papillae that are visible to the naked eye on the surface of the tongue. As many will remember from school course biology, the language is divided into several areas, each of which defines only one of the four possible tastes.

The language is divided into the following zones:

Sweet taste is determined at the very tip of the tongue, the zone responsible for determining this particular taste.
A little further, on the side parts are "salty" receptors, thanks to which we feel the amount of salt in food.
The side of the tongue, following the "salty" area, is well versed in sour tastes.
The root of the tongue, or rather, the receptors located on it, determine bitterness - the fourth taste that we are able to feel.

The whole incredibly complex flavor range of all possible products and dishes in the world is obtained by mixing these four tastes. Each person also tastes the same food differently. Distinguish people with a particularly delicate taste and smell. As a rule, they can prove themselves well as professional tasters.

Recent studies in this area have confirmed a significant decrease in the sensitivity of taste and olfactory receptors with increasing human age. First of all, this is due, of course, to the inevitable aging and wear and tear of all organs, but it can also be the consequences of past diseases, one of which will be a common cold.

Why is the sense of smell and taste lost during illness (smell may disappear / disappear)

What happens with a runny nose with olfactory and taste buds and why they can disappear can be most clearly demonstrated by the following example. When symptoms of a cold occur, the sinuses begin to actively produce special mucus, which is designed to fight the disease, preventing the infection from entering the body. She does not always succeed, but this is already a separate issue, and in the case of a runny nose, it is the mucosal edema that blocks the area of smell. After the disease is successfully defeated, the nasal mucosa gradually returns to normal and the olfactory region also restores its functions.

The well-known drops for the treatment of the common cold, which we use without hesitation, at the first symptoms, have a very harmful effect on the complex "mechanism" of nasal perception. The effect of this medicine is based on its vasoconstrictive action, so frequent and uncontrolled intake leads to dysfunction muscular wall vessels. They simply stop performing their duties and therefore the mucosal edema does not go away for a long time even after complete recovery.

Manufacturers of such medicines sometimes honestly write about the possibility of addiction to the drug, but for some reason we are used to considering nasal drops as the most harmless and simple medicine.

The second common cause of loss of smell would be allergic rhinitis. The principle of action will be similar: swelling of the mucosa, but constant exposure to the allergen will also not pass without a trace. Thus, the body itself resists harmful factors, simply "turning off" the now useless olfactory area.

The most serious cause of loss or distortion of the sense of smell may be some diseases of the central nervous system. At the first sign of such phenomena, an urgent examination and medical assistance are necessary.

Types and stages of diseases of the nervous system:

Anosmia - total loss the sensitivity of the olfactory region. It may be a consequence of complications after influenza and SARS, as well as a stroke and damage to the central nervous system.
Hyposmia- decreased sensitivity and perception of odors. It is this symptom that is observed after a runny nose and viral diseases. People often suffer from chronic diseases nasopharynx.
Cacosmia- perverted perception of smells. It manifests itself in the form of failures of the received information. A common cause is tumor formation of the olfactory region.
Hyperosmia - hypersensitivity to smells, when even a subtle aroma becomes intolerable torture. It is observed not only with violations of the olfactory receptors, but also as a signal of a malfunction of the nervous system. Often, patients experience specific olfactory "hallucinations" when patients smell a foreign smell that others do not feel.

All these phenomena in best case, cause discomfort, and also signal serious problems with health. You should not delay with a trip to a specialist, because any violation of the normal functioning of the body can lead to serious consequences.

What to do to return the senses of perception

It should be noted here that the loss of sensitivity after a cold is temporary and belongs to completely natural phenomena. A full return of lost feelings may take a week, but if after this period the sense of smell and taste have not returned, the reason may not be a runny nose.

The most popular treatments to help restore the sense of smell.

How to restore the sense of smell after a cold and SARS:

Home inhalations - excellent tool get your scent back. traditional recipes traditional medicine would be very useful here. The "classic" method - breathing over boiled potatoes is familiar to most of us firsthand, and also brings good results in treatment. colds, runny nose and cough. You can use decoctions pharmaceutical herbs, even just water with the addition of essential oils. To do this, you need to make sure that there is no allergy to this aroma and ask relatives to calculate a dosage that is comfortable for a person.
Cotton swabs, impregnated with special mixtures, will help to quickly restore the sense of smell. Examples of such mixtures are presented below:
1. liquid honey.
2. Aloe or Kalanchoe juice, diluted in half with water.
3. Mumiyo in half with vegetable oil.
4. Propolis and butter.
5. For those who do not know, it is used for a runny nose and nasal congestion. This is a balm, which is better to smear the wings of the nose, and not the mucous membrane.
home drops- one of . The following composition is recognized as the most effective: one part of camphor and menthol oil are mixed. It is necessary to bury three times a day, two to three drops in each nostril.
Regular rinsing of the nasopharynx saline solutions also work well. You can use decoctions of herbs, for example, the remains of a solution for inhalation. It is more convenient to rinse the nose with a special watering can, which can be bought at a pharmacy. The algorithm of actions is simple:
1. Tilt your head a little.
2. Pour a little solution into one nostril (you can use a syringe without a needle).
3. After the liquid has safely flowed out of the other nostril, the procedure is repeated for her.

The technique is simple, like all ingenious, discomfort from such manipulations quickly pass and cannot be compared with medical methods(it is enough to recall the well-known "cuckoo"). Regular washings will not only help with diseases of the nasopharynx, but also help to strengthen immune system and raising vitality organism. There are no contraindications for this procedure, it can be done both for pregnant women and children.

The method of "shock therapy" helps well: this is when the patient takes turns inhaling sharp specific odors. Examples of such odors can be garlic, menthol and coniferous essential oils, natural coffee, turpentine or Vishnevsky ointment, and other strongly smelling substances.

Video

This video will show you how to restore your sense of smell.

Loss of smell after a runny nose is an unpleasant symptom that usually disappears after the cause itself is eliminated. Help to quickly return the sense of smell will be able folk methods: inhalations, special home drops and lubrication inner surface nasal mucosa. If loss of sensitivity is observed a week after recovery, you should be very wary of this symptom, because it can signal serious problems of the central nervous system. Correct diagnosis and timely treatment- the key to a successful victory with the disease and the restoration of the old sense of smell. Read how to restore taste and smell with a cold.

What to do if the sense of smell and taste is gone, and the nose does not smell?

In cases where this disease, not even considered by many as such, is accompanied by a deterioration in the perception of aromas or even taste, people begin to sound the alarm and look for ways to restore them.

The causes and treatment of this disorder will be discussed in this article.

Reasons or why did the sense of smell and taste disappear?

It may seem that the inability to distinguish smells is a trifle, without which it is easy to live.

But when a person loses one of his basic senses, he realizes its true value.

After all, deprived of the opportunity to experience fragrances and "unpleasant darlings", he partially loses the pleasure of eating, and can also expose himself to the risk of eating a spoiled product.

Wherein the world no longer seems as colorful as before. Therefore, it is extremely important to think about how to return the sense of smell and taste when.

The inability to distinguish odors is most often observed against the background of colds, accompanied by nasal discharge (rhinitis). Depending on the degree of deterioration of the olfactory function, there are:

hyposmia (partial decrease in the sharpness of the sense of smell);
anosmia ( complete absence susceptibility to aromatic substances).

The most common reason for the occurrence of hyposmia or even anosmia is. It develops due to the fall of both local and general immunity and the activation of microorganisms that always live on the mucous membranes of absolutely healthy people.

Since the body loses the ability to prevent their reproduction, microorganisms infect tissues and provoke the onset inflammatory process.

This is accompanied by the appearance of swelling and drying of the mucous membrane. Subsequently, it is moistened due to serous effusion (a special fluid that occurs during tissue inflammation).

The amount of mucus gradually increases, the effusion partially accumulates under top layer mucosa, forming bubbles, as a result of which it can exfoliate and provoke the formation of erosions.

During all these processes, receptors sensitive to aromatic compounds and located in upper section nasal cavity may become blocked by mucus or damaged.

Therefore, they are unable to respond to stimuli and, therefore, transmit a signal to the brain. This explains the fact that after a cold, the sense of smell disappeared.

But the deterioration in the ability to smell how various substances smell is not the only possible consequence rhinitis. Often there is a simultaneous loss of taste and smell.

The reason for this lies in the fact that very often a person involuntarily confuses taste and aroma. True taste sensations arise in response to salty, sour or sweet substances entering the tongue, since special receptors localized on the tongue are responsible for their perception. different areas language.

Therefore, even the most cold person always distinguishes the basic tastes to a greater or lesser extent. Problems arise from the differentiation of complex flavor combinations, typical, for example, for fruits and berries, soups, original second courses, etc.

For their full perception, the simultaneous participation of taste analyzers and olfactory receptors is required. Therefore, what a person is accustomed to consider as a taste of a dish can easily turn out to be its aroma.

Attention! If the patient stopped smelling, and there was no discharge from the nose, it is imperative to contact a neurologist to rule out brain pathologies and other serious diseases.

If the sense of smell is gone: what to do in this case?

Have you really lost your sense of smell and taste? It often happens that the patient says: “I don’t smell ..”, “I don’t feel the taste of food and smell”, but in reality it turns out that this is not so.

To accurately verify the presence of hyposmia, in medicine, even there is a special test - olfactometry.

Its essence lies in the alternate inhalation of vapors of 4-6 odorous substances contained in labeled vials.

The patient is pinched one of the nostrils with a finger, and a vessel with a substance is brought to the other at a distance of one centimeter. The patient should take one breath and answer what he feels. Traditionally used:

0.5% acetic acid solution;
pure wine alcohol;
Valerian tincture;
ammonia.

These substances are listed in order of increasing aroma, so you can judge the degree of impairment of the olfactory function by the smell of which of them a person is able to feel.

A similar test can be carried out at home, even without special solutions on hand, ordinary household items and products will do.

The test consists of several stages, the transition from one to another is carried out only after the successful completion of the previous one. The patient is offered to sniff:

Alcohol (vodka), valerian and soap.
Salt and sugar.
Perfume, onions, chocolate, thinner (nail polish remover), instant coffee, an extinguished match.

If any of them could not be recognized, it is clear sign decrease in olfactory function, and the reason for contacting the ENT in order to figure out how to return the sense of smell and taste with a runny nose.

If the sense of smell is lost with a runny nose or after a cold

Patients often complain that they lost their taste and smell due to a runny nose. These symptoms may occur when:

Rhinite:

acute;
chronic;
allergic.

sharp and chronic inflammation paranasal sinuses nose:

sinusitis;
ethmoiditis;
frontite;

Much less often, the reasons that the flair has worsened are:

ozena;
scleroma;
polyposis.

Thus, most often the perception of aromas is distorted by a cold. , influenza and other acute respiratory infections.

Nevertheless, such common diseases accompanied by a runny nose, such as sinusitis, and others, are also capable of preceding this.

And since they often develop against the background of a deviated septum, patients are often prescribed septoplasty.

This operation, the purpose of which is the alignment of the septum and the normalization of breathing, is necessary to eliminate the prerequisites for the preservation of inflammatory processes in the paranasal sinuses and, consequently, a violation of the sense of smell.

But, unfortunately, septoplasty is not a guarantee of the restoration of the ability to distinguish odors normally, since after it degenerative changes mucous membrane and the development of hyposmia or even anosmia.

Although the curvature of the septum in no way affects a person's ability to perceive all kinds of aromas. Source: website

Also, degenerative changes in the mucosa can occur not only as a result of septoplasty, but also after accidental damage by foreign bodies.

In such situations, they talk about the development of traumatic rhinitis. The reason for its occurrence can be not only macro-objects, but also small solid particles, for example, coal, dust, metal, contained in:

smoke;
aerosols;
various industrial emissions, etc.

It has also been observed that the sharpness of smell and taste perception worsens with age. These changes can be called physiological, since they are caused by the “weakening” of the corresponding receptors.

But usually older people notice that the sense of smell has worsened precisely after a cold. This may be due to damage to the receptors due to the active course of the inflammatory process, which then are not fully restored. Therefore, after recovery, older people may complain of hyposmia.

How to restore the sense of smell?

Of course, only a specialist can give an exact answer to this question.

A qualified doctor will be able to find real reasons violations and quickly eliminate them.

Any self-medication can only exacerbate the problem and delay the return to normal.

Therefore, although there are various folk remedies, helping to cope with the problem, before you start using them, you should ask the otolaryngologist if they can be used.

Depending on the reasons for the deterioration of the olfactory function, the doctor may prescribe a number of medicines helping to restore , including:

Naphazoline ( Naphthyzin);
Xylometazoline ( Galazolin);
Oxymetazoline ( Nazol);
Tramazolin ( Lazolvan Reno) and so on.

These drugs are among the vasoconstrictors. Their action is based on mechanisms that eliminate swelling of the mucous membrane. But using them for longer than 5-7 days is not recommended, because they are addictive and lose their effectiveness.

In the worst case, drug rhinitis develops, accompanied by a constant runny nose, which is much more difficult to cope with than, for example, with an acute one.

If hyposmia is the result allergic rhinitis, patients are prescribed antihistamines, and in more severe cases, topical corticosteroids:

Chloropyramine ( Suprastin);
Loratadine (Claritin);
Erius ( Eden);
Telfast;
Ketotifen;
Nasonex;
Flixonase;
Beclomethasone, etc.

When sinusitis became the cause of hyposmia, treatment is carried out exclusively under the control of the ENT. Any self-medication in such cases can lead to tragic consequences, since inflammation in the sinuses can provoke the development of sepsis, meningitis and other life-threatening pathologies.

Therefore, in such cases, any activities that contribute to how to return the sense of smell and taste with a runny nose , must be agreed with the otolaryngologist.

Main article:

You can increase the effectiveness of the therapy prescribed by the doctor by first softening the accumulated mucus. Steam baths are ideal for this. They are done no more than 3 times a day for 20 minutes.

It would not be superfluous to add to hot water various medicinal herbs, For example:

chamomile flowers;
succession grass;
linden flowers, etc.

For the same purpose, you can rinse your nose with saline solutions. They are easy to purchase at the pharmacy or make your own at home. In the first case, you need to ask the pharmacist:

Humer;
Aqua Maris;
Marimer;
Quicks;
Aqualor;
But-salt;
Salin;
saline, etc.

If it is decided to prepare saline solution at home, then for this you need salt, preferably sea salt without flavorings, and purified water. 2 g of salt is thoroughly dissolved in a glass of warm, pre-boiled water. The procedure is carried out with a large amount of the resulting liquid, observing simple rules:

The patient lies on his side.
In the nostril, which is on top, liquid is injected from a special dispenser or using a syringe without a needle into enough in large numbers so that it flows out of the lower nostril.
Repeat the procedure, turning over to the opposite side.

Sometimes doctors advise patients to supplement their treatment with:

light massage;
breathing exercises;
magnetotherapy;
laser therapy, etc.

Many people who catch a cold continue to smoke. Of course, it is not worth talking about how to restore the sense of smell without giving up at least for a while from this addiction.

How to treat loss of smell with folk remedies?

Here are some popular ways to restore the ability to perceive odors:

Inhalations with lemon and essential oil mint or lavender. For cooking medicinal mixture a glass of boiling water is poured into a wide container, 10 drops are injected lemon juice and a couple of drops of the selected oil.

Breathe over this mixture for 4-5 minutes, while trying to take quick breaths, but being careful, as such forced breathing can lead to dizziness. Mint can be substituted if desired. alcohol solution menthol. Usually 5 procedures are enough to restore the sense of smell and taste. They are carried out once a day.

Inhalations with fir and/or eucalyptus essential oil. Manipulation is carried out by analogy with the previous one. If only one of the oils is used, add 2 drops to boiling water, if both, then 1 drop each.

Steam inhalation.
The most common way to carry out such procedures is to inhale the vapors from freshly boiled potatoes.

Perhaps 90% of people have experienced this method at least once in their lives.

Its essence lies in the fact that a person bends over a pot of boiled root vegetables, covers his head with a large towel and breathes steam until the potatoes cool.

Inhalations with sage, nettle, calendula, mint and garlic. Such manipulations will help to remove the accumulated mucus and unblock the olfactory receptors. They are carried out according to the same principle as with potatoes, but only if there is no temperature.

Oil drops. Menthol and camphor oil mixed in equal proportions. The resulting mixture is instilled 3 drops into each nasal passage 3 times a day. A napkin or gauze moistened with a few drops is placed on the pillow next to the patient. essential oil basilica. It can also be applied to the nose and inhaled fragrant vapors.

Smell is one of the senses necessary for a person For full life. And its violations impose tangible restrictions on emotional condition and become a real problem. Among the disorders of smell, there are also those when the patient is haunted by a smell that is not really there. Everyone is interested in the question of the origin unpleasant symptoms, but only a doctor will help determine the source of disorders in the body.

The smell is sensed through the reaction of olfactory receptors located in the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity to certain aromatic molecules. But this is only the initial section of the corresponding analyzer. Further, the nerve impulse is transmitted to the areas of the brain responsible for the analysis of sensations (temporal lobes). And when a person smells that are not there, this clearly indicates some kind of pathology.

First of all, all the reasons should be divided into two groups. The smell may be quite real, but not felt by others until the patient speaks to them in close range. This is likely in the following situations, covering the practice of ENT doctors and dentists:

Fetid coryza (ozena).
Sinusitis (sinusitis, frontal sinusitis).
Chronic tonsillitis.
Caries, pulpitis, periodontitis.

These diseases are accompanied by the formation of pus, which gives bad smell. A similar situation may occur in those who suffer from diseases. gastrointestinal tract(gastritis, peptic ulcer, cholecystitis and pancreatitis). Food that got into digestive tract, is processed worse, and during belching or reflux, unpleasant odor molecules come out. A similar problem may not be noticeable to others if they do not come close.

Some people have a lower threshold for olfactory perception. They smell better than others, so sometimes they encounter misunderstandings from others. Some fragrance may be too faint to be smelled by anyone else. And this feature should also be taken into account by the doctor.

A separate group of reasons are those that are associated with the defeat of any of the departments of the olfactory analyzer. The odors that have appeared are not conveyed to others, since their formation, transmission and analysis in a particular person are disturbed. And although some other (quite real) one can serve as the basis for an unpleasant aroma, the end result is present only in the mind of the patient and is a problem for him.

There are quite a lot of conditions that manifest as a violation of the sense of smell (dysosmia or parosmia). They include both respiratory pathology with inflammation of the nasal mucosa, for example, rhinitis or SARS, and other disorders in the body:

Hormonal changes (during pregnancy, during menstruation or menopause).
Bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse, drugs).
Taking certain medications and poisoning with chemicals.
Endocrine disorders (hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus).
Systemic diseases (scleroderma).
Traumatic brain injury.
Tumors of the brain.
Neurosis or depression.
Psychoses (schizophrenia).
Epilepsy.

It is necessary to remember about the so-called phantom smells associated with some kind of stress in the past and left a strong impression. In similar situations, they can come to the surface. As you can see, the source of an unpleasant odor can be hidden among a large number diseases. And some can be quite serious. But do not immediately be afraid and look for yourself dangerous pathology- the causes of violations will become clear only after a thorough examination.

Why people perceive certain smells is a rather serious question and requires further research.

Symptoms

Any pathology has certain signs. To identify them, the doctor evaluates the patient's complaints, analyzes the factors that precede the appearance of an unpleasant odor, and conducts a physical examination. It should be understood when an extraneous aroma is felt, is constantly present or occurs periodically, how intense it is, what contributes to its disappearance, and what additional symptoms are present in clinical picture. Sometimes only this allows you to establish the cause of dysosmia, but not always.

The aroma that haunts the patient may have a different color. Those who drink citrus tea often smell a burning smell, and hot spices can cause a feeling of the presence of sulfur in them. Along with the distortion of smell, taste also changes, since they are closely related. A severe runny nose, for example, can cause the illusion that the onion has become sweet and smells like an apple.

ENT pathology

The first thing to think about when complaining of an unpleasant smell is diseases of the upper respiratory tract. When the nasal mucosa is damaged, the sense of smell is invariably disturbed, but the patient may not always feel how it stinks of pus or rot. Most often, a similar symptom occurs with sinusitis, chronic tonsillitis or lake. In the latter case, the smell is so pronounced that others notice it. But besides this, you need to pay attention to other symptoms:

Violation of nasal breathing.
Discharge from the nose (mucopurulent or purulent).
Heaviness in the projection of the paranasal sinuses.
Dryness of the mucosa and the formation of crusts.
Pain in the throat when swallowing.
Plugs on the tonsils.

When it comes to acute sinusitis, then purulent process in the sinuses invariably entails fever and intoxication with headaches, but chronic gives less pronounced symptoms. With tonsillitis, disorders of the kidneys, heart, and joints are often detected (the result of sensitization to streptococcus antigens). If the sense of smell is impaired due to ARVI, then in the clinical picture, in addition to the common cold, there will be others against the background of intoxication. catarrhal symptoms such as redness of the throat and watery eyes.

The pathology of the nose, paranasal sinuses and pharynx is the main cause of the appearance of an extraneous odor, which can only be imagined by others through close contact with the patient.

Diseases of the digestive tract

An unpleasant odor can also haunt those who suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Violation of food digestion is the main mechanism of such a symptom. The smell of rotten eggs worries with hypoacid gastritis (with reduced acidity) or peptic ulcer duodenum, he does not seem to constantly, but after eating. In the clinical picture, there are other signs of dyspeptic syndrome:

Belching.
Nausea.
Bloating.
Chair change.

Many feel discomfort in the stomach or pain in the epigastrium. And the concomitant gastroesophageal reflux causes heartburn and further esophagitis. If struck gallbladder, then an additional symptom will be a feeling of bitterness in the mouth.

Psychoneurological problems

Many patients with psychoneurological status disorders perceive a smell that is not actually there. It can have both a real prototype (illusion) and be based on non-existent connections (hallucination). The first situation may also arise healthy person who has undergone severe emotional stress, but often becomes a constant companion of those who suffer from neurosis or depression. Additional symptoms of pathology are:

Decreased mood.
emotional lability.
Irritability and anxiety.
Sensation of a "coma" in the throat.
Sleep disorders.

Characteristic signs will also be somatic functional disorders arising from an imbalance of nervous regulation (increased heart rate, excessive sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, etc.). Unlike neurotic reactions, psychoses are accompanied by profound changes in the personal sphere. Then there are various hallucinations (auditory, visual, olfactory), overvalued and delusional ideas, when the perception of the surrounding world and behavior are disturbed, there is no critical understanding of what is happening.

The feeling that it suddenly began to smell like rotten meat can occur with epilepsy. Olfactory and gustatory hallucinations are a kind of "aura" that precedes a convulsive attack. This indicates the location of the focus of pathological activity in the cortex. temporal lobe. After a few seconds or minutes, the patient develops a typical seizure with tonic-clonic convulsions, short-term loss of consciousness, biting of the tongue. A similar picture also occurs with a brain tumor of the corresponding localization or trauma of the skull.

Neuropsychiatric disorders, as the cause of a foreign smell, are perhaps the most serious situation that cannot be missed.

Additional diagnostics

Smells that others do not feel are a reason for a detailed examination. It is possible to find out the cause of what is happening only on the basis of complex diagnostics using a laboratory and instrumental complex. Based on the doctor's assumption based on the clinical picture, the patient is recommended to undergo additional procedures:

General analysis of blood and urine.
Blood biochemistry (inflammatory markers, liver tests, electrolytes, glucose, hormonal spectrum).
Nose and throat swab (cytology, culture, PCR).
Rhinoscopy.
X-ray of the paranasal sinuses.
Computed tomography of the head.
echoencephalography.
Fibrogastroscopy.
Ultrasound of the abdominal organs.

To get the maximum diagnostic value, the examination program is formed on an individual basis. If necessary, the patient is consulted not only by an ENT doctor, but also by other specialists: a gastroenterologist, a neurologist, an endocrinologist, a psychotherapist. And the results obtained make it possible to establish the final cause of the violations and remove the unpleasant odor that seemed to the patients.

Cold, viral infections, allergies are often accompanied by rhinitis. The nose is stuffed up, does not breathe, “water” flows, while the patient complains: “I don’t smell, and when I eat, I don’t even taste food.” The pathology seems to be trifling, and in the prevailing majority of all cases it disappears without a trace when the common cold disappears.

Impatient patients, or alarmists, begin to "beat the drums", demanding from the doctor to return the smell and taste that has disappeared. In rare cases, indeed, these violations can present a problem that requires immediate medical intervention.

You should be alarmed only when the runny nose has passed, the nose breathes freely, the swelling has subsided, and the dysfunction associated with the ability to distinguish between smells and taste remains.

The violations under consideration manifest themselves in different ways, sometimes the patient has a weakening of the ability to smell and taste (hyposmia), and sometimes the patient does not feel any aromas at all (anosmia).

Lost smell and taste with a runny nose - possible causes

Why are people so worried about hyposmia? After all, most of us are well aware that the swelling of the nose, and therefore the smell of perfume, as well as other odors, is not felt. It is difficult for housewives to cook, because they cannot fully taste the food. Let's list possible reasons hyposmia, causing patients to say: “I don’t taste food, help me normalize everything.”

Such violations are usually associated with the following factors:

anatomical pathologies (during a runny nose aggravate the course of the disease) - a relative cause;
cold;
damage by viruses and bacteria of the nasal mucosa;
exposure to allergens;
vasomotor rhinitis;
nasal polyps;
neoplasms;
adenoid vegetations against the background of chronic rhinitis;
entry of toxic substances into the nose;
postoperative anosmia or hyposmia against the background of rhinitis;
chronic runny nose;
sinusitis;
the use of nasal drops (with prolonged use);
a combination of a runny nose and injuries of the nasal cavities and passages.

All these interferences create persistent swelling of the nasal mucosa, in which the olfactory cells cannot transmit signals to the brain, hence the lack of smell.

It is encouraging that with rhinitis, taste and smell do not always disappear, and not every patient complains that he does not completely feel these sensations during a runny nose. Even if there is a slight problem with the perception of taste and smell, then, as a rule, everything returns to normal within a week.

When the dysfunction does not go away long time, any person begins to get excited, and the question arises: “What should I do - I don’t feel the surrounding smells and taste of food for more than a week?”

An exhaustive answer can only be obtained from a specialist. To do this, you need to contact an otolaryngologist and undergo a diagnostic examination.

At the appointment, the doctor will conduct an otolaryngological examination of the nose, throat and ears. If everything is normal, they will offer to check the taste and smell simple method: give a sniff, for example, coffee or spice, and also ask if the patient can taste the food on the tongue while eating. The doctor can also measure the sharpness of smell with a special device - an olfactometer.

In addition to ENT organs, an examination of the condition of the tongue and oral mucosa is carried out in order to exclude all possible pathologies leading to loss of taste and olfactory qualities.

If the diagnosis is difficult, a more complex examination is recommended.- MRI or CT of the brain.

According to the results of the diagnosis, measures are planned to restore the lost sensations.

So, let's figure out what to do if the taste and smell disappeared without a trace - how to treat?

Methods for restoring the lost smell and taste sensations during a runny nose

To quickly eliminate all manifestations of rhinitis occurring with functional or organic disorders, it is better to immediately seek qualified help, where you can get detailed information about which method will be effective for you.

You should be especially careful in the presence of polyps and neoplasms in the nose, because. any folk remedies or medications can cause bleeding or tumor growth. These pathologies must be necessarily differentiated by ENT and are under the supervision of an oncologist.

With a common cold, when the taste and smell are gone, they will help simple means tested for years. Let's consider them.

Affordable and simple means to restore smell and taste

According to the feedback of patients who have encountered this problem, they will help the following means available to everyone:

If possible, you can take a short course of paraffin "mittens", they will help with hyposmia, and will also benefit diseased hand joints.

The following recipes will help restore the joy of smelling:

Beet-honey juice

Per 100 ml fresh juice take 0.5 tsp acacia honey. Three drops are instilled into each nasal passage three times a day until the sense of smell is restored.

The following treatments are also possible:

Surgery. If the patient has surgical pathologies - polyps, neoplasms, anatomical curvatures, most likely, it will be prescribed surgical intervention and then postoperative therapy.
Physiotherapy- helium-neon laser, UV, UHF, magnetotherapy.
Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Excessive abuse of these bad habits against the background of a runny nose, they lead to a persistent loss of taste and smell, then the patient does not feel the taste of food and does not perceive aromas well.
Eliminate drug allergy . Many people suffer from chronic diseases. For example, hypertension chronic bronchitis, asthma, diabetes and others. Not surprisingly, they take drugs every day, and handfuls.

Against the background of a cold, there is an additional burden on the body, due to a decrease in immunity, and internal organs are allergic. Maybe, long-term use any of the means and is a trigger for a violation of taste and smell.

What to do if the sense of smell is gone

Conclusion

Often patients are tormented by the question: “Why, when you are sick, do you not feel the aromas and the taste of food has changed?”. I mean, of course, the common cold. Everything is extremely simple. The main enemy is nasal swelling, the elimination of which completely restores the sense of smell and taste. You need to treat this problem calmly, everything will pass when the runny nose recedes.

If the snot has passed, but the person still does not feel the aromas and the taste of food wants to be the best, you should immediately visit an otolaryngologist. Be healthy!

Attention, only TODAY!