Symptoms » Loss of smell

Loss of smell

Loss of smell: Introduction

Loss of smell: Loss of the sense of smell. See free access online books about Loss of smell below. See detailed information below for a list of 67 causes of Loss of smell, including diseases and drug side effect causes.

» Review Causes of Loss of smell: full list

Causes of Loss of smell:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Loss of smell. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Physical changes to the nose:
  • Normal aging - gradually reduces the sense of smell and taste.
  • Recent upper respiratory infection
  • Rhinitis
  • Stuffy nose
  • Common cold
  • Allergies
  • Hay fever
  • Vasomotor rhinitis
  • Allergic rhinitis
  • Nose foreign body
  • Sinus infection
  • Sinusitis
  • Nasal polyps
  • Nasal blockage
  • Nasal tumor
  • Mouth breathing (see Breathing symptoms)
• Toxic damage to the nose:
  • Smoking
  • Tobacco smoke exposure
  • Formaldehyde
  • Acid exposure
  • Certain chemicals
  • Nasal decongestants
• Damage to the brain or nervous processing of smell:
  • Brain injury
  • Head injury
  • Head trauma
  • Blow to the head
  • Meningioma
• more causes...»

See full list of 67 causes of Loss of smell

» Review Causes of Loss of smell: full list

Causes of Types of Loss of smell:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Loss of smell:

• Reduced sense of smell (13 causes)
• more types...»

See full list of 3 types for Loss of smell

Loss of smell: Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Loss of smell, as listed in our database. Visit the Symptom Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Symptom Checker

• Loss of smell: Symptom Checker

Symptom Checker

• Loss of smell and Head symptoms (41 causes)
• Loss of smell and Nose symptoms (39 causes)
• Loss of smell and Face symptoms (38 causes)
• Loss of smell and Smell symptoms (32 causes)
• Loss of smell and Eye symptoms (23 causes)
• Loss of smell and Nerve symptoms (20 causes)
• Loss of smell and Muscle symptoms (19 causes)
• Loss of smell and Sensations (18 causes)
• Loss of smell and Infant symptoms (17 causes)
• Loss of smell and Pain (16 causes)
• Loss of smell and Ear symptoms (15 causes)
• Loss of smell and Growth symptoms (15 causes)
• Loss of smell and Mouth symptoms (15 causes)
• Loss of smell and Muscle weakness (15 causes)
• Loss of smell and Developmental problems (14 causes)
• Loss of smell and Poor growth (14 causes)
• Loss of smell and Sexual symptoms (14 causes)
• Loss of smell and Vision changes (14 causes)
• more...»

See full list of 1612 Symptom Checker combinations related to Loss of smell

Loss of smell Treatments

Review information on Loss of smell Treatments.

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Nose symptoms (1244 causes)
• Smell symptoms (37 causes)
• Head symptoms (6143 causes)
• Face symptoms (4431 causes)
• more symptoms...»

Research the causes of related medical symptoms such as:

• Loss
• Smell (37 causes)
• more symptoms...»

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Loss of smell

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Loss of smell:

• Nose symptoms (1244 causes)
• Odor symptoms (98 causes)
• Rhinitis
• Stuffy nose (729 causes)
• Common cold (730 causes)
• Allergies
• Hay fever (69 causes)
• Vasomotor rhinitis
• Allergic rhinitis (19 causes)
• Nose foreign body
• Sinus infection
• Sinusitis (317 causes)
• Nasal polyps (25 causes)
• more symptoms...»

Diagnostic Guides for Loss of smell

Medical Books Excerpts Read excertps from published book sections related to Loss of smell from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Loss of smell. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Loss of smell

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic tests for Loss of smell:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Loss of smell. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • Inspection of the mouth, sinuses, nose, pharynx and ears
  • Examine for a swollen nasal lining which can interfere with the sense of smell. Swollen nasal lining may be due to acute viral upper respiratory infection, herpes simplex, viral hepatitis, bacterial rhinitis, sinusitis or allergic rhinitis
  • Examine for structural changes in the nasal cavity which can interfere with sense of smell. Structural changes in the nasal cavity may be due to deviations of the nasal septum, polyps, nasal tumors
• more tests...»

See full list of 22 diagnostic tests for Loss of smell

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Loss of smell. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you had the loss of the sense of smell (anosmia)? - to determine if acute or chronic. Acute loss of smell would certainly suggest an acute upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). It would also suggest recent exposure to toxic fumes or recent head injury.
• Is the loss of smell general, partial or specific? - e.g. general anosmia is the inability to detect any smells; partial anosmia is the ability to detect some, but not all smells; specific anosmia is the loss of ability to appreciate only one or a very limited number of smells.
• Is the loss of smell intermittent or constant? - If intermittent, may suggest psychomotor epilepsy.
• Is it unilateral or bilateral? - If unilateral must consider an olfactory groove meningioma ( benign tumor of the lining of the brain in the region of the lower surface of the frontal lobe of the brain).
• What is the age of the person with the loss of smell? - It is normal to get a gradual reduction in the sense of smell and taste with aging.
• more questions...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Loss of smell (31 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Loss of smell) may include:

• Loss of sense of taste? - People who have a loss of smell usually complain of a loss of sense of taste even though their taste thresholds may be within normal limits. This is because flavour appreciation depends on detecting the smell of substances in food and beverages as well as the sense of taste.
• Facial pain? - e.g. sphenoidal or ethmoidal sinusitis causes a constant pain behind the eye or behind the nose.
• Memory loss? - may suggest an olfactory groove meningioma ( benign tumor of the lining of the brain in the region of the lower surface of the frontal lobe of the brain) or a tumor of the parietal lobe of the brain. Some causes of dementia such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease may also cause loss of smell.
• Nasal discharge? - e.g. a pus-like nasal discharge may suggest acute or chronic sinusitis; a watery nasal discharge may suggest upper respiratory tract infection or rhinitis; a bloody nasal discharge may suggest nasopharyngeal cancer.
• Symptoms of the common cold? - e.g. tiredness, sore runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, slight fever; sometimes headache, hoarseness and cough. May also have loss of smell.
• more symptoms...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Loss of smell (31 listings)

Stories from Users for Loss of smell

Real-life user stories relating to Loss of smell:

• phantom smell - driving me crazy
• Unable to get diagnosis....please help!
• The usual 'I smell'...
• I smell everywhere I go/Uncontrollable flatuence
• Whats that smell
• Toddler unable to walk anymore
• Unable To Foldback Foreskin!!
• Ill for over half a year and doctors are unable to diagnose me. Please help!
• Smell disorder? Is it serious?
• No Sense of Thirst
• Trying to make sense of health issues.
• Strange Chemical smell and taste
• Why won't this smell go away?
• 8yo daughter say she can't smell anything
• Awful Smelling Flatulence...Please help!
• I smell everywhere I go!! Uncontrollable flatuence?
• lost sense of smell
• Lost of sense of smell, please help!!!!!
• Feces Smell
• Pee smells funny

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Loss of smell or relevant symptoms:

• ENMT (Ears, Nose, Mouth and Throat) (534)
  • Pain on one side of throat
  • Swelling in roof of mouth
  • Tonsilliths (tonsil stones)
  • Painful white bumps on tongue
  • Please help! Mucus/dark circles/bad breath...
  • More user stories

Videos for Loss of smell

See full list of 4 related videos

Patient Surveys for Loss of smell

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Medications or substances causing Loss of smell:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Loss of smell as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Thyroid medications
• Certain chemicals
• Formaldehyde
• Acid exposure
• Nasal decongestants
• more causes...»

See full list of 5 medications causing Loss of smell

Organs affected by Loss of smell:

The list of organs typically affected by Loss of smell may include, but is not limited to:

• Brain
• Nose

Detailed list of causes of Loss of smell

The list below shows some of the causes of Loss of smell mentioned in various sources:

• Acid exposure
• Allergic rhinitis
• Allergies
• Alopecia, anosmia, deafness, hypogonadism syndrome - lack of sense of smell
• Alzheimer's disease
• Anosmia - reduced sense of smell
• more causes...»

See full list of 67 causes of Loss of smell

How Common are these Causes of Loss of smell?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Loss of smell. Of the 67 causes of Loss of smell that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 7 causes are "very common" diseases
• 3 causes are "common" diseases
• 3 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 0 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 61 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 67 causes of Loss of smell

Conditions listing symptoms: Loss of smell:

The following list of conditions have 'Loss of smell' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

A

Alopecia, anosmia, deafness, hypogonadism syndrome ... lack of sense of smell

Anosmia ... reduced sense of smell

Arhinia, choanal atresia, and microphthalmia ... inability to smell

Arhinia-choanal atresia-microphthalmia syndrome ... inability to smell

Arrhinia ... inability to smell

Atrophic rhinitis ... loss of smell

B

Bosma-Henkin-Christiansen syndrome ... reduced sense of smell

C

Cadmium poisoning ... lack of sense of smell

Chemical poisoning - Selenium ... reduced sense of smell

Chemical poisoning - Silver ... reduced sense of smell

Congenital anosmia ... inability to smell

Cortical hyperostosis-syndactyly ... lack of sense of smell

D

Dextrocardia-bronchiectasis-sinusitis ... lack of sense of smell

H

Holoprosencephaly - ectrodactyly - cleft lip/palate ... lack of sense of smell

Hurst-Hallam-Hockey syndrome ... lack of sense of smell

Hypopituitarism - micropenis - cleft lip palate ... absent sense of smell, reduced sense of smell

I

Ichthyosis male hypogonadism ... lack of sense of smell

K

Kallmann Syndrome ... absent sense of smell, reduced sense of smell

Kallmann syndrome 2 ... absent sense of smell, reduced sense of smell

Kallmann syndrome, type 1, X-linked ... absent sense of smell, reduced sense of smell

Kallmann syndrome, type 3, recessive ... absent sense of smell, reduced sense of smell

Kallmann syndrome, type 4 ... absent sense of smell, reduced sense of smell

M

Meningioma ... lack of sense of smell

MN1 ... lack of sense of smell

N

Neu-Laxova Syndrome ... lack of sense of smell

R

Refsum Disease ... anosmia (absence of the sense of smell)

S

Septo-Optic Dysplasia ... lack of sense of smell

Sinusitis ... loss of smell

Spastic paraplegia with Kallmann syndrome ... inability to smell

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Doctors and specialists: Who should I consult about Loss of smell?

Depending on the seriousness of the onset of Loss of smell, you may want to consult one of the following medical professionals.

Important:In extreme cases, always seek advice from emergency services :

• General practitioner
• Emergency physician
• Ear nose and throat specialist
• Neurologist
• more specialists...»

Classifications of Loss of smell:

Subtypes of Loss of smell:

Reduced sense of smell (10 causes)

Medical Conditions associated with Loss of smell:

Nose symptoms (1239 causes), Smell symptoms (37 causes), Head symptoms (6066 causes), Face symptoms (4405 causes)

Symptoms related to Loss of smell:

Nose symptoms (1239 causes), Odor symptoms (98 causes), Rhinitis, Stuffy nose (715 causes), Common cold (719 causes), Allergies, Hay fever (63 causes), Vasomotor rhinitis, Allergic rhinitis (4 causes), Nose foreign body, Sinus infection, Sinusitis (280 causes), Nasal polyps (11 causes)

Medical articles on signs and symptoms:

Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:

• What to tell your doctor about your symptoms
• What questions will the doctor ask about your symptoms (and why)?
• What does your doctor do in a physical examination?
• What questions should you ask the doctor about a symptom or diagnosis?
• What questions to ask the doctor about the treatment
• Steps to take to get the most out of a doctor visit
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These general medical articles may be of interest:

• Medical Symptom Books
• Symptoms of the Silent Killer Diseases
• Online Diagnosis
• Self Diagnosis Pitfalls
• Pitfalls of Online Diagnosis

See full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

Medical News summaries about Loss of smell

Our news pages contain the following medical news summaries about Loss of smell and many other medical conditions:

• Parkinson's disease can be diagnosed by testing sense of smell
• Thyroid disorder underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed

News Archives for Loss of smell

Medical news articles related to Loss of smell include:

• With Spring Here, Use Sun Sense to Enjoy It
• Fat-Sensing Molecule Might Fight Obesity
• New Tests Assess Kids' Sense of Smell, Taste
• Brain's Olfactory Bulb Grows With Sense of Smell
• Poor Sense of Smell May Be Early Sign of Parkinson's
• Learning Takes Place When You Get Things Right
• more health news...»

Source: HealthDay News

Evidence Based Medicine Research for Loss of smell

Medical research papers related to Loss of smell include:

• Oral steroids for nasal polyps
• What is the evidence for theophylline in improving anosmia? (age related) - as quoted by Dr Le Fanu in the telegraph recently?
• The professional's guide to Parkinson's Disease
• ENT Examination
• Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome (Overview)
• Nasal Physiology
• Rhinoviruses (Overview)
• Physical Examination

Research More Evidence-Based Medicine at TripDatabase.com

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• ANOSMIA OR UNUSUAL ODOR (Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care)

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