Helping Those Who Have Lost Their Sense Of Taste Or Smell

Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s: the holiday season was prime time for big meals and tasty delights. But for people with diminished senses of taste and smell, some of the holiday magic was missed.

An estimated two million Americans have some sort of taste or smell disorder. There are only five comprehensive centers in the United States to test, diagnose, and treat these problems. One of the leading centers is at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington.

“Lost or impaired smell or taste is a very serious disorder that puts people at risk for a multitude of health problems, from toxic exposures, such as gas leaks, smoke or rotting food, to depression and weight loss,” said Norman M. Mann, MD, medical director of the Taste and Smell Center.

“Of course, this condition also takes away the enjoyment of some of life’s pleasures like the fragrance of flowers and the taste of delicious, home-cooked foods,” he said.

While taste and smell are two different senses, both contribute to the experience of flavor, Dr Mann explained. In fact, 75 percent of the flavor of food comes from smell. So, when people are unable to smell, they lose their ability to experience flavor.

What are the causes?

“Here’s one more reason to get a flu shot, wash your hands frequently, and get plenty of rest during the flu season,” Dr Mann said, noting that viral infections are a common cause of taste and smell problems. Other causes include nasal disease, upper respiratory infections, head injuries, neurologic disorders, and dental problems.

At the Taste and Smell Center, patients receive a comprehensive evaluation that includes thorough smell and taste testing, general medical evaluation, an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) evaluation, and a neurological evaluation. In some cases, more sophisticated testing including MRI, allergy evaluation, or occupational medicine evaluation may be used.

The Taste and Smell Center includes specialists from several different health center departments including internal medicine, ENT, neurology, and oral diagnosis. For the patients’ convenience, care is provided in a coordinated fashion.

Dr Mann said treatments include medications to treat sinus condition, polyps, or bacterial infections. In some cases, surgery may be recommended. For patients whose loss of smell follows an upper respiratory infection, there is no effective therapy. Patients are told, however, that sensory cells may regenerate and the condition may eventually resolve, he added.

For more information, call 860-679-2459 or visit www.uchc.edu/uconntasteandsmell.