{"id":1903,"date":"2020-05-14T19:18:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T23:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entallergypartners.fm1.dev\/?p=1903"},"modified":"2020-05-19T17:56:38","modified_gmt":"2020-05-19T21:56:38","slug":"what-is-anosmia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlestonent.com\/what-is-anosmia\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Anosmia?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Your ability to smell is an often-overlooked sense that is important to your survival. An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/brain\/anosmia-loss-of-smell#1\" title=\"What Is Anosmia? | WebMD\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">inability to smell, known as anosmia,<\/a> has been in the news lately due to its connection to COVID-19. Understanding the causes of this condition can help ensure you seek treatment when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Smell?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/charlestonent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/richard-ecsedi-Wv9Bn8te3as-unsplash-1280x853.jpg\" alt=\"a woman smelling a bunch of lavender next to a field of lavender\" class=\"wp-image-1904\" width=\"317\" height=\"211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/charlestonent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/richard-ecsedi-Wv9Bn8te3as-unsplash-1280x853.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/charlestonent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/richard-ecsedi-Wv9Bn8te3as-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/charlestonent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/richard-ecsedi-Wv9Bn8te3as-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/charlestonent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/richard-ecsedi-Wv9Bn8te3as-unsplash-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 317px) 100vw, 317px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Your sense of smell is pretty simple. A substance, such as a flower, releases molecules. A molecule will travel up your nose and stimulate the olfactory cells, which will send information onto the brain. It is then that your brain identifies the specific smell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any damage or interference to this process can <a href=\"https:\/\/charlestonent.com\/nose\/loss-of-smell\/\">lead to a loss of smell<\/a>. Common problems include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/charlestonent.com\/nose\/nasal-congestion\/\">Nasal congestion<\/a><\/li><li>Nasal blockage<\/li><li>Damage to the nerve cells<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Your ability to smell plays a large role in your sense of taste. Without smell, your taste buds are limited and can only detect a few flavors. While not dangerous, this can impact your quality of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Causes and Symptoms of Anosmia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The most obvious symptom of anosmia is an inability to smell. For some, this damage causes a change in the way certain things smell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the above-mentioned problems that can interfere with your smelling processes, below are some of the less common causes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Exposure to chemicals<\/li><li>Cocaine use<\/li><li>Old age<\/li><li>Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/li><li>Parkinson\u2019s disease<\/li><li>Multiple sclerosis<\/li><li>Nutritional deficiencies<\/li><li>Radiation treatment<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Is Anosmia Diagnosed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you experience an inability to smell for longer than a week or two, you should seek medical attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your doctor will perform a physical exam, looking inside your nose with a lighted instrument to see if a growth is impairing your ability to smell or if there is an infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If no cause is identified, further testing such as a CT scan may be ordered to get a better look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Treatment for Loss of Smell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The treatment of your condition depends on your diagnosis. Decongestants may be ordered to help open up your nasal passage. If your congestion gets worse, this is a sign of an infection and your doctor will prescribe antibiotics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Surgery may be ordered to remove a polyp or growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about anosmia or to schedule an appointment with an ear, nose and throat physician, contact the experts at Charleston ENT &#038; Allergy&nbsp;today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your ability to smell is an often-overlooked sense that is important to your survival. An inability to smell, known as anosmia, has been in the news lately due to its connection to COVID-19. Understanding the causes of this condition can help ensure you seek treatment when needed. What Is Smell? Your sense of smell is&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1904,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"15","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"(843) 766-7103 | An inability to smell, known as anosmia, has been in the news lately due to its connection to COVID-19. 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