Anosmia Awareness Day

Yes. Congenital anosmia is when a person is born without any sense of smell, often due to underdevelopment or absence of olfactory structures in the nose or brain, and it is usually permanent.

Acquired smell loss happens later in life and can result from infections like COVID-19, chronic sinus disease, head injury, or nasal polyps, and in some cases may improve if the underlying cause is treated.  

What most people call “taste” is largely flavor, which depends heavily on smell, so people with anosmia often report that food seems bland or one‑dimensional.

This can lead to reduced appetite and weight loss in some individuals, while others may overuse salt, sugar, or fat to compensate, which can contribute to weight gain or cardiovascular risk.  

People who cannot smell may not notice smoke, gas leaks, or spoiled food, which increases the risk of fire, poisoning, and foodborne illness.

Experts recommend using interconnected smoke and gas detectors, relying on appliance indicator lights and timers, labeling and dating food, storing high‑risk foods separately, and asking trusted family, roommates, or coworkers to help with periodic safety checks.  

A person should see a doctor or ear, nose, and throat specialist if smell loss is sudden, follows a head injury, is accompanied by persistent nasal symptoms, or lasts more than a few weeks after an infection.

Clinicians may take a detailed history, examine the nose and sinuses, use standardized smell identification tests, and sometimes order imaging such as CT or MRI scans to look for nasal polyps, sinus disease, or brain abnormalities.  

Treatment depends on the cause: nasal steroids, surgery for polyps, or managing chronic sinusitis can restore smell in some people, and smell often returns gradually after viral infections.

For persistent loss without a reversible cause, “smell training” with repeated, structured exposure to a set of odors has been shown in clinical studies to help some patients partially recover or improve their sense of smell over time.  

COVID‑19 commonly causes acute smell loss by affecting the cells that support olfactory neurons, and many people recover within weeks, though some develop longer‑term dysfunction.

Independently of COVID‑19, reduced sense of smell in older adults is associated in research studies with a higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, which makes persistent smell loss an important symptom to mention to a clinician.  

Inclusive environments recognize that someone with anosmia may miss odor‑based warnings or social cues, and they adjust expectations accordingly.

Helpful measures include using visual or audible alarms rather than relying on smell, giving clear written food safety rules, avoiding judging colleagues or students on perfume or body‑odor norms, and offering flexibility for individuals who may find communal eating, cooking classes, or certain job tasks more challenging without a sense of smell.