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Suggest Treatment For Altered Sense Of Smell And Taste
Question: a couple of years ago I got a phantom smell..an un earthly horrible smell.then a year ago it left and in it's place I lost my sense of smell and taste. I am 73 female..have no diseases and take no medication except occasional one mil of diazepam for panic attacks. I've been going for acupuncture. I don't have a sinus problem occasionally I can smell smoothing briefly..like bleach or cleaning products and I could smell lily of the valley this year but not lilac. I tasted a peach a few weeks ago. and get a rare taste sometime but briefly.
Brief Answer:
loss of smell and taste due to olfactory nerve injury
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Thank you for trusting HCM with your question.
Losing sense of smell is a result of injury to the olfactory nerves; that nerve can be injured due to chronic inflammation, exposure to cleaning products. A decrease of taste can be associated to this nerve injury but not directly.
The reason why your doctor told you nothing can be done is because our neurons do not regenerate, recovery rate for peripheral neurons is better though. Olfactory is considered central.
One can only try to supplement the body with vitamins that help in neural regeneration, such as cobulamin (b12), and make sure that your body absorbs oral varieties of it, if not intramuscular injections weekly can be prescribed. Time until recovery is hard to determine but since you some time can smell and taste this is a sign that recovery can be expected, but might take long time.
Avoid inhaling or even using bleach, and cleaning products with chlor.
Please refer to a neurologist for a prescription.
Please feel free to ask me further questions.
Kind regards,
Dr. Nazzal
loss of smell and taste due to olfactory nerve injury
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Thank you for trusting HCM with your question.
Losing sense of smell is a result of injury to the olfactory nerves; that nerve can be injured due to chronic inflammation, exposure to cleaning products. A decrease of taste can be associated to this nerve injury but not directly.
The reason why your doctor told you nothing can be done is because our neurons do not regenerate, recovery rate for peripheral neurons is better though. Olfactory is considered central.
One can only try to supplement the body with vitamins that help in neural regeneration, such as cobulamin (b12), and make sure that your body absorbs oral varieties of it, if not intramuscular injections weekly can be prescribed. Time until recovery is hard to determine but since you some time can smell and taste this is a sign that recovery can be expected, but might take long time.
Avoid inhaling or even using bleach, and cleaning products with chlor.
Please refer to a neurologist for a prescription.
Please feel free to ask me further questions.
Kind regards,
Dr. Nazzal
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Priyanka G Raj
When you said taste is not involved directly..what did you mean? would aneurologist prescribe vit b12 shots? is that the same as cobulamin.? It is hard to find a doctor that prescribes vitimins.. I will get b12 in tablet form in the meantime? how much should I take...do you have any idea what the phantom smell had to do with this..every now and then it comes back..
I'm glad you think there is hope. it is very depressing . I eat just because I have to. when I got gas for the car the other day I could smell gas..and today I could briefly smell sage growing outside. it was a nice XXXXXXX .being 73 a long time could be the rest of my life..oh I'm female it says male
Thank you.
I'm glad you think there is hope. it is very depressing . I eat just because I have to. when I got gas for the car the other day I could smell gas..and today I could briefly smell sage growing outside. it was a nice XXXXXXX .being 73 a long time could be the rest of my life..oh I'm female it says male
Thank you.
Brief Answer:
follow up
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your follow-up question.
So taste in specific is not transmitted by the olfactory nerve rather by other nerves such as facial and the gastro pharyngeal nerve. Nevertheless, having a working smell nerve and sense affects the taste since part of the tasting experience smells the food. Phantom smell is a symptom of smell nerve dysfunction.
Your primary care doctor can prescribe it too, 250 mcg once daily for the oral form.
Yes, there is hope and since you occasionally smell something that is good news.
A neurologist can prescribe the medications you need, and will provide insights on your symptoms.
Kind regards,
Dr. Nazzal
kind regards,
Dr. Nazzal
follow up
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your follow-up question.
So taste in specific is not transmitted by the olfactory nerve rather by other nerves such as facial and the gastro pharyngeal nerve. Nevertheless, having a working smell nerve and sense affects the taste since part of the tasting experience smells the food. Phantom smell is a symptom of smell nerve dysfunction.
Your primary care doctor can prescribe it too, 250 mcg once daily for the oral form.
Yes, there is hope and since you occasionally smell something that is good news.
A neurologist can prescribe the medications you need, and will provide insights on your symptoms.
Kind regards,
Dr. Nazzal
kind regards,
Dr. Nazzal
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
Dear Dr Nazzal.
thank you very much for your answers. I wonder how I would find you again. I know this is my last question.. I don't think my primary care doctor is into vitamin injections..Is that what you meant by seeking a neurologist for medication because they do that or were you thinking some other medication. I don't like drugs too much. In the meantime I'm going to get vit b12 or maybe a b complex with the vit b12 in it?
thank you for your explanation about nerve damage tho I don't understand how inflammation causes this..it seems inflammation is the cause of everything these days. Thank you for steering me in the direction of a nerve problem Now I am worried about future nerve problems that this could be an indication of..but at least I know. earlier I had been steered toward ear,nose and throat doctors..How would I know if the oral form of b12 is being absorbed. Is that a blood test..? thanks again..my primary care doctor was telling me it's all in my head like a mental illness..I do have some problems..but this is not in my imagination. All the best to you.
thank you very much for your answers. I wonder how I would find you again. I know this is my last question.. I don't think my primary care doctor is into vitamin injections..Is that what you meant by seeking a neurologist for medication because they do that or were you thinking some other medication. I don't like drugs too much. In the meantime I'm going to get vit b12 or maybe a b complex with the vit b12 in it?
thank you for your explanation about nerve damage tho I don't understand how inflammation causes this..it seems inflammation is the cause of everything these days. Thank you for steering me in the direction of a nerve problem Now I am worried about future nerve problems that this could be an indication of..but at least I know. earlier I had been steered toward ear,nose and throat doctors..How would I know if the oral form of b12 is being absorbed. Is that a blood test..? thanks again..my primary care doctor was telling me it's all in my head like a mental illness..I do have some problems..but this is not in my imagination. All the best to you.
Brief Answer:
Follow up
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
I am glad that my answer provided guidance for you towards solving your health problem.
Oral B12 or b12 complex is also suitable. To test for vitamin B12 level you can ask for a blood test, CBC test, and b12 level test.
If level is normal that is great, if it is lower than normal level you can start taking the oral pills, and redo the blood test again if the level is not getting better you can do a urine test called schilling test that is specific for determining if the body absorbed b12.
If I were your treating doctor I would prescribe you the b12 oral now as I previously said one pill per day, and monitor your progress.
The progress will be slow as neuronal regeneration is a slow process.
Feel free to update me with the progress of your case, I will be more than happy to provide further assistance if needed.
For finding me again you can ask the customer service in the website by sending them an email asking how to find a specific doctor, they are usually very responsive.
Stay in good health.
Kind regards,
Dr. Nazzal
Follow up
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
I am glad that my answer provided guidance for you towards solving your health problem.
Oral B12 or b12 complex is also suitable. To test for vitamin B12 level you can ask for a blood test, CBC test, and b12 level test.
If level is normal that is great, if it is lower than normal level you can start taking the oral pills, and redo the blood test again if the level is not getting better you can do a urine test called schilling test that is specific for determining if the body absorbed b12.
If I were your treating doctor I would prescribe you the b12 oral now as I previously said one pill per day, and monitor your progress.
The progress will be slow as neuronal regeneration is a slow process.
Feel free to update me with the progress of your case, I will be more than happy to provide further assistance if needed.
For finding me again you can ask the customer service in the website by sending them an email asking how to find a specific doctor, they are usually very responsive.
Stay in good health.
Kind regards,
Dr. Nazzal
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar
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