Loss of taste and smell: Natural with aging? - Mayo Clinic

Loss of taste and smell can have a significant impact on quality of life. It often leads to decreased appetite and poor nutrition. It can sometimes contribute ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion. ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. 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RequestAppointment HealthyLifestyleHealthyaging Sections BasicsHealthyaging:Beyond50HealthyretirementDependentseniorsIn-DepthExpertAnswersMultimediaResourcesNewsFromMayoClinicWhat'sNew Productsandservices Islossoftasteandsmellnormalwithaging? AnswerFromPaulY.Takahashi,M.D. Somelossoftasteandsmellisnaturalwithaging,especiallyafterage60.Butotherfactorscancontributetolossoftasteandsmell,including: Nasalandsinusproblems,suchasallergies,sinusitisornasalpolyps Viralinfections,includingthecommoncoldandtheflu Coronavirusdisease2019(COVID-19) Certainmedications,includingbetablockersandangiotensin-convertingenzyme(ACE)inhibitors Dentalproblems Cigarettesmoking Headorfacialinjury Diseasesthataffectthecentralnervoussystem,suchasAlzheimer'sdiseaseandParkinson'sdisease Lossoftasteandsmellcanhaveasignificantimpactonqualityoflife.Itoftenleadstodecreasedappetiteandpoornutrition.Itcansometimescontributetodepression.Lossoftasteandsmellalsomighttemptyoutouseexcesssaltorsugaronyourfoodtoenhancethetaste.Thiscouldbeaproblemifyouhavehighbloodpressureordiabetes. Ifyou'reexperiencinglossoftasteandsmell,seeyourhealthcareprovider.Somecausesofimpairedtasteandsmellaretreatable.Forexample,yourhealthcareprovidermightadjustyourmedicationsifthey'recontributingtotheproblem.Manynasalandsinusconditionsanddentalproblemscanbetreatedaswell.Ifyousmoke,quittingcanhelprestoreyoursenseofsmell. MostpeoplewhohavelossoftasteandsmellassociatedwithCOVID-19diseasereportseeingimprovementsintheirsymptomsinafewweeks.However,forsome,lossoftasteandsmellmaylingerformonths. Ifyoursymptomsdon'timproveaftertreatingthecauseofyourlossoftasteandsmell,yourhealthcareprovidermayrecommendsmelltrainingtherapy.Thistherapyinvolvessmellingfourdifferentscentsforabout10to20secondstwiceadayforatleastthreemonths.Yourhealthcareprovidermightalsorecommendstrategiestohelpyoucopewithlossoftasteandsmell. Ifnecessary,yourhealthcareprovidermightrecommendconsultinganallergist,anear,noseandthroatspecialist(otolaryngologist),aneurologist,orotherspecialist. With PaulY.Takahashi,M.D.   Thereisaproblemwith informationsubmittedforthisrequest.Review/updatethe informationhighlightedbelowandresubmittheform. FromMayoClinictoyourinbox Signupforfree,andstayuptodateonresearchadvancements,healthtipsandcurrenthealthtopics,likeCOVID-19,plusexpertiseonmanaginghealth. Email ErrorEmailfieldisrequired ErrorIncludeavalidemailaddress LearnmoreaboutMayoClinic’suseofdata. Toprovideyouwiththemostrelevantandhelpfulinformation,andunderstandwhich informationisbeneficial,wemaycombineyouremailandwebsiteusageinformationwith otherinformationwehaveaboutyou.IfyouareaMayoClinicpatient,thiscould includeprotectedhealthinformation.Ifwecombinethisinformationwithyourprotected healthinformation,wewilltreatallofthatinformationasprotectedhealth informationandwillonlyuseordisclosethatinformationassetforthinournoticeof privacypractices.Youmayopt-outofemailcommunicationsatanytimebyclickingon theunsubscribelinkinthee-mail. Subscribe! Thankyouforsubscribing OurHousecalle-newsletterwillkeepyouup-to-dateonthelatesthealthinformation. Sorrysomethingwentwrongwithyoursubscription Please,tryagaininacoupleofminutes Retry HydratedskintipsOpioidsandarthritis ShareTweet Feb.09,2022 Showreferences LafreniereD.Tasteandolfactorydisordersinadults:Anatomyandetiology.https://www.uptodate.com/content/search.AccessedDec.22,2021. LafreniereD.Tasteandolfactorydisordersinadults:Evaluationandmanagement.https://www.uptodate.com/content/search.AccessedDec.22,2021. Howsmellandtastechangesasyouage.NationalInstituteonAging.https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/smell-and-taste.AccessedDec.22,2021. SpenceC,etal.Agingandthe(chemical)senses:Implicationsforfoodbehavioramongstelderlyconsumers.Foods.2021;doi:10.3390/foods10010168. FlintPW,etal.,eds.Neurologicsignsinolderadults.In:CummingsOtolaryngology—Head&NeckSurgery.7thed.Elsevier;2021.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedDec.22,2021. McIntoshK.COVID-19:Clinicalfeatures.https://www.uptodate.com/content/search.AccessedDec.23,2021. WhitcroftKL,etal.OlfactorydysfunctioninCOVID-19:Diagnosisandmanagement.JAMA.2020;doi:10.1001/jama.2020.8391. SeemoreExpertAnswers ProductsandServicesBook:MayoClinicGuidetoArthritisBook:MayoCliniconHearingandBalance SeealsoAgingDenturecare:HowdoIcleandentures?FallpreventionFallpreventionIshealthyaginginyourgenes?Longtermcareforagingparents:TalknowMemoryloss:7tipstoimproveyourmemoryCanetipsAge-relatedvisionproblemsBalanceexercisesWalkertipsShowmorerelatedcontent Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinicPress. 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