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Altered taste and smell refer to changes in the usual perception of flavours and odours. These sensory abnormalities can manifest as reduced sensitivity (hypogeusia or hyposmia), total loss (ageusia or anosmia), or distorted perception (dysgeusia or parosmia). They can fundamentally influence quality of life, nutrition, and appetite.
Typical causes include upper respiratory tract infections, viral diseases such as COVID-19, sinusitis, and several pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics or chemotherapeutic agents. Also impairing these senses are neurological conditions, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and head injuries. Additional contributing causes are smoking, ageing, and chemical exposure that is detrimental.
People with changed taste and smell could taste metallic or bitter foods, show little interest in food, or find it difficult to identify dangerous smells like smoke or gas leaks. These symptoms could include emotional pain, starvation, or weight loss.
Usually, diagnosis calls for clinical assessment, taste and scent testing, and evaluation of underlying disorders. Treatment relies on the underlying reason and can require sensory retraining methods, management of chronic diseases, or stopping some drugs.
Though not fatal, changed taste and scent can greatly affect daily life. Seeking medical guidance and attending to underlying problems will help to restore sensory ability and raise general well-being.