Homeostatic Imbalances
Two main disorders
1.Hyposmia-is a reduced ability to detect odors.
2.Anosomia-is the inability to detect odors at all.
People who experience changes in how they sense odors may notice that familiar odors are distorted or that something that normally smells pleasant now smells foul.Other people may sense an odor that isn't present at all.
Causes:
Smell disorders have many causes, with some more obvious than others. Most people who develop a smell disorder have experienced a recent illness or injury. Commoncauses of smell disorders are..
·Sinus and other upper respiratory infections
·Polyps in the nasal cavities
·Frontal head injuries
·Hormonal disturbances
·Dental problems
·Exposure to certain chemicals, such as insecticides and solvents
·Numerous medications, including some common antibiotics and antihistamines
·Radiation associated with the treatment of head and neck cancers
·Aging
·Other health issues that affect the nervous system, such as Parkinson’s disease or
Alzheimer’s disease
How are Smell disorders diagnosed?
It is as easy as a "scratch and sniff" test allows a person to scratch pieces of paper treated to release different odors, sniff them, and try to identify each odor from a list of possibilities. In this way, doctors can
easily determine whether patients have hyposmia, anosmia, or another kind of smell disorder.
Are Smell diorders serious?
Yes. Like all of our senses, our sense of smell plays an important part in our lives. The sense of smell often serves as a first warning signal, alerting us to the smoke of a fire or the odor of a natural gas leak and dangerous fumes.
Perhaps more important is that our chemosenses are sometimes a signal of serious health problems.
Can You treat smell disorders?
Treating the cause of the problem may correct the lost sense of smell.
Treatment can include:
- Change in Medication
-Surgery to correct Blockages
-Treatment of other disorders
1.Hyposmia-is a reduced ability to detect odors.
2.Anosomia-is the inability to detect odors at all.
People who experience changes in how they sense odors may notice that familiar odors are distorted or that something that normally smells pleasant now smells foul.Other people may sense an odor that isn't present at all.
Causes:
Smell disorders have many causes, with some more obvious than others. Most people who develop a smell disorder have experienced a recent illness or injury. Commoncauses of smell disorders are..
·Sinus and other upper respiratory infections
·Polyps in the nasal cavities
·Frontal head injuries
·Hormonal disturbances
·Dental problems
·Exposure to certain chemicals, such as insecticides and solvents
·Numerous medications, including some common antibiotics and antihistamines
·Radiation associated with the treatment of head and neck cancers
·Aging
·Other health issues that affect the nervous system, such as Parkinson’s disease or
Alzheimer’s disease
How are Smell disorders diagnosed?
It is as easy as a "scratch and sniff" test allows a person to scratch pieces of paper treated to release different odors, sniff them, and try to identify each odor from a list of possibilities. In this way, doctors can
easily determine whether patients have hyposmia, anosmia, or another kind of smell disorder.
Are Smell diorders serious?
Yes. Like all of our senses, our sense of smell plays an important part in our lives. The sense of smell often serves as a first warning signal, alerting us to the smoke of a fire or the odor of a natural gas leak and dangerous fumes.
Perhaps more important is that our chemosenses are sometimes a signal of serious health problems.
Can You treat smell disorders?
Treating the cause of the problem may correct the lost sense of smell.
Treatment can include:
- Change in Medication
-Surgery to correct Blockages
-Treatment of other disorders