Smell - Impaired

What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office

The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.

Medical history questions documenting impaired sense of smell in detail may include:

• time pattern
  • When did this problem develop?
  • Have you always had problems with your sense of smell?
  • Is it getting worse?
• quality
  • Are all odors affected or only certain types?
  • Can you taste food?
• aggravating factors
  • Do you have a cold or other upper respiratory infection?
  • Do you have allergies?
  • Do you have chronic sinusitis?
  • What medications are being taken?
• other
  • What other symptoms are also present?

• CT scan
• olfactory nerve testing
• sinus transillumination (a light is placed against the face to help determine if the sinus are full of fluid)
• X-rays of the skull
• MRI scan

Intervention:
If possible, the cause will be treated. If the loss of sense of smell is caused by nasal congestion, local decongestants or antihistamines may be prescribed. A vaporizer or humidifier may be recommended to prevent mucosal drying and improve nasal discharge.

Vitamin A may be given orally (or in some cases) by injection. In some cases, a biopsy of the olfactory epithelium (cells responsible for smell) may be required to make a diagnosis.

After seeing your health care provider:
If a diagnosis was made by your health care provider related to an impaired sense of smell, you may want to note that diagnosis in your personal medical record.