A change in your sense of smell can be unpleasant and affect how things taste.
Changes to your sense of smell are not usually serious. Changes may get better in a few weeks or months. But contact your GP if your sense of smell does not improve.
Causes of lost or changed sense of smell
Changes in sense of smell are most often caused by:
- a cold or flu
- sinusitis (sinus infection)
- an allergy, such as hay fever
- growths in your nose (nasal polyps)
- COVID-19 (coronavirus)
- smoking
Types of smell changes include:
- loss of smell (anosmia)
- smelling things that are not there (phantosmia), such as smoke or burnt toast
- reduced sense of smell (hyposmia)
- things smelling different (parosmia)
It's also common to lose some of your sense of smell as you get older.
Less common causes of smell changes include brain conditions such as Parkinson's disease.
Cleaning inside your nose can help
If you have an infection or allergy, rinsing inside your nose may help. Rinse up to 3 times a day with a salt water solution.
You can buy salt water sprays from a pharmacy or make a salt water solution at home.
How to make and use a salt water solution
To make a salt water solution:
- Boil a pint of water and leave it to cool to room temperature.
- Mix 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) into the water.
You do not need to use all of the solution at once. You can store the solution for 1 day.
To clean your nose:
- Wash and dry your hands.
- Stand over a sink and pour a small amount of the solution into the palm of your hand.
- Sniff some of the solution up 1 nostril at a time - you can close your other nostril with your finger.
- Let the solution run out of your nostril.
Repeat these steps up to 3 times a day.
Treatment for lost or changed sense of smell
Your sense of smell may go back to normal in a few weeks or months.
Treating the cause might help. For example, steroid nasal sprays or drops may help if you have sinusitis or nasal polyps.
A treatment called smell training can also help some people.
Sometimes changes in sense of smell cannot be treated and may be permanent.
Smell training - smelltaste.org.uk
Safety advice if you have no sense of smell
You may not be able to smell things such as:
- gas leaks
- smoke or fire
- spoiled food
There are things you can do to reduce your risk of harm if you cannot smell hazards.
Do
-
install a natural gas detector if you use gas in your home
-
install smoke detectors and test them often
-
use a timer or an alarm when you cook
-
label food with the date you open it
-
open a window or door when you use cleaning products or other chemicals
