Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Loss of smell anosmia (an-OZ-me-uh) can be partial or complete, although a complete loss
of smell is fairly rare. Loss of smell can also be temporary or permanent, depending on the cause.
Loss of smell is rarely a symptom of a serious condition. Still, an intact sense of smell is
necessary to fully taste and enjoy food. Loss of smell could cause you to lose interest in eating,
which could possibly lead to weight loss, malnutrition or even depression.
Causes
By Mayo Clinic Staf

The common cold is a frequent cause for a partial, temporary loss of smell. Chronic sinus
infection also may result in a loss of smell. Other obstructions in the nasal passages, such as
polyps, also may cause at least a partial loss of smell. Normal aging is often the cause of a
progressive, complete, and permanent loss of smell.
Problems with the inner lining of your nose

Anosmia can be caused by temporary or permanent irritation, or destruction of the mucous

membranes lining the inside of your nose. This can be caused by:
1. Acute sinusitis (sinus infection)
2. Common cold
3. Hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
4. Influenza (flu)
5. Nonallergic rhinitis (chronic congestion or sneezing not related to allergies)

These conditions are generally the most common causes of loss of smell.
Obstructions of your nasal passages

Anosmia can be caused by something physically blocking the flow of air through your nose.
These obstructions can include:
1. Bony deformity inside your nose
2. Nasal polyps

3. Tumors
Damage to your brain or nerves

Your olfactory system, which provides your sense of smell, consists of receptors in the mucous
lining of your nose that send information through nerves into your brain. You can lose your sense
of smell if any part of the olfactory pathway is damaged or destroyed. This can happen as a result
of:
1. Aging
2. Alzheimer's disease
3. Brain aneurysm
4. Brain surgery
5. Brain tumor
6. Chemical exposures to certain insecticides or solvents
7. Diabetes
8. Huntington's disease
9. Kallmann's syndrome (inability of testicles to produce sperm)
10.Klinefelter syndrome (a condition in which males have an extra X
chromosome in most of their cells)
11.Korsakof's psychosis (a brain disorder caused by the lack of thiamin)
12.Malnutrition
13.Medications (for example, some high blood pressure medications)
14.Multiple sclerosis
15.Multiple system atrophy (MSA) (a progressive disorder of the nervous system)
16.Paget's disease of bone (a disease that afects your bones, sometimes facial
ones)
17.Parkinson's disease
18.Pick's disease (a form of dementia)
19.Radiation therapy

20.Rhinoplasty
21.Schizophrenia
22.Sjogren's syndrome (an inflammatory disease that generally causes dry
mouth and eyes)
23.Traumatic brain injury
24.Zinc deficiency