Show Feeling Sick?If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consider the following options:
When to Seek Emergency Medical AttentionLook for emergency warning signs* for COVID 19:
If someone is showing any of these signs, call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility. Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19. *This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you. A change in your sense of smell can be unpleasant and affect how things taste. But it is not usually serious and may get better in a few weeks or months. Changes in sense of smell are most often caused by: These can cause: It's also common to lose some of your sense of smell as you get older. Information: If you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better. Rinsing the inside of your nose with a saltwater solution may help if your sense of smell is affected by an infection or allergy. You can make a saltwater solution at home.
You do not need to use all of the solution, but make a fresh batch each day – do not reuse any left over from the day before. Some pharmacies sell sachets you can use to make a saltwater solution and devices to help you rinse your nose. Information: Call a pharmacy or contact them online before going in person. You can get medicines delivered or ask someone to collect them. Find a pharmacy Non-urgent advice: See a GP if your sense of smell does not go back to normal in a few weeksThey'll check for any obvious causes, such as sinusitis or nasal polyps. They may refer you to a specialist for tests if they're not sure what the problem is. Treatment for lost or changed sense of smellYour 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 might help if you have sinusitis or nasal polyps. A treatment called smell training can also help some people. To find out more about smell training, see:
Sometimes changes in sense of smell cannot be treated and may be permanent. Page last reviewed: 11 December 2020 Your sense of taste and smell work together to make food enjoyable or warn you that it’s gone bad. Every year, over 200,000 people seek care for taste or smell problems. These senses are so interwoven that sometimes, what seems to be the loss of taste is actually the loss of smell. True loss of taste (ageusia) is rare. Many conditions can interfere with taste, but it usually returns when the cause is resolved. Loss of taste can be a sign of COVID-19 or another viral infection. Sometimes it lingers even after the infection has passed. Depending on the cause, lack of taste may resolve on its own or by treating the cause. In the meantime, avoid the temptation to add extra sugar or salt to your food. Experiment with a variety of foods, herbs, and spices. Read on as we explore some causes for loss of taste and how to get it back. Change or loss of taste is commonly reported by people with COVID-19. In an April 2021 study, researchers found that in a group of 200 people with mild to moderate COVID-19:
Everybody who lost their taste regained it within 14 days. People who lost their sense of smell regained it within 21 days except for two people, who developed long-term loss of smell. In a review of studies, researchers found impairment of taste or smell commonly occurred before other COVID-19 symptoms. For a very small number of people, loss or change in taste may be long term. The reason why COVID-19 can affect your taste isn’t entirely clear. But researchers have found that the epithelial cells in your mouth, including taste bud cells, contain receptors for the enzyme angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The virus that causes COVID-19 can enter cells through these receptors. Other symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever, and fatigue. Difficulty breathing or chest pain signals a medical emergency. Even with no other symptoms, loss of taste can be indicative of COVID-19, so speak with a doctor about testing or sign up for a test with a community provider. If you test positive, stay hydrated and get plenty of rest. Take over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for pain and fever. Any type of infection of the upper respiratory tract can affect your sense of taste. Upper respiratory tract infections include the common cold and influenza, which can cause nasal congestion, coughing, and sneezing. The flu can also cause fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), change or loss of taste or smell is more common with COVID-19 than the flu. Cold and flu symptoms are treated with:
Antibiotics don’t work for viral infections like a cold or flu. They can be used for bacterial infections, such as strep throat and some ear infections. You’ll probably regain your sense of taste as the infection clears. Some viral infections can cause permanent damage to taste. Allergies and sinus infections can cause inflammation and congestion, which affects smell and taste. Sinus infections are treated with:
Most people gradually regain their sense of smell and taste as other symptoms improve. Nasal polyps are soft, painless bumps that grow in your nasal passages or sinuses. They’re caused by chronic inflammation associated with:
Aside from the loss of the sense of taste and smell, symptoms can include:
In a 2018 study , researchers found that 28 percent of 68 people with chronic rhinosinusitis had taste loss. About 60 percent of the people in the study had chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps. A doctor can prescribe medicines to shrink nasal polyps. They can also be surgically removed, but polyps can recur. Chemotherapy and radiation to the head or neck can alter or weaken your sense of taste. This usually clears up once you finish treatment. In the meantime, here are some other things you can try:
People with dementia, including those with Alzheimer’s disease, can experience a decline in smell and taste. Other things that contribute to eating and nutritional difficulties include:
Switching to different medications where possible may be helpful, but loss of taste due to dementia and aging is unlikely to be greatly improved. A licensed dietitian can help with meal planning and nutritional guidance. Certain nutritional deficiencies could minimize your sense of taste. For example, zinc is vital to your senses of taste and smell. You can probably already get enough zinc through a normal, varied diet. Zinc is found in chicken, red meat, fortified breakfast cereals, and many other foods. Women need 8 milligrams a day and men need 11 milligrams. If you think you may have a zinc deficiency, talk with a doctor about your diet and whether you should take a supplement. Don’t take supplements without first speaking with a doctor. Anything that affects the mouth can certainly affect your sense of taste, such as:
If you have other dental symptoms, such as mouth pain, swelling, or a bad taste in your mouth, see a dentist. Treating the source of the problem should help restore your sense of taste. Good oral hygiene includes regular dental visits, and daily brushing and flossing. It’s not unusual to gradually lose some sense of smell and taste as you age. It’s not normal to completely lose your sense of taste, though. Talk with a doctor about loss of taste and any other symptoms you have. Determining and treating the cause may help you get your taste back. Exposure to high amounts of certain chemicals may contribute to loss of taste. For example, high pesticide exposure can cause long-lasting impairment of your sense of smell and taste. Injury to the head can cause you to lose your sense of smell and taste. How long it lasts and how it’s treated depends on the location and extent of the injury. Losing your sense of taste while nursing a cold, allergies, or flu is likely temporary. But in some cases, it could be a sign of a serious condition. If it persists long term, it can lead to under or overeating, malnutrition, and poorer quality of life. Talk with a doctor if loss of taste goes well beyond a recent bout of congestion or illness, has come on suddenly, or is accompanied by other symptoms. If needed, a doctor can refer you to an otolaryngologist, also known as an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist for evaluation. Warning Diagnosis starts with a discussion of your symptoms, medical history, and physical examination of your ears, nose, and throat. An ENT doctor may ask you to taste and compare a variety of things to measure the extent of your taste problems. This will help determine the cause or the next steps toward diagnosis. Sense of taste is strongly connected to sense of smell. You need both to fully taste food. Many things can interfere with taste, including allergies, colds, and influenza. Normal taste usually returns as other symptoms clear up. If you have a lingering loss of taste, with or without other symptoms, see a doctor. It could be a sign of an underlying condition. Losing one’s sense of taste is also associated with COVID-19. Treating the underlying cause can often help get your taste buds back on track. Lea este artículo en español. |
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