I am very sorry to hear of your condition. It must be difficult when
the cause is so hard to decipher and the available treatments
seemingly so lacking. I'm afraid I didn't come up with any
breakthroughs, and much of this information you are probably aleady
familiar with, but I felt that you may derive something from what I
have dug up.
BACKGROUND INFOMATION
MedLine Plus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003052.htm
"The loss of smell is usually an insignificant result of nasal
congestion or obstruction, but it can sometimes indicate a
neurological disorder. Loss of the sense of smell may be idiopathic
(without any identifiable cause)."
Evidently, your loss of smell is idiopathic.
"Some loss of smell occurs normally with aging. In most cases, there
is no obvious or immediate cause, and there is no treatment."
Since you didn't specify that you are advanced in age and your loss of
smell seems to be absolute, this is unlikely the cause and thus
treatment may not be completely precluded.
"Common Causes
-natural aging process
-recent viral upper respiratory infection
-nasal decongestants
-lead poisoning
-drugs (such as amphetamines, estrogen, naphazoline, phenothiazines,
prolonged use of nasal decongestants, reserpine)
-radiation therapy
-nasal or sinus surgery
-tracheostomy
-nasal or brain tumors"
Zinc sprays may impact sense of smell
http://www.tasteandsmell.com/apr04.htm
I know that you mentioned that there was no head trauma, but it is
worth making sure that there are no brain tumors or neurological
disorders. The fact that your loss of smell is absolute seems to
indicate that there may be some serious neurological implications.
"Loss of sense of smell due to trauma is unlikely to recover, however,
loss of the sense of smell due to viral injury from upper respiratory
tract infection can produce recovery in up to 30% of people over a
period of up to 5 years."
http://www.medicdirect.co.uk/clinics/default.ihtml?step=4&pid=1739
Loss of smell may be a symptom of more serious diseases/disorders
?The loss of smell - or olfactory dysfunction - has been known for
more than a decade as an early sign of several neurodegenerative
diseases, but we have never been able to link it to a pathological
entity that is measurable over time,? said Richard Doty, PhD,
Professor and Director of Penn?s Smell and Taste Center, who is also
the team leader of the study. ?By tying decrements in the ability to
smell to the presence of key disease proteins, such as tau, we may
well be able to assess the degree of progression of selected elements
of Alzheimer?s disease and related disorders by scores on quantitative
smell tests.?
http://www.alzheimersupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/2089/T/Alzheimers/cat/research/
POTENTIAL TREATMENTS
"If loss of the sense of smell is permanent, dietary counseling may
include use of highly seasoned foods and stimulation of taste
sensations that remain."
"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."
Tau proteins may be involved in treatment?
"The results of the Penn study showed that only the control mice, with
no excess of tau proteins, expressed an interest in new odors,
indicating a normal sense of smell. The mice that had excess in tau
protein showed little or no interest in such odors, implying olfactory
dysfunction. Analysis of brain tissue from the diseased mice confirmed
a link between the olfactory loss and the presence of excess tau
proteins in brain structures important for smelling. Additionally, the
genetically engineered mice exhibited a significant amount of
neurofibrillary tangles, structures also linked to Alzheimer?s
disease."
http://www.alzheimersupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/2089/T/Alzheimers/cat/research/
Obstaining from taking certain medications may help
"Sometimes a certain medication is the cause of smell or taste
disorders, and improvement occurs when that medicine is stopped or
changed. Although certain medications can cause chemosensory problems,
others-particularly anti-allergy drugs-seem to improve the senses of
taste and smell. Some patients, notably those with serious respiratory
infections or seasonal allergies, regain their smell or taste simply
by waiting for their illness to run its course. In many cases, nasal
obstructions, such as polyps, can be removed to restore airflow to the
receptor area and can correct the loss of smell and taste.
Occasionally, chemosenses return to normal just as spontaneously as
they disappeared."
http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/topics/smell_taste.cfm
Drugs may be in development based on recent studies
"Conclusion: The determination that a common pathway may mediate
olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) cell death from a diverse set of
pathologic insults including aging, trauma, and sinusitis offers
promise . for the development of drugs for treatment of clinical
olfactory dysfunction. Additionally, interference with this pathway of
cell death is currently the subject of intense pharmaco-therapeutic
research for the management of stroke and meningitis."
http://www.sinusitiscenter.com/Studies/loss_of_smell.html
Hormone Treatment
http://www.ehendrick.org/healthy/002178.htm#Treatment
"Other medications prescribed for smelling disorders include steroids
such as Prednisone"
Misc. Treatments
http://www.ehendrick.org/healthy/002178.htm#Treatment
"Removal of nasal polyps and benign tumors may cause the sense of
smell to return. Polyp removal is an uncomplicated surgery. Generally,
only a local anesthetic is needed.
Septoplasty straightens the nasal passage. It is generally an
outpatient surgery, with local or general anesthesia required.
Rhinoplasty straightens the structure of the nose. This surgery could
be combined with septoplasty.
Endoscopic sinus surgery opens sinus drainage channels. This
outpatient surgery is an option after a person sees no improvement
after trying treatments such as medications.
Surgical treatment may not be effective in conditions that result in
the destruction of the olfactory nerve or its central passages.
However, regeneration of those tissues may cause the sense to return."
Accupuncture Treatment?
http://www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk/journal/2003(4)/153.shtml
http://www.icmart.org/icm98abs/abs23.html
http://www.anosmiafoundation.org/anecdotal.shtml
Dentistry Work Causes Anosmia, Chiropractor Treats It
http://www.anosmiafoundation.org/anecdotal.shtml
"I have been without any smell & very, very little taste since April
of 2000, immediately following a 9 hour visit to a Dentist... Had my
mouth open most of the time, and lot's of injections...
I've been though MRI's for brain scans, 4 Medical Doctors... absolutely NOTHING
Three weeks ago I went to a Chiropractor, because my husband had bid
and won at an auction... I told this man about my problem... and he
told me I might get some of my smell back!!
VERY FIRST ADJUSTMENT AT THE TOP OF THE NECK.. BEHIND THE EARS.. AND
I HONESTLY WAS ABLE TO SMELL A CANDLE IN THE NEXT ROOM!!!!
YESTERDAY I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE DENTIST FOR A NIGHT BITE
REPLACEMENT.. AND I ACTUALLY LOST SOME THE SMELL... I HAD TO HOLD MY
MOUTH OPEN FOR A WHILE....
DON'T THINK I AM WEARING THE NIGHT GUARD ANYMORE... SINCE THE
ADJUSTMENTS, I DON'T NEED IT..."
Topical corticosteroid treatment of anosmia
Pub Med
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9109781&dopt=Abstract
Welge-Luessen A, Wolfensberger M. Reversible anosmia after amikacin
therapy. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003;129:1331-3.
"Olfactory disorders are among the rare adverse effects of antibiotic
therapy. To date, olfactory losses or distortions have been reported
after the use of doxycycline, amoxicillin, clarithromycin,
roxithromycin, kanamycin sulfate, and streptomycin sulfate. We
describe what we believe to be the first case of transient anosmia
associated with the use of intravenous amikacin sulfate. The
appearance of the disorder and its subsequent resolution were
demonstrated by psychometric testing as well as by chemosensory evoked
potentials. Based on the well-documented temporal course of the
anosmia, there is a probable causal correlation between the
administration of amikacin and the appearance of the olfactory
disturbance. However, the exact pathogenesis of the anosmia is still a
matter of conjecture."
Bromley SM. Smell and taste disorders: a primary care approach. Am Fam
Physician 2000 15;61:427-36, 438.
"Smell and taste disorders are common in the general population, with
loss of smell occurring more frequently. Although these disorders can
have a substantial impact on quality of life and may represent
significant underlying disease, they are often overlooked by the
medical community. Patients may have difficulty recognizing smell
versus taste dysfunction and frequently confuse the concepts of
?flavor? and ?taste.? While the most common causes of smell
disturbance are nasal and sinus disease, upper respiratory infection
and head trauma, frequent causes of taste disturbance include oral
infections, oral appliances (e.g., dentures), dental procedures and
Bell?s palsy. Medications can interfere with smell and taste, and
should be reviewed in all patients with reported dysfunction. In
addition, advancing age has been associated with a natural impairment
of smell and taste ability. A focused history and a physical
examination of the nose and mouth are usually sufficient to screen for
underlying pathology. Computed tomographic scanning or magnetic
resonance imaging of affected areas, as well as commercially available
standardized tests, may be useful in selected patients. The causes of
olfactory dysfunction that are most amenable to treatment include
obstructing polyps or other masses (treated by excision) and
inflammation (treated with steroids). Enhancement of food flavor and
appearance can improve quality of life in patients with irreversible
dysfunction."
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Anosmia link page
http://personal.ecu.edu/wuenschk/anosmia.htm
American Rhinological Institute
http://www.american-rhinologic.org/cgi-bin/menu.cgi?m=main.menu&state=1001125555100000001000000&citem=7&f=patientinfo.loss.phtml
Med India
http://www.medindia.net/Patients/PatientInfo/anosmia.asp
Hirsch's Smell & Taste Treatment/Research Foundation
http://personal.ecu.edu/wuenschk/Anosmia-Treatment.htm
UCONN Taste and Smell Center
http://www.uchc.edu/uconntasteandsmell/viral.html
Yahoo Anosmia Message Board
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/anosmia/messages/3801?viscount=100
Sensory Disfunction - Neurology
www.healthseva.com/content/internal_medicine/ neurology/sensory_dysfun.php3
Entnet
http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/topics/smell_taste.cfm
Anosmia Resources
http://www.angelfire.com/md2/simianline/anosmia.html
Google Search Terms Used
"loss of smell" treatment
://www.google.com/search?q=%22loss+of+smell%22+treatment&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&start=30&sa=N
anosmia treatment
://www.google.com/search?q=anosmia+treatment&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&start=20&sa=N
I hope this proves useful. Again, I am sorry to hear about your
condition and very much hope that you find an effective treatment.
Thank you for your question.
-Anthony (adiloren-ga) |
