Why does the sense of smell disappear? After the flu, the sense of smell was gone, what to do?

In everyday life a person is regularly at risk of getting sick with ailments that cause discomfort and a lot of inconvenience. Among them, of course, is the loss of smell. It would seem that this is not the most global health problem. However, people who have experienced it on their own have an entirely opposite view on this matter.

Of course, many people who lose their sense of smell begin to panic. This behavior is easy to explain: who likes to not feel the scents of flowering plants, smells coming from the kitchen during the preparation of dinner, or to feel that the food does not have any taste at all.

Whatever one may say, but when the sense of smell disappears, life becomes darker. Let's try to understand why a person is exposed to such a risk and how he can be helped in solving the problem.

Kinds

There are two pathological conditions in which a person's sense of smell is lost.

In the first case (hyposmia) it is a partial loss of smell caused by cold illnesses, inflammatory processes that develop on the mucosa, polyps and other health disorders.

The second variation of loss of smell (anosmia) occurs when a person completely loses the ability to smell. The causes of this pathology may be congenital diseases and craniocerebral trauma. Methods of treatment of loss of sensitivity of nasal receptors in any given situation are of an individual nature and one can not do without qualified medical assistance. That's why, if you have a sense of smell, do not self-medicate, and go to the reception to a specialist.

Causes

There are a huge number of factors, due to which a person loses the ability to smell.

Consider the most common of them.

Cold

Of course, once we have lost the sense of smell and taste, this is a clear sign that we are sick with colds. At this moment, inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx are activated, the cause of which is a common cold. Against this background there is a blockage of nasal passages and swelling of the mucosa. All this leads to the fact that the olfactory receptors cease to fulfill their function. In ARVI, the situation is complicated by the fact that some parts of the "sensitive" epithelium are destroyed. If you have lost your sense of smell after the flu, immediately consult a doctor who can prescribe the right treatment for you.

Dry air

In some cases, a person ceases to smell due to low air humidity.

This leads to the expansion of the blood vessels of the nasal sinuses and the development of rhinitis. Parallel to this, the nasal passages narrow, the movement of air becomes more difficult.

Smoking

Do you want to know why the sense of smell is missing? It's all about the bad habit of smoking. When a person inhales tobacco smoke, a large amount of irritating substances penetrate into the nasal cavity. Naturally, the body does its utmost to minimize receptor sensitivity. As a result, a person loses the ability to feel not only the smell of smoke, but also other flavors. Smokers should also remember that the "poisoning" effect of nicotine can provoke neuritis of the olfactory nerve.

Lack of insulin in the blood

If a person suffers from type 1 diabetes, the fats in his body disintegrate very quickly. All this contributes to the concentration of volatile compounds that are secreted through the lungs.

The diabetic begins to feel that acetone is present in the exhaled carbon dioxide gas. The situation is complicated by the fact that volatile compounds, irritating the sensitive receptors of nasal passages, cause them a certain dependence, as a result of which a person's ability to smell is reduced.

If it is a question of type 2 diabetes, there is a violation of blood flow in the zone of olfactory receptors, as a result, it can lead to their death.

Nervous System Disorders

Head injuries and infectious diseases that affect the nervous system can also be the reason that a person will lose the ability to smell.

A brain tumor

Loss of smell can indicate that a person can develop brain cancer. The tumor can affect the zones responsible for the sense of smell. To timely detect the disease, you need to make an MRI procedure.

Among other causes of loss of sensitivity of nasal receptors may be allergic rhinitis, and curvature of the septum of the respiratory organ, and problems with the secretion of the nasal mucosa.

Methods of treatment

As already emphasized, the ways to restore the ability to smell are individual, their application depends on the specific nature of the cause that caused the pathology.

In particular, if a person after a cold has lost his sense of smell, he is "prescribed" a course of local and general antiviral therapy, in combination with anti-inflammatory anti-allergic drugs.

Of course, in most cases, when it becomes necessary to solve the above problem, everyone rushes to the pharmacy to purchase vasoconstrictive drops. If the sense of smell is lost with a cold, then drugs such as "Naphthyzine" or "Nafazolin" will help. They reduce the level of pressure on the receptors, narrow the blood vessels and increase the lumen of the nasal cavity. However, they must be applied strictly according to the instructions.

If the sense of smell is lost due to allergic rhinitis, then antihistamines will help to fix the situation, and in complicated forms - drugs containing corticosteroid hormones.

If the sensitivity of the receptors is lost because of the curvature of the nasal septum, then there can not be no surgical methods.

When the sensitivity of receptors is associated with cancer processes in the brain, then chemotherapy is used in combination with a surgical procedure.

Alternative treatment options

You can restore the sense of smell through the methods of traditional medicine. Essential oils and inhalations based on plant components are considered to be particularly effective. In particular, you should use essential oil of basil. It is enough to drip a few drops on a napkin, which you then need to put on a pillow next to the patient.

You can prepare a decoction of the following ingredients: lemon juice (10 drops), lavender essential oil (3-4 drops), boiling water (200 ml). You should inhale the vapors of this mixture of each nostril for 5 minutes. The procedure should be done for 10 days with a frequency of once a day.