I lost my sense of smell, and consequently my sense of taste, following a viral head cold. This has been going on for six months and there is no sign of it abating.
To distinguish flavours, the brain needs information about both smell and taste, communicated from taste buds in the mouth and nerves in the nose.
After the age of 50, a gradual diminution in taste and olfactory ability is common, with approximately 40 per cent of older people suffer from a reduction in their ability to smell (hyposmia).
Although the most common cause of loss of smell is head injury, anosmia (loss of smell) can be caused by a wide range of conditions including viral infections, sinusitis, dental abscesses or tumours. Radiation therapy for cancer of the head and neck can result in loss of smell or taste.
In a minority of sufferers, anosmia can be present from birth. A recent study found that 88 per cent of patients with post viral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD) had the Parainfluenza virus 3 strain in their nasal mucus compared with only 9 per cent of the control group.
The researchers suggest that this particular strain of influenza may be the cause of post viral olfactory problems.
I got the impression that my consultant considered this to be a minor inconvenience, which I can assure you it is not.
I'm sorry if you felt your condition was trivialised; although not life-threatening, anosmia can impinge significantly on quality of life.
Not only is enjoyment from eating and drinking diminished, but there can be safety issues related to the condition if the sufferer is unable to smell dangerous gases or smoke from fires.
I've tried various cures including herbal remedies, Chinese medicine, acupuncture and even hypnotism. Have you any other suggestions?
Unless a cause for the problem can be identified, there is no cure for the condition. If the problem is the result of irritation to the sinuses and nasal lining, steam inhalation, sprays and antibiotics may help. If you are on other medications, ask your doctor about the possibility of your loss of smell being a side effect of these, in which case he may change or discontinue the drug. There are claims zinc supplements speed up recovery from loss of smell, but I can find no research to substantiate this.