Loss of Taste and Smell

Since I have suffered with seasonal allergies for most of my life, I didn’t give it a second thought when I became more congested. It was a few days after my husband’s attack of kidney stones, so I didn’t want to complain about it.

It didn’t take long to realize that I had a summer cold. The cold continued to get worse. First starting with my head feeling headachy and stuffed up. Then working its way into my lungs, giving me those deep coughs that continued on when I wanted them to stop. This was the first cold I have had in two years. I had a few days where I felt like the living dead. Sure, I used my cold remedy and it did seem to help. But some things need to take their course.

With my allergies, my sense of taste may not be as strong as someone without allergies. This might explain my love of spicy foods. I like everything hotter and spicier than the rest of the family. But maybe my increase of spices tastes about the same to someone who uses less spice that doesn’t have allergies.

Living with allergies my sense of smell is already off. Many odors, I fell to detect. While on the other hand, all perfume smells are heightened with spring and summer being the worse time.

But this is nothing compared to what have had to I experienced for several days with this cold. Complete loss of taste and smell. Sure with a cold, we lose part of this. Never have I lost it completely.

I could have eaten food that I totally detest. It didn’t matter. I could only feel the texture of my food. Needless to say, there were no cravings for chocolate. Perhaps a loss of taste is not such a bad thing if one wants to diet.

Knowing that this would eventually come back, I can only imagine what it is like for someone to lose these senses for life.

Thursday, July 29, 2010, after we visited the urologist and my husband was given a list to follow to help avoid kidney stones in the future, we went out to lunch. The lunch was uneventful to me. We both ordered the grand slam. I could feel the texture of the eggs, bacon and hash browns, but there was no taste to them. My ice tea could have been plain water. I brought home the pancakes for latter.

Dinner time came. I heated up the pancakes in the microwave along with 100% maple syrup. I could smell the sweet sugary aroma of the syrup and pancakes. Took one bite and sank in pure ecstasy. This was better than sex! Savoring each bite of this sweet enjoyment and realizing how much I had missed my sense of taste and smell.

I have now retained my senses...so to speak.

Ageusia: Complete loss of one's ability to taste

Hypogeusia: Partial loss of one's ability to taste

Dusgeusia: Condition were one's tastes abnormal phantom tastes

Anosmia: Complete loss of one's ability to smell

Hyposmia: Partial loss of one's ability to smell

Parosmia: Condition were one's sense of smell is distorted or they smell phantom odors

What can lead to a lost of taste and smell?

As we age we gradually lose our ability to smell aromas.

Congestion or a blocked nose as in allergies or a cold.

Certain medications

Tooth decay or poor dental hygiene

Cigarette smoking

Head or facial injury

Alzheimer's disease

Parkinson's disease

(Be sure to read the first two hubs below (course you can read all of the hubs), these two are follow-up and tie in hubs.)

Michael Hutchence (1960 – 1997), was the lead singer for the rock band INXS. In 1980, the band released their first album, the self-titled "INXS". They were most popular during the 1980s but continued to perform in the 1990s. “I need you tonight” is only of my favorite songs from INXs.

In 1992, Michael Hutchence suffered a blow to the head causing him to lose his sense of smell and partial sense of taste.

In 1997, he was found dead. It was recorded that he had hung himself. It was later speculated that he was taking part in Breath-Control Play (BCP). Taking the oxygen from the head and neck to stimulate the pleasure of the lower extremities.

Why would he want to take his own life? After all, Hutchence just got married and moved into a new home.

Michael Hutchence had been taking medication for depression, believed to me due to his anosima and ageusia. Author Rachel Herz writes about this in her book ‘The Scent of Desire’ (Found above). It's clinically documented that acquired anosmia often leads to anxiety and depression.

The copyright to this article is owned by Sandy Mertens (sandyspider). Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing. (You can, however, freely use the opening introduction and photo with a link to the article here on HubPages to read the remainder of the article.)