Sense of Smell

[The PIT]

For years I've never had a good sense of smell. For some reason in the last six months or so it's started working. It's fine when theres pleasant smells around but not when when theres bad ones around.
Any reason why it's suddenly started working??

[Tjalfe]

did you just stop smoking?

[cjolley]

Finally getting rid of that chronic sinus infection.

or Brain Tumor

[schmosef]

You must be pregnant!

Congrats!

[Mehen]

There are tons of things that can cause loss of smell, you probably did just get over or get rid of something - infection, any head trauma?, could have been a benign tumor like cjolley mentioned, virus, etc

But having good sense of smell now isn't a bad sign as far as I know

[Umfriend]

You must be pregnant!

Congrats!

LOL

[The PIT]

No chance of little pits I'm male and no I've haven't got over anything. My sense of smell has always been very poor. It's just started workjing after 40 odd years.

[Dr Mordrid]

The lack of sense of smell = anosmia

Anosmia resource site


Wikipedia page

Causes

A temporary loss of smell can be caused by a stuffy nose or infection. In contrast, a permanent loss of smell may be caused by death of olfactory receptor neurons in the nose, or by brain injury in which there is damage to the olfactory nerve or damage to brain areas that process smell (see olfactory system). The lack of the sense of smell at birth, usually due to genetic factors, is referred as congenital anosmia. Anosmia may very occasionally be an early sign of degenerative brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Another specific cause of permanent loss could be from damage to olfactory receptor neurons due to use of certain types of nasal spray, i.e. those that cause vasoconstriction of the nasal microcirculation. To avoid such damage and subsequent risk of loss of smell from vasoconstricting nasal sprays, they should be used for only a short amount of time and only when absolutely necessary. Non-vasoconstricting sprays, such as those used to treat allergy related congestion are safe to use for extended periods of time.

* Upper respiratory tract infection (e.g., sinusitis or the common cold)
* Nasal polyps
* Smoking
* Head trauma
* Dementia with Lewy bodies
* Parkinson's Disease
* Alzheimer's Disease
* Toxins (especially acrylates, methacrylates and cadmium)
* Old age
* Kallmann syndrome
* Laryngectomy with permanent tracheostomy
* Esthesioneuroblastoma is an exceedingly rare cancerous tumor that originates in or near the olfactory nerve. Symptoms are anosmia (loss of sense of smell) often accompanied by chronic sinusitis.

Anosmia can also be caused by nasal polyps. These polyps are found in people with allergies, histories on sinusitis & family history.

[cjolley]

...odd years.

I don't doubt that a bit.