Characteristics of Olfactory Disorders in Relation to Major Causes of Olfactory Loss

Abstract

LOSS OF olfactory function affects the patient's appreciation of food and drink; it has an impact on safety (eg, detection of spoiled foods and smoke); and it may also produce bodily insecurity: the patient's own body odors are no longer self-perceived, which, in our clinical experience and that of others,¹ has led to an exaggeration of patients' hygiene measures or the excessive use of perfume. However, the loss of olfaction can be particularly insidious and escape detection because, unlike loss of sight or hearing, it is not readily apparent to others. A good example of this difficulty of detection is that patients with congenital anosmia in our population did not discover their olfactory loss until after age 10 years. The present study was designed to investigate the consequences of olfactory loss in daily life and to explore specific questions related to the effect of the duration, degree, and causes of the olfactory disorder.