- Loss of taste and smell can occur naturally as we age, especially after age 60, but sinus issues can be another major contributing factor.
- Sinusitis is a condition where the sinuses, the spaces inside your nose and head, become inflamed and swollen.
- Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population.
Chronic sinusitis can affect people in many ways, including loss of smell and taste, according to ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialists. According to Dr. Jamie Oberman of Frederick Breathe Free, seeing an ENT specialist can help with these kinds of problems.
“If you get more sinus infections, if you’re developing polyps, you can lose your sense of smell, which can be permanent,” Dr. Oberman told the Maryland State Wire. “People who lose their sense of smell also lose their sense of taste. If you addressed them earlier, you’d have people who are thriving and living, not suffering.”
Physical symptoms of chronic sinusitis can include nasal inflammation, runny nose, postnasal drainage, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore throat, bad breath, or fatigue, according to Mayo Clinic.
People who lose the ability to smell and taste frequently experience decreased appetite and poor nutrition and may be more likely to experience depression, according to Mayo Clinic. Some of these individuals might resort to using excess salt or sugar on food to try to make its taste stronger, which can exacerbate problems with diabetes or high blood sugar. Fortunately, if the issue is due to a sinus infection or other nasal issue, treating the infection will restore the senses of taste and smell.
According to NHS Inform, people experiencing symptoms that haven’t improved for more than a week should consult a physician. An ENT specialist might recommend a saline solution or over-the-counter medication, and if those don’t help symptoms improve, they might prescribe antibiotics, a corticosteroid spray, or even recommend a sinus surgery procedure.
If chronic congestion has affected your sense of smell or taste, a surgical procedure might help restore those senses while also improving nasal breathing, according to WebMD.
Dr. Oberman earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston College, according to Frederick Breathe Free’s website. He pursued his graduate studies at Tufts Medical School through the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program, a program similar to ROTC for aspiring medical professionals. After completing medical school, he began a career in the Navy, which spanned until his retirement in 2017, when he entered the field of comprehensive Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) medicine.
