In this article, I´m going to give information about how I got anosmia, how it feels to be diagnosed with anosmia, and how I managed to recover my sense of smell. If you want to know how to cure anosmia, keep on reading. 

What is Anosmia?

Anosmia Definition

Anosmia is the inability to smell. Some people are born with anosmia (congenital anosmia), others lose their sense of smell unexpectedly.

Anosmia is a condition in which a person’s ability to smell completely disappears, leaving them unable to recognize any scents. Hyposmia is a partial loss.

Anosmia Causes

The condition can be caused by several things, such as head trauma, certain medications, and certain serious illnesses. But anosmia can also happen if you have nasal polyps or after having the flu or fever.

Anosmia has become more common during the pandemic.

It’s important to visit your doctor or otolaryngologist if your sense of smell suddenly disappears because it could be a sign of a more serious ailment or underlying health condition.

I lost my sense of smell after having the flu. I was away for a long weekend vacation, where I caught the flu and I was ill throughout the stay. On my return home, I couldn´t smell anything.

Note: This has nothing to do with Covid-19. I was never tested positive and I lost my sense of smell way before Covid-19 came about.

What Does Anosmia Feel Like?

I was diagnosed with anosmia as I had a complete loss of smell. The diagnosis was made based on my symptoms and my medical history. I was also tested for possible head injury (CT Scan).

Since no head injury was detected, doctors did not give much importance to anosmia. I was told there is no cure, and I had to learn live with it.

Having anosmia feels weird. There is no pain at all, besides the discomfort of dry nostrils.

However, you can feel something is missing, and it does impact your quality of life.

Living With Anosmia

You become less aware of what´s happening around you. Let´s say you are walking on the street and people are reacting to some sort of smell – you won´t realize what´s going on.

Somehow your other senses seem to compensate and become more sensitive. Not sure if this is good or bad.

I noticed when passing by the rubbish bins I feel the air warmer. I couldn´t smell a thing, but I knew I was approaching a different or stronger smell. The same thing happened when I pass by a perfumery or walk past people wearing heavy perfumes.

I could still enjoy food as my sense of taste was intact afterward.

It was harder in the beginning, but as days go by, I learned to adapt and lead a reasonably normal life.

Does Anosmia Affect Taste?

Yes, anosmia can affect the taste. People with anosmia may not be able to taste certain flavors, or they may have a decreased ability to taste. This can make food less enjoyable and may cause people to lose weight.

Initially, I was unable to detect all tastes (ageusia), but fortunately, I recovered my sense of taste rapidly.

How To Cure Anosmia

Three years after the diagnosis, I suddenly felt the urge to find a cure for anosmia. I am a great believer in self-healing. The body is strong and with the right natural treatment, it can recover from many diseases.

Anosmia is related to damage to the smell nerve receptor cells. These nerves transmit signals from the nose to the brain. Holistic treatments may be beneficial for nerve damage. These include acupuncture, acupressure, massage therapy, and herbal remedies.

Ayurveda was my go-to solution.

I went for a Nasya session first, and you can read more about it here

Nasya is a treatment in Ayurveda where medicated oil is applied to the nostrils regularly.

This one-time treatment made me want to continue with more treatment. So I decided to go to treat anosmia at an Ayurvedic resort in South India.

During the one-week treatment, my sense of smell gradually started coming back, and I made a considerable advancement after the treatment.

Here is my experience at the Ayurveda Resort if you wish to read about it

The only herbal medicine I was given after treatment was ayurvedic nasal drops. I was applying it once daily in the morning for three months.

The Result After Treatment

Three months later, I´m happy to say that I have almost completely recovered my sense of smell.

It feels so good.

I had almost forgotten what everything smells like.

I could not even sneeze before, as I always had a dry nose. Now I can sneeze, blow my nose, and best of all SMELL

How To Treat Anosmia At Home

These are remedies you can try at home to treat loss of smell.

• keep your nose hydrated, use a neti pot
• exercise like yoga
• breathing exercises
• inhalation using mint leaves (this was part of the treatment in Ayurveda)

Castor oil has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It may help restore the sense of smell and is incredibly powerful at reducing cold and cough-related symptoms like edema and inflammation. Apply a drop of warm castor in the nostrils in the morning or before bedtime.

Garlic is a natural antibiotic and has been used to treat infections for centuries. It is effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It is also a powerful anti-inflammatory and can help reduce pain and swelling in the nasal passage.

Ginger is known to have antimicrobial properties. This means that it can help fight off infections in the nasal passage caused by bacteria and other microorganisms.

Fastest home remedy for anosmia

There is no such thing as fast healing. You need to have patience and do some kind of home treatment regularly if not daily.

Conclusion

In this article, I write about anosmia. I´m no expert or a doctor, but I felt I should write about my experience with anosmia. Hopefully, this information will help you recover your sense of smell.

There is no guarantee this will work for everybody, however, it is worth a try, especially because it is a natural treatment using natural products with no side effects.

Anosmia is like an invisible disability and I believe there should be more awareness.

If you were told anosmia is incurable, I encourage you to do something about it. I can confirm it can be cured.

Let me know if you have any questions.