What Causes Reduced Sense of Smell?

What Causes Reduced Sense Of Smell?

Reduced sense of smell can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'worrying' to 'generally fatal'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

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Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose reduced sense of smell, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "reduced sense of smell" as a symptom. Here are eight of many possibilities (more below):

Nasal Polyps
Sarcoidosis
Parkinson's Disease
Vitamin A Need
Megaloblastic Anemia
Cigarette Smoke Damage
Premature Aging
Schizophrenia

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

rapidly declining health

thick uncracked heel calluses

severe schizophrenia

bumps on backs of arms

painful cervical nodes

bloodshot eyes

cracked skin

past ecstasy use

severe vision disturbances

adult acne

recurrent bronchitis

specific muscle weakness

... and more than 50 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of reduced sense of smell:

Cause	Probability	Status
Schizophrenia	96%	Confirm
Cigarette Smoke Damage	22%	Unlikely
Vitamin A Need	19%	Unlikely
Nasal Polyps	3%	Ruled out
Sarcoidosis	3%	Ruled out
Premature Aging	2%	Ruled out
Megaloblastic Anemia	2%	Ruled out
Parkinson's Disease	2%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

In the Nose/Smell Symptoms section of the questionnaire, The Analyst™ will ask the following question about decreased ability to smell:

Has your sense of smell declined within the past few years, for reasons other than nasal congestion?

Possible responses:

→ Don't know
→ No, my sense of smell has remained about the same
→ Yes, but it is due to ongoing nasal congestion
→ Yes, it is somewhat worse now
→ Yes, it is a lot worse now

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate no change in sense of smell, loss of smell due to blocked nose, reduced sense of smell or much reduced sense of smell, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Alzheimer's Disease

Reduction of the sense of smell has been identified as an early sign of Alzheimer's disease since the 1970s.

Aneurysm / Rupture

Brain Tumor

Specifically, tumors of the frontal lobe.

Cigarette Smoke Damage

Cocaine Addiction

Intranasal drug use can cause a loss of the sense of smell.

General Detoxification Requirement

Toxins – especially acrylates, methacrylates and cadmium – can cause a reduction in the sense of smell.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Hypothyroidism

Megaloblastic Anemia / Pernicious Anemia

Nasal Polyps

Parkinson's Disease

Premature/Signs of Aging

Sarcoidosis

[Kieff, D; Boey, H; Schaefer, P; Goodman, M; Joseph, M (1997). "Isolated neurosarcoidosis presenting as anosmia and visual changes". Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery 117 (6): pp183-6]

Schizophrenia

[Rupp, Claudia I.; Fleischhacker, W. Wolfgang; Kemmler, Georg; Kremser, Christian; Bilder, Robert M.; Mechtcheriakov, Sergei; Szeszko, Philip R.; Walch, Thomas et al (2005). "Olfactory functions and volumetric measures of orbitofrontal and limbic regions in schizophrenia". Schizophrenia Research 74 (2-3): pp149-61]

Vitamin A Requirement

Zinc Requirement

Zinc deficiency is rare in the developed world, but it can cause impaired sense of smell or taste.

Concerned or curious about your health? Try The Analyst™