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Anosmia

Jordan I. Teitelbaum, FARS, DO Reviewed 05/2023
 


BASICS

Anosmia is characterized by a loss of sense of smell. 

DESCRIPTION

  • Anosmia is defined as the inability to detect smells or odors. This condition can be temporary or permanent depending on the und...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • History of present illness should investigate the time course of symptoms and their relation to any URI or recent head injury. Important associated symptoms include nasal congestion, ...

TREATMENT

Treatment depends on the underlying pathology: 
  • Elimination of toxins and environmental safety (tobacco, household cleaning chemicals) (1)[A]

  • Address any underlying endocrine disturbances (hy...

ONGOING CARE

PATIENT EDUCATION

  • Counsel patients on safety issues that may arise from the inability to detect odors. These include carefully noting expiration dates on foods, ensuring household smoke de...

REFERENCES

1
Doty  RL. The olfactory system and its disorders. Semin Neurol.  2009;29(1):74–81. [View Abstract on OvidMedline]
2
Ha...

ADDITIONAL READING

Patel ZM, Holbrook EH, Turner JH, et al. International consensus statement on allergy and rhinology: olfaction. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2022;12(4):327–680. ...

SEE ALSO

American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery—AAO-HNS COVID-19 Resources: https://www.entnet.org/content/aao-hns-anosmia-hyposmia-and-dysgeusia-symptoms-coronavirus-disease#:~:text...

CODES

ICD10

  • R43.0 Anosmia

  • J39.8 Other specified diseases of upper respiratory tract

SNOMED

  • 44169009 Loss of sense of smell (finding)

  • 41783004 Traumatic anosmia (disorder)

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Advancing age is a significant risk factor associated with a decline in olfaction. However, this is a diagnosis of exclusion and other causes must first be tested for and ruled out.

  • Red...

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