Do you know there are people out there in the world who were born without a sense of smell? The majority sense of smell is one of the five common senses. Whenever I hear someone say “use your five common sense”, I feel like replying I have four. This used to be so disturbing when I was young. When everyone was talking about a sweet-smelling dish or fragrance, I just looked on clueless. I felt so embarrassed as if I contributed to my loss of smell. But as I matured I came to accept it was not my fault and there was no need to feel embarrassed.
What are some of the causes of loss of smell
I took time out and visited Google to find out more about this condition. The first thing.I learned was the name of the condition. It is referred to as Anosmia. There are several causes of Anosmia which includes:
- inflammation of the Nasal Mucosa. Inflammation can be caused by illnesses such as flu, common cold, or influenza. Chronic nasal congestion and sinuses can also cause Anosmia.
- Blockage of Nasal Passage. This may be caused by the presence of tumors, nasal polyps, and bone deformity
- Brain or Nerve Damage. This can be caused by sicknesses such as brain tumors, age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Multiple sclerosis can also cause Anosmia. Some people may have temporary Anosmia and the situation returns to normal as soon as the cause condition is taken care of. For others like me, the condition is permanent.
Upon further probing, Google informed me that my condition is termed as Congenital Anosmia
Dangers of Living with Congenital Anosmia
Some of the dangers of living with this condition include:
- One will not detect a gas leak, fire, or burning food. Times without numbers, someone has entered my house and after smelling will ask whether something is burning only for me to realize the food I had left in the kitchen cooking has turned into burnt offerings. Most of my friends just wonder at how forgetful I am. They don’t understand how I could miss burning food from a kitchen just a few feet away yet they could smell the burning food from outside. Only the close family members and friends know about my condition.
- One will not detect rotting, spoilt food, or even a soiled diaper. I am a mother of three but I navigated the raising of my children with all these challenges
- Men who develop Anosmia in adulthood may lose their libido. This is because they lose the power to detect that female scent that is so important for arousal.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES FOR THOSE LIVING WITH ANOSMIA
- Always read the labels of chemicals such as pesticides, cleaning detergents, and cooking additives properly. Where the containers look alike, take additional precautions, and label in readable letters. They should also be kept separately to avoid mixing up.
- Properly check the expiry dates of products. Expiry dates will come in hardy where one has no sense of smell. With the expiry date, at least you can tell the food items or any other item has reached the time for disposal.
- Take special care when using appliances. Avoid leaving electric appliances such as water heaters plugged on. This is important because if something is burning you may not smell it. For gas cookers, always turn on the safety pin after use. This will help in case of a gas leak.
- Let your close family members know that you have such a challenge. This will make them understand for example that if you have not changed the baby, it is because you didn’t catch the smell.
- It also helps to use the other senses to supplement the lack of smell. for example, check whether the baby is due for change regularly. If you have something cooking, keep an eye to avoid burning.
The world without smell is as enjoyable only that one has no luxury of purchasing beauty products guided by their scent. Mostly you will rely on others to tell you if items have a pleasant smell.