10 Causes of Loss of Taste or Smell Besides COVID

From freshly baked bread to fragrant flowers, a sense of smell adds richness to daily life. So, it can be unsettling when your sense of smell changes. For many, losing the sense of smell (anosmia) or taste (ageusia) brings to mind one thing: COVID-19. Though this can be a sign of COVID infection, there are a lot of conditions that can affect your sense of smell or taste.

Changes in smell and taste sensation are more common than most people realize. Almost 1 in 4 people in the U.S. over the age of 40 report changes in their sense of smell. And 1 in 5 experience a change in their sense of taste. While it might sound simple enough, it can be tricky to tell the two apart. And it can be even harder to know what to do about it.

Can loss of taste or smell be something other than COVID?

Yes, many conditions can cause a loss of taste or smell - not just COVID.

Whatever the cause, the reason for losing the sense of taste or smell often has to do with abnormalities on the surfaces of the nose or tongue, or the nerves supplying those surfaces.

Fortunately, the most common causes of loss of smell and taste usually get better with time.

Here are ten things - other than COVID - that can cause a loss of taste and smell.

1. Viruses that cause the cold and flu

Viruses that cause the common cold and the flu (influenza) infect humans through the nose and mouth. These upper respiratory infections cause swelling in the nose. And they can even damage the lining of the nose to the point where some people lose their sense of smell for years.

But most people eventually recover their sense of smell and taste once the infection has resolved.

2. Allergies

If you've ever had allergies to pollen, pets, or dust, you'll have noticed how similar these symptoms feel to a cold. Sneezing, runny nose, and congestion can all lead to issues with smelling. The longer you've had allergies and the more severe your symptoms are, the more likely you are to have a loss of smell.

Typically, allergies cause sneezing, congestion, and a cough. But they don't cause fever or body aches. If you're getting symptoms like fever or body aches, then you're more likely dealing with the flu or COVID.

3. Nasal polyps

People with allergies may also have nasal polyps. These are noncancerous growths that develop in the nose or sinus. Like with allergies, any swelling in your nose will affect how well you're able to smell. Polyps can also cause nasal obstruction, which can contribute to issues with smell. Sensitivity to aspirin, sinus infections, and asthma are also linked to nasal polyps.

4. Tobacco and vape products

Smoking affects your lungs and can affect your sense of smell and taste, too. Smoking may also increase your risk of developing nasal polyps, making it even harder to smell.

Other tobacco products - like e-cigarettes (for vaping), cigars, and chewing tobacco - can affect your sense of smell or taste as well.

5. Medications

Most people have taken ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for aches or pains. But did you know that these medications can affect your sense of taste? In fact, some of the most commonly used medications in the U.S. can affect your sense of taste or smell, including:

• Allergy medications:Loratadine and fluticasone

• Antibiotics:Amoxicillin and azithromycin

• Blood pressure medications:Lisinopril and metoprolol

• Cholesterol-lowering medications:Atorvastatin and pravastatin

• Medications for reflux:Omeprazole and ranitidine

Other common medications that can alter your sense of taste or smell include levothyroxine, metformin, and zolpidem (Ambien) - among many more. Keep in mind that these medications may not just decrease your sense of taste or smell. They may change your sense of taste or smell altogether - like the metallic taste you can experience when taking lithium.

6. Neurological causes

The act of smelling and tasting happens thanks to nerves from the brain that are connected to the nose or tongue. If an underlying health condition affects these nerves or the parts of the brain that control smell and taste sensations, then there's a high chance your sense of taste or smell could be harmed.

Neurologic conditions that can affect your sense of taste or smell include:

• Head trauma: A car accident or blow to the skull or face may cause head or brain injury.

• Parkinson's disease:Parkinson's disease is a condition that causes tremors and issues with movement and coordination.

• Alzheimer's disease:Alzheimer's disease is a disorder that causes dementia and changes in the way someone thinks or acts, like memory loss or emotional disturbances.

• Multiple sclerosis: With multiple sclerosis, your body's immune system attacks your brain and spinal cord and can cause various symptoms, like weakness and changes in vision.

7. Aging

Growing older affects more than eyesight and hearing. You may also notice that foods don't taste the same as they used to, or maybe you can't smell things as well anymore. This happens with aging because the nerves that help with smell don't regenerate as effectively anymore. Areas of the brain that help with smell also change with age. If your sense of smell changes, it will usually affect your sense of taste, too.

With age, you're more likely to take more medications or experience neurological conditions, like Alzheimer's disease. These added factors can add to difficulty with smelling and tasting over the years.

8. Environmental exposure

Exposure to chemicals, toxins, and metals can affect both taste and smell. They can affect the nerves or the sensory cells in the nose and on the tongue. A common example is occupational exposure, when workers are exposed to solvents, metal dust, and fumes.

9. Cancer

A very rare cancer called olfactory neuroblastoma can cause loss of smell. It's responsible for only 2% of cancers of the nose and sinuses. This neuroblastoma starts in the olfactory cells in the nasal cavity. It more commonly causes obstruction in the nose on one side and nose bleeds. But it can result in anosmia, as well.

It's worth noting here that treatments for other cancers - like chemotherapy and radiation - can also affect your sense of smell or taste.

10. Vitamin deficiencies

There's some evidence to suggest that certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies may be linked to changes in smell or taste. These vitamins and minerals include:

• Vitamin B12

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin E

• Zinc

How long does loss of taste and smell last?

It depends on what caused it in the first place. Here are some examples:

• Viruses: If your loss of taste or smell is caused by viruses for the cold or flu, in most cases it will last for 1 to 2 weeks. If it's due to COVID, it can take several weeks or, in rare cases, up to a few years.

• Allergies or nasal polyps: For most people, treating allergies or nasal polyps may restore your sense of smell. But that's not true for everyone, and it depends on how severe your case is.

• Smoking: You can recover your sense of taste and smell after you quit smoking. How quickly they come back depends on how long you smoked.

• Head trauma: When you lose smell or taste sensations after head trauma, you usually recover those senses within a couple months. But sometimes those sensations never return.

• Neurological disorders or age: The loss of smell or taste from progressive neurological disorders or age is the least likely to resolve with time. Though symptoms may improve, your sense of smell and taste might never return to what it was before.

Keep in mind that there are unknown causes of problems with smell or taste. This can make it hard to tell how long your symptoms might last. To make things more confusing, some people get their sense of taste and smell back without any treatment.

How can I get my taste or smell back?

Again, how long it takes to get your sense of taste or smell back may depend on what's causing the change. For example, treatment of allergies or polyps often results in a return to normal. If a medication is to blame, it might help to switch it up. But don't quit taking a medication without first speaking to a healthcare professional.

That said, other treatments can help with anosmia, or lack of smell, like:

• Olfactory training: Olfactory training, or smell retraining, involves reteaching your brain to remember different smells over a period of months.

• Steroids: Steroids, like budesonide, can improve the success of olfactory training.

Fewer treatments have been studied for reversing changes in taste. It may help to take supplements for any vitamin or mineral deficiencies. But the research doesn't strongly support taking zinc.

Not being able to smell or taste like you used to can be frustrating. Tasting your favorite foods and smelling fresh air makes life more enjoyable. Plus, the ability to smell harmful fumes can protect you from danger. So, it's natural to feel anxious and want to do something about it. A healthcare professional can help you with treatment options or specialty referrals.