Taste & Smell Disorders  

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Maybe food started tasting different. Or you lost your sense of smell when you had COVID. Your partner might have asked you a few times, “do you smell that?” And you don’t. It can be confusing and worrying. 

These are all common experiences for people with smell and taste disorders. You may lack taste or smell, or what you taste or smell is different from what most others do. Many people with these disorders don’t realize other people have them, too. But you’re not alone. About 15-20% of adults have a smell or taste disorder. 

Taste & Smell Disorder Treatment at UVA Health 

UVA Health is one of the few hospitals in Virginia with experts in diagnosing and treating taste and smell disorders. We can help you better understand your condition. And provide treatment and coping strategies. 

Treatments don’t yet exist for all taste and smell disorders. For those that can be treated, we offer a range of options. These include medications and smell retraining therapy. 

Smell retraining therapy involves smelling several of the same odors daily for several months. This helps some people regain their sense of smell. 

Connecting to More Care You May Need 

Smell and taste disorders are sometimes a symptom of Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s. If we suspect you may have one of these conditions, we can refer you to a neurologist.   

Types of Smell & Taste Disorders 

Anosmia: loss of sense of smell 

Hyposmia: decreased sense of smell 

Parosmia: distorted sense of smell; you might smell “rotten” or “chemical” smells 

Phantosmia: smelling odors that aren’t there 

Ageusia: loss of taste 

Hypogeusia: partial loss of smell 

Parageusia: distorted sense of taste, like tasting a “metallic” taste 

Diagnosing Taste & Smell Disorders at UVA Health 

The first step to helping you with your smell and taste disorder is a correct diagnosis. We’ll start by talking with you about your symptoms and medical history. We may do some tests, including a smell test. 

Smell Testing 

We offer two types of smell testing. 

  • Smell identification: We’ll ask you to smell different odors and tell us what you smell. 

  • Threshold testing: We’ll ask you to smell the same odors at different strengths. 

These tests help us understand: 

  • How well your sense of smell is working 

  • Whether you can tell different smells apart 

Nasal Endoscopy 

An endoscopy lets us see inside your nose and airway. We use this test to check inside your nose for inflammation or growths. 

We’ll give you a spray to numb your nostrils. Then we’ll insert a thin tube with a camera and light so we can see inside your nose. 

Care & Support for Taste and Smell Disorders 

We offer the full range of care and support for taste and smell disorders.  

We’ll help you understand your diagnosis and what it means for you. Some people are born with a taste or smell disorder. They can also happen in people with ongoing sinus issues, vitamin deficiencies, or neurological disorders like epilepsy or migraine. In some cases, they get better with time. 

We can also help you work through negative impacts your disorder has on your life. That might look like: 

  • Making it easier to eat when food doesn’t smell or taste good 

  • Helping you stay safe when you can’t smell dangers like spoiled food or a fire 

We can also connect you with support groups.