Smell and Taste

Chemosensory disorders are not life-threatening, but they reduce the enjoyment and quality of life and are very important to patients who have them. Disorders of taste and smell can be divided into local, systemic, and neurologic categories. The most common causes of loss of smell are local obstructive disease, viral infections, head injuries, and normal aging. The most common causes of loss of the sense of taste are viral infections and drug ingestion, particularly antirheumatic and antiproliferative drugs. Drugs known to affect taste or smell should be discontinued if possible to see whether patients improve. Vitamin and mineral therapies have been recommended but are of unproven benefit.