Smell Disorders: A Study of 132 Patients from the First

Smell disorders or olfactory dysfunction can arise from a variety of causes and profoundly influence patients ’ quality of life. The incidence of smell disorders in the general population is a matter of debate. However, most authors reported frequencies of 1 % to 3 % of chemosensory disorders within the groups studied(1). The sense of smell determines the flavor of foods and beverages and is an early warning sign for the detection of environmental hazards. The loss or distortion of smell sensation can adversely influence food preference, food intake, and appetite. When this input is decreased or distorted, disability and decreased quality of life are reported(2). Smell disorders are usually described by the following terms as spectrum of loss of smell ability: anosmia (absence of smell), hyposmia (diminished sensitivity of smell), and dysosmia (distortion of normal smell). There are also various suborders of dysosmia such as phantosmia, cacosmia, and parosmia(3). Smell disorders can be classified according to the pathogenesis into three general classes, 1) conductive or transport impairments from obstruction of nasal passages (e.g. chronic rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis, nasal polyp, tumors), 2) sensorineural impairments from damage to olfactory neuroepithelium (e.g. upper respiratory infection (URI), head trauma, toxins