When you have no sense of smell, why can you still taste?

Question

I have no sense of smell, after a virus I lost it.I can still vauguely taste food though, not as well but I still can, wouldn't this take away my taste and is there a way that I can get my smell back? I have lost it for about a year.

Answer 1

To answer your opening question, it was either or both your olfactory organ (the apparatus in the mucous membrane of the nose responsible for the sense of smell) or the olfactory receptors (bipolar nerve cells in the nasal epithelium) that were affected, not your tongue and taste buds. But smell and taste work together and smell enhances taste.

I don't know what virus caused your loss. As far as regaining your sense of smell, you may wish to consult with a Head & Neck specialist to find out what your options are. After this much time, they may be few.

Answer 2

Did you know that when you smell something tiny particles are broken up and you are actually tasting what you smell? Freaky hey? I would rather lose my sense of smell but then it would be really hard to taste because when you have a cold you can hardly taste a thing your smell sets off your taste buds more.

Answer 3

Although smell and taste are closely related, you will not completely loose your sense of taste simply because you lost your sense of smell.

The sense of smell, simply increases the taste of food.

I really don't know if you'll get you sense of smell back. The best person to ask that would be your doctor.

Answer 4

Smell sensors are in the nasal passage and taste of course is picked up on different areas of the tongue.

The reason that you feel your sense of taste is impaired is because you often smelled things you thought you were tasting as the brain is sometimes confused by subtle smells like those of an apple.

It is extremely unlikely that you have lost any sense of taste other than psychological.
Loss and partial loss of smell and taste together point to damage to the parts of the brain responsible for these senses,as opposed to physical nerve or sensory damage.

Answer 5

If your sense of smell (in your nose) has been affected, this will inevitably impact your perceived sense of taste as well, since a large part of the overall sensation when you put food or drink into your mouth is actually generated in the nasal cavity by the air that enters there from the back of the mouth. If your tastebuds (on your tongue) are functioning normally, then you would still retain this aspect of the overall sensation.

Answer 6

Your sense of taste only differentiates between salty to sweet. It's your sense of smell that really allows you to taste the wide variety of food that we eat. Hence your reduced sense of 'smell'. If you think about it, a memory provoked by a smell is the most powerful memory recall we achieve. I am not sure how you will recover your sense of smell, have you had your sinus' checked? Clearing the sinus cavities will improve your sense of smell. It was an old pub trick in the speciality coffee market to add a very small amount of liqueur to the glass and wipe the rim with another small amount. The drinker 'tasted' the liqueur in the coffee because their olfactory fibres in the nose told them it was there.

Answer 7

it might be more psychological than actual tasting..as you are used to being able to taste your mouth still recognises the different feelings that you might get..for example eating sour foods and sweet foods. its just a guess though as wen i have a cold and my nose is completely blocked i can still get something of a flavour bec i recognise how it makes my taste buds feel if that makes any sense at all? which it probably don't lol
as for getting your sense of smell back i dont think there is any chance of that i'm afraid unless DRs know a way??
goodluck to you

Answer 8

You taste with your taste buds, but part of your "taste" you use your smell. Now losing the sense of smell only takes away your full taste experience away, like you said happenend to you.

Answer 9

We have 5 senses: smell, taste,touch,see,hear . These are connected but if you loose any the others became slighty stronger.
A virus can not take your smelling ability, it must be a damage in your brain. I'm not a doctor so don't be scared. It's only my opinion.

Answer 10

i would imagine that you would not lose your sense of taste because you lost your sense of smell but perhaps the virus has done more than you thought and has affected your taste sense. Have you asked your GP to do some tests.