Anosmia or Loss of Smell from Brain Injury

About 3 1/2 months ago I apparently fainted while shopping, fell, cracked my skull/concussion and woke up in the hospital 12 hours later.  After they let me out of the hospital 3 days later I realized I had lost my sense of smell.  I can still taste OK but it's definitely "not the same" without the scent aspect.   

I've not really researched this until now because I've been waiting for this to get better over time.  Sometimes I can very faintly smell things, but I wonder if it's just an associated/remembered faux sense, instead of reality.   But I do know I did smell the very harsh chemicals I was using doing some cleaning in a somewhat closed space a few weeks ago.  But overall, I can't smell anything.  And that's not a totally bad thing, as a lot of smells bugged the heck out of me (tobacco smoke and strong perfume/cologne are the main ones) but I find myself wishing I could smell the herbs, spices, and peppers I put in/on the foods I eat. 

My hearing was also impacted by this injury, and that DID get better over time.  I was hoping the same for my nose... but reading some of the stories here I suspect I've lost it for good.  

After a brain injury through a motor bike accident, I lost my taste and smell 34 years ago. So there are sad things that go with that. I had a third child, I have never smelled him. I already had two daughters, who were 18 and 16 when my son was born, consequently they have given me grandchildren, also I haven't smelled them! but I could see them. At first I wouldn't have flowers in the house because I couldn't smell them. After several years I started to get them again to see the beauty of them. On the taste side of things, I can tell the difference between sweet and savory. I don't tend to eat things that I didn't use to like! I have to have sugar in my tea because it makes it smoother. The texture of food is also very important as is the presentation.

I cannot believe I am not the only one! So glad I found this site. Ok...my story...I fell from our pool ladder (about 6 feet or so?) 3 and a 1/2 years ago, hitting the back of my head on concrete. A few weeks after the fall, I noticed that my smell and taste were pretty much gone. At first, I thought it was because I'd had a bad case of the flu, but now, I believe it had something to do with the fall. I smell things, but they all smell the same...terrible, kind of like burning pine cones (for lack of anything else to describe it). My taste is gone also, or not really gone, but everything tastes the same, again terrible. Some things "taste" better than others. For instance, chocolate has a strong taste (not good) where something like green beans taste like everything else, but not strong, but yet the same "flavor," which is basically what I smell. Does that make sense?  It's weird and I don't know how else to describe it. As for eating, I am overweight and actually thought that the "no taste" thing would be a good thing in helping me with weight. It has not. I find that I eat almost anything just "hoping" that it will taste the way it used to. It's very frustrating! Also, cooking has become a problem.  My husband says that my cooking has become "bland." It is hard to cook when you can't taste what is missing! I miss smells also. I would love to be able to "smell" my newborn grandson. Smells make memories and that was so important to me. 

Sometimes I think I can taste or smell something briefly, but now I am beginning to think they are phantom smells and tastes and not real. 

My daughter saw a video on YouTube where someone had the same symptoms I have and they went to a Chiropractor. The doctor was able to help. I have never been to one and am anxious about trying it. Has anyone ever heard of a Chiropractor being able to help with this problem? 

It is very depressing! Is there nothing that can be done? I even had an MRI last summer to see if anything else was going on. According to the MRI, everything was normal.

Are there other groups for this?

To: "I'm 16 and I recently got into a car accident with my mother..."

My mom had a car accident last November and was in coma for one week. She had multiple hematoma in her brain, her spine was broken in four different points and had to undergo a 5 hours operation to fix it. She is very lucky that she could recover very well, but her sense of smell is probably gone forever. All in all a small thing if you think about all the possible consequences she could have had. I'm telling you this just to say that things can always be worse, your mom is alive, healthy and she has a good son/daughter who cares for her. This is what really makes moms happy. Don't be too hard on yourself, everyone makes mistakes. Take care M

"I'm 16 and I recently got into a car accident with my mother. My mother hit the back of her head on the sidewalk and she hasn't been able to smell or taste since then. I was driving so this is all my fault."

I also lost my sense of smell and taste six months ago, after I fractured my skull falling down a flight of stairs. I can honestly say that after a period of adjustment, it really isn't affecting my quality of life much at all and if your mother has forgiven you, there's no need to be so hard on yourself. Accidents happen, and I feel lucky that this was the worst that came of it. Of course I'd like regain the sense of smell and taste, and I will be seeing a ENT specialist in a few weeks to see if there is anything that can be done, but I've accepted it isn't likely and I'm okay with that. Also your mum isn't trying to make you feel bad when she gets you to taste or smell things during cooking, I do the same thing as I try to re-work out what is what with the very limited sense I still have, and if anything it's kind of fun, it turns every new meal into a new experience again. 

When I was 4 I hit my head and loss my smell. Since I was so young I do not remember the smell of anything. I taste just fine I think but I guess you never know if the taste would be a lot better if I could smell. For the parents worrying about their children who can not smell... They will be okay. It does suck that I can't smell gas or smoke/fire but there are gas detectors that can be put in and smoke detectors as well. I have gotten used to not smelling because it is all that I know. It does suck sometimes because I'D love to be able to smell flowers/perfume/food but it is also awesome to not smell the bad things in life. I have two kids and so changing their diapers was just fine for me lol :) We are alive so we should be thankful for that. For those of you who can not taste as well I am so sorry that must really suck :( I hope they can find a way to get it back for you so u can enjoy that simple pleasure. 

To the person who told about the car accident he and his mother had. I am the person who lost her sense in July. I was on my bike, while pregnant, and someone made a terrible mistake in traffic. 

I also loved to cook. Don't feel guilty! It's terrible for your mother but mistakes are there all the time. Unfortunately in your mums and my case the human body in general isn't strong enough and the olfactory nerve fibres shear off. It's unfortunate that your mother has to adjust her life. And although I hate it too, I know I will be as happy as before just doing other stuff. There is soo much out there to enjoy.

Oh my goodness, I have this horrible taste in my mouth because I smell a stronger phantom odor in my nose so potent that I feel sick all day. I so wish it would go away. Since my truck accident in 2013 DX TBI I can't smell. I think at one time, in therapy I could smell this awful camp fire wood burning smell very strong for weeks night and day, then it just went away. Now I get this perfume smell that comes and goes, makes me ill. Does anyone else get this? Boy this accident has messed me up. grr!

I'm 16 and I recently got into a car accident with my mother. My mother hit the back of her head on the sidewalk and she hasn't been able to smell or taste since then. It's been 5 months and I'm scared it's permanent. I was driving so this is all my fault. I feel awful everyday as she brings up small things like "can you smell this or taste this for me". I ruined my mothers life. She only gets to live half of it now since she loved cooking and everything like that. I don't know why I wasn't injured at all. I deserve some sort of punishment! Maybe this is it, I watch my mom suffer for what I've done. I don't know how to cope with any of this as I'm the reason why she can't smell or taste. She forgives me but I can never forgive myself. If anyone has any advice or just wants to say something to help, please do. I check this everyday so I'll be patient.

I slipped and fell hitting the back of my skull so hard that it broke the eye sockets! I spent 3 days in ICU. They wouldn't let me eat or drink for two days because I may have needed surgery. I remember saying to myself that the food had no taste. I got home and realized the food at home was bland too, so I called the nurse and she told me it was most likely anosmia. No treatment, no cure. I lost my will to eat! I would take a couple bites and get angry that I could not taste the food. While I can still "sense" spicy, sweet, salty, I can't smell. The up side is water and air smell and taste the same, and that I have lost 13 pounds in three weeks! Don't try it at home, I would grab a hammer and go to town if I could get my smell to return! My jokes about myself is the only way to cope, no offense offered.

I lost my sense of smell (and taste) in an accident about four months ago (slightly fractured skull, heavy concussion and some bleeding). I was also 33 weeks pregnant. Everything healed and have a beautiful baby girl. But smell and taste....Occasionaly have some phantom smells. Apples give me a soapy taste in the mouth. Stuff with a lot of sugar give me metallic tastes in the mouth. I am still hoping for some recovery. Smells I don't really miss (perfume, cleaning detergent). But smells and tastes of food and drinks I do miss. I still enjoy food, but I am sad that the taste is so weak compared to when I could smell. I like fruits, yoghurt, cereal, spicy food, pizza and burgers. Smoked salmon. Tomatoes.Goat cheese. Sushi.  But I want to enjoy everything again! I am so happy to read stories of people who's sense came back after a year or ever longer...

Hi I'm Jake,

I haven't been able to smell since 1997 TBI Skateboard accident. Looking for solutions not sob stories. How do we fix it? How do we regenerate nerves?. 

I had a head injury in December 2015 it's now September 2016 and I lost my sense of smell and taste. Is there anything that I can do to regain my senses back?

Hello. I suffered a fractured skull, concussion and subdural hematoma after having a seizure and falling off a fork lift and landing on a concrete floor at work. I was unconscious for a few hours and awoke in a hospital bed. The accident occurred on June 15 of this year. Two months later, I still have complete anosmia. I have noticed only a slight difference in my taste. I hope that it is not permanent but, I have accepted it and feel fortunate that the injuries were not worse!

Hi, i wonder if anybody has got any advice for me, i haven't been able to taste or smell anything for 7 weeks, it all happened after a had an endoscopy the day after i came down with a really bad case of sinusitis followed by a chest infection, has anybody else had a similar experience, i know mine isn't due to an head injury but as u can imagine its quit stressful not been able to enjoy something so simple in life like the smell of flowers or your favorite chocolate bar, everything's so bland, the drs i've seen have treated me we antifungal medicine as they thought i had oral thrush which is no longer the case and has now after all these weeks referred me to see ent, which i haven't got an appointment for 6 weeks, i duno how else to cope its making me very anxious n depressed. Please if anybody has any advice its very welcome. Thanks

Lost my sense of smell and taste due to slipping in bathtub.

Hit the right side of my head. That was a year ago this month. Doc said may come back, may not. I'm betting it won't. Just have to learn to live with it.

I'm so glad I'm not alone. I was in a vehicle collision two months ago and had whiplash, a concussion, and other injuries. (5th whiplash in 5 years, 2nd concussion in 3 years. Eight not-at fault vehicle collisions in 5 years.) As the weeks went on after this most recent collision, I realized I couldn't smell my vanilla body spray, coffee, or the smell of bacon cooking. And then I realized I couldn't smell anything at all. There was one exception--a pizza delivery guy was walking past me with a huge bag of hot pizza, and all I could smell was the faint scent of dry dog food. Disgusting. As far as taste goes, I can only tell if something is sour, sweet, or spicy, but I can't tell what kind of food it is since there is no flavour. When I eat jalapeños, I feel a sting in my mouth but no flavour. When I brush my teeth, I feel a tingle in my mouth but no taste. Drinking coffee is like drinking hot water. I hate it. I'm trying to compensate by using fresh herbs and colourful veggies, and just generally trying to make food look a bit like art so that I can get at least some enjoyment out of it. The other day, I had to ask my maintenance man if the raw meat I had sitting in my freezer for a while was still good since I couldn't smell it. I feel awkward if I'm a guest at someone's house for dinner. I don't know what to say because I can't say the food tastes great, because I really can't taste it at all. Can anyone who has had whiplash or a concussion relate? As much as I would like to fix this, I don't know how. I am going to be grateful that since food is no longer interesting, I will be dropping some extra weight. I will finally be able to quit drinking coffee. I will buy meat and cook it while it is fresh then freeze it in single servings so I won't have to worry about it going bad. I will only buy exactly the food I need for a week and use it up right away. I will skip going out to eat and save money, since there's no more attraction to do that if I can't taste the food anyway. Since the concussion, I never leave home without ear plugs and sunglasses, a notepad and a day planner. I wish there was a how-to formula on how to fix these things or a time frame for how long it takes to recover from a concussion. If anyone can direct me to a "helpful things that you can do or tools to get to compensate for a brain that is not working properly" forum or website, I would be so grateful. Thank you!

To the woman who posted in 2015 that she feels like she smells random odors even though she has anosmia, I have the same thing.

I lost my sense of smell about 15 years ago from a blow to the back of the head and I was concussed.  I didn't realize it until a few months later when I was clipping lilacs and couldn't smell them.  My MRI showed that my olfactory nerve was fried and the doc said if my smell didn't come back in a couple months then it probably wouldn't ever.

Well, I have those random 'smells' too and have for years.  I call them 'hallucini-sniffs' because most of them don't have a localized cause so I think my brain is just randomly throwing smell memories at me.

I'm wondering if anyone on here has other cognitive issues post-trauma?  I've started to notice some odd things like saying random words that aren't related to the conversation I'm having and not having any recollection of it, almost like turrets and I wonder if there is a correlation from the head trauma.

I had brain surgery February 29 I loss my sense of smell can't smell anything. Loss my taste of food but I have one smell in my nose on and off more on than off smells like a chemical drives me crazy and makes me feel dizzy I have to breath though my mouth to get a break from it weird how can I smell something if I can't smell noting confused

I lost my sense of smell after being thrown off the front of a truck backwards and hitting the back of my head on the ground. It was gone for a solid 5 years and then I noticed that it started to come back and now, 10 years later, it's I'd say at 90% depending on the weather

i fell off a 4 wheeler 3 weeks ago, hit the back of my head  hard on the pavement lost  consciousness and was in the hospital two days, after i couldnt smell and my taste was at 20%, i can taste sweet, sour, but greatly diminished, i tried the home remedy of warm castor oil in the nostrils with head hanging from bed and i was able to smell bengay ointment slightly today, it is working! i will keep you posted but will also try  the chiropractor methods and acupuncture  as soon as i can, def recommend the castor oil remedy,
 

I'm coming up on 1 year since I hit my head. Haven't been able to smell or taste since. I hit the back left side of my head. I've had an MRI and everything is fine except that I can't smell or taste, and it looks like it will never come back. I do actually smell one scent and it never changes and when something has a strong smell, that ONE scent becomes stronger, and I can't describe what that one scent is, but at least it's not a bad scent. Like others I can recognize sweet,sour,salty, and bitter and I think I have smelled things for a split second, like a cigarette once, and 2 times I think I tasted Dr. Pepper for a split second. It's actually pretty scary, but theres nothing I can do about it, so I deal with it. I'm just thankful that I lost the 2 least important of the 5 senses. I still have my sight, hearing, and touch.

I've suffered 3 rear-end collisions in the last 5 years, due to drivers texting or talking on their cell phones. My sense of smell was affected by all three accidents. After the second accident, I couldn't smell very well, only smells that are very strong. After each accident, I smell things that are not present; burnt taco shell smell after first accident and a musky smell after the third accident, especially when I am stressed. Doctors would merely shrug their shoulders when I complained about my inability to smell after the accidents. The insurance company with whom I'm trying to settle has humiliated me; opposing counsel's attorney insinuates that I am not injured (her client was traveling 55 mph when they hit me). I'm 56 years old and never filed an insurance claim for an injury, before the first rear-end accident when I was 50--if I was some low-life, trying to collect insurance money, I think I would have started this practice years ago. I truly feel sad for folks who suffer with the debilitating affects of an inability to smell and to constantly smell something that isn't present.