Have you ever heard of anosmia?

A lot of us take our being able to smell things for granted. Can you imagine living life without being able to smell? Imagine being unable to smell jollof rice or any meal at all? Being unable to smell your food on fire burn? Your favourite cologne?

Well, some people live like that – they are unable to smell anything. This condition is called Anosmia.

What exactly is anosmia?

It is a medical word that means a complete loss of the sense of smell – which means that the sense of smell does not function at all and so, an individual who has this condition is unable to perceive any smell or odours.

February 27 is the date set aside as Anosmia Awareness Day. This awareness campaign was set up by Daniel Schein, who was an anosmia sufferer from the United States. When the Anosmia Awareness day was first launched, it was not well publicized; but with the support of certain charity organizations, it became more known.

Losing the sense of smell could be partial (hyposmia) or complete (anosmia). It may happen gradually or suddenly. Loss of smell could be temporary or permanent.

There are different things that could cause this condition, as well as a variety of consequences that could arise from it.

Did you know that the sense of smell affects how we taste things? People who suffer from this condition taste food differently and may even lose interest in food. This is because 80% of the flavour of food we perceive actually comes from our sense of smell. Even people who have only a partial sense of smell can also lose interest in food.

So, in the light of this information, it is wise not to take any reduction in your sense of smell for granted. If you notice any changes, be sure to consult your doctor as soon as possible. The sense of smell is very important.