Briefs: Harvard Health Letters

January 16, 2013|Harvard Health Letters | Premium Health News Service












You may take it for granted that a loss of smell is just part of aging. And to some degree, you're right.

"After age 65, many people lose some sense of smell, and we don't know exactly why," says Dr. Eric Holbrook, assistant professor of otology and laryngology of Harvard Medical School. But if loss of smell lasts longer than a few weeks, it may indicate an underlying problem.


Our brains detect smell through receptors located high inside the nose and in a channel near the roof of the throat. A reduction in smell and taste may result when there is damage to the smell receptors or there are blockages in the nose.

Blockages may be caused by colds, allergies, sinus infections, and growths in the nose or sinuses called polyps. Nerve damage can result from head trauma, radiation for head and neck cancers, nasal surgery, brain tumors, diabetes, obesity, smoking, exposure to air pollutants, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

"Especially for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, loss of smell is one of the first symptoms," says Dr. Holbrook. Some medications such as nasal decongestants used for long periods may also cause a loss of smell.

Side effects

A reduction in your sense of smell puts you in some danger. You may not be able to smell smoke from a fire, natural gas leaks, or spoiled food. A loss of smell may also affect your quality of life, since it can reduce your ability to taste food.

"People still get hungry, but eating is not as enjoyable as it used to be," says Dr. Holbrook. As a result, some people eat less and risk malnutrition.

What you should do

Don't jump to conclusions about underlying causes of smell loss, advises Dr. Holbrook.

"Just because you've lost some of your sense of smell, it doesn't mean you have a neurodegenerative disorder," he says. But anything that lasts more than a few weeks is worth investigating. To help your doctor make a diagnosis, report anything that occurred when the loss of smell or taste started, such as a change in medication, headaches, or nasal obstruction.

Treatment for loss of smell caused by inflammation or blockage might involve topical steroids, antibiotics, or surgery. However, sometimes the sense of smell does not return. And when the doctor suspects neurodegenerative causes, brain imaging may be required. But the more serious causes are unusual. - Harvard Health Letter


After eliminating the bacterial infection that causes bleeding peptic ulcers, it may not be necessary to continue taking acid-reducing medications, according to a study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology .

Infection with the Helicobacter pylori bacteria causes ulcers. People with ulcers commonly take a drug to reduce stomach acid secretion. It's been unclear whether people should continue taking these drugs after being treated for H. pyloriinfection.

Researchers in Spain studied 1,000 people with ulcers. After antibiotic treatment, participants were instructed not to use aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which can cause stomach bleeding. They also stopped taking acid-reducing medications.