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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Laryngorhinootologie 2023; 102(S 01): S67-S92
DOI: 10.1055/a-1957-3267
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Olfactory Function and Olfactory Disorders

Article in several languages: deutsch | English
T Hummel
1   Interdisziplinäres Zentrum Riechen und Schmecken, HNO Klinik, TU Dresden,
,
N Power Guerra
2   Rudolf-Zenker-Institut für Experimentelle Chirurgie, Medizinische Universität Rostock, Rostock,
,
N Gunder
3   Universitäts-HNO Klinik Dresden, Dresden,
,
A Hähner
1   Interdisziplinäres Zentrum Riechen und Schmecken, HNO Klinik, TU Dresden,
,
S Menzel
1   Interdisziplinäres Zentrum Riechen und Schmecken, HNO Klinik, TU Dresden,
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Abstract

The sense of smell is important. This became especially clear to patients with infection-related olfactory loss during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We react, for example, to the body odors of other humans. The sense of smell warns us of danger, and it allows us to perceive flavors when eating and drinking. In essence, this means quality of life. Therefore, anosmia must be taken seriously. Although olfactory receptor neurons are characterized by regenerative capacity, anosmia is relatively common with about 5 % of anosmic people in the general population. Olfactory disorders are classified according to their causes (e. g., infections of the upper respiratory tract, traumatic brain injury, chronic rhinosinusitis, age) with the resulting different therapeutic options and prognoses. Thorough history taking is therefore important. A wide variety of tools are available for diagnosis, ranging from short screening tests and detailed multidimensional test procedures to electrophysiological and imaging methods. Thus, quantitative olfactory disorders are easily assessable and traceable. For qualitative olfactory disorders such as parosmia, however, no objectifying diagnostic procedures are currently available. Therapeutic options for olfactory disorders are limited. Nevertheless, there are effective options consisting of olfactory training as well as various additive drug therapies. The consultation and the competent discussion with the patients are of major importance.

Key words

smell - nose - chemosensation - anosmia


Publication History

Article published online:
02 May 2023

© 2023. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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