Taste & Smell Disorders Treatment in Glendale, CA
Taste & Smell Disorders
Smell and taste disorders can cause significant detriment to a patient’s quality of life. Patients may have different alterations of how their smell and taste are affected and these disorders may come from a variety of different sources.
Symptoms of a smell disorder can include:
- Decreased smell (microsmia)
- A foul sense only you can smell (parosmia/phantosmia)
- Complete loss of smell (anosmia)
Smell disorders may be caused by
- Inflammation of the nose and paranasal sinuses due to:
- Chronic sinus inflammation
- Nasal polyps
- Allergies
- Previous upper respiratory infection that may or may not be related to COVID-19
- Trauma to the head and/or face
- Certain neurological conditions
- Exposure to certain chemicals, metals, or toxins
Symptoms of a taste disorder can include
- Decreased overall sense of taste (dysgeusia)
- Complete loss of taste (ageusia)
- Altered sense of taste that is inappropriately sweet, sour, salty, bitter, or metallic (dysgeusia)
- Unpleasant taste that occurs outside of eating (phantogeusia)
Taste disorders may be caused by
- Infection or inflammation in the throat or mouth
- Vitamin or mineral deficiency
- Certain neurological, endocrine, or metabolic conditions
- Exposure to certain chemicals, metals, or toxins
Frequently Asked Questions
We regularly assess loss of smell (anosmia), reduced smell (hyposmia), altered smell perception (parosmia), loss of taste (ageusia), reduced taste (hypogeusia), and taste distortions (dysgeusia). At our Glendale office, our ENT team provides a full evaluation to determine the underlying cause of your change in taste or smell.
If you notice that food smells or tastes different from how it used to, cannot distinguish sweet/sour/bitter/salty flavors, constantly smell phantom odors, or cannot detect common smells like smoke or gas, you should seek evaluation at our Glendale office. Early detection may help us find underlying conditions sooner.
At our Glendale location of Southern California ENT and Allergy Specialists, we start with a detailed medical history and an ear/nose/throat exam. Then we may use odor identification and threshold tests or “sip-spit-rinse” taste tests to assess your chemosensory function. Imaging or endoscopy may also be recommended depending on findings.
Treatment depends on the cause. At our Glendale clinic we offer solutions such as managing sinus or nasal inflammation, removing nasal polyps, adjusting medications, recommending smell retraining, and providing supportive therapies for taste disturbances. Our aim is restoring taste and smell — or granting you tools to adapt safely if full restoration isn’t possible.
You should make an appointment with our Glendale specialists if you experience sudden or persistent loss of taste or smell, distorted smells/tastes, or if you can’t detect important odors (like smoke or gas). Because taste and smell disorders can indicate other health issues, our team at Southern California ENT and Allergy Specialists will evaluate your symptoms promptly.
If you’re experiencing changes in how food tastes or how smells reach you, don’t wait. The team at Southern California ENT and Allergy Specialists in Glendale offers expert diagnosis and tailored treatments for taste and smell disorders. Call our Glendale office today or request an appointment online to begin your path toward clearer taste, smell, and peace of mind.
If you’re experiencing changes in how food tastes or how smells reach you, don’t wait. The team at Southern California ENT and Allergy Specialists in Glendale offers expert diagnosis and tailored treatments for taste and smell disorders. Call our Glendale office today or request an appointment online to begin your path toward clearer taste, smell, and peace of mind.
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