Nasal congestion, sinusitis, why cause loss of sense of smell?

This is an automatically translated article.

Everyone wants to eat well, but in order to eat well, the first step is to smell the food. But for people with sinusitis, this is very difficult. It can be said that they have lost a wonderful part of their life. Sinusitis makes you extremely uncomfortable, greatly affecting your daily life. In particular, you will lose your sense of smell and taste, reducing the quality of your meal.
Video content is professionally consulted by Master - Resident Doctor Le Tuan Nhat Hoang, Department of Otolaryngology, Vinmec Times City International Hospital

1. 3 reasons sinusitis causes loss of sense of smell

It can be said that sinusitis causing loss of smell is caused by 3 main reasons:
Due to prolonged sinusitis, leading to the formation of polyps in the nose, causing compression and covering the olfactory gap. . Because the mucus in the nose is secreted a lot and can't get out, it will overflow into the nasal sinuses, blocking the vents in the sinuses. When sinusitis, the nasal mucosa is edematous, making the loss of sense of smell worse. Loss of smell in patients with sinusitis can be sudden or gradual, continuous or intermittent. In addition to the loss of smell, patients with sinusitis are also very susceptible to a persistent cough. Up to 30% of patients with sinusitis have persistent cough, mainly related to posterior ethmoid sinusitis and sphenoid sinusitis.

2. How to quickly regain the sense of smell when having sinusitis?

Do not be exposed to elements that cause nasal irritation such as dust, dog and cat hair, tobacco.
Maintain the right humidity to not let the nose get too dry. Try to create an environment with a suitable humidity of 40 - 70% by opening windows on sunny days, closing them on hot days, using a dehumidifier or turning on the air conditioner to dry, regularly cleaning the carpet. , cushion in the house to limit mold.
Daily clean the nose with nasal wash solutions to clear the airways.
Besides the loss of smell, if people with sinusitis are not treated properly, it can cause other unpredictable complications such as inflammation of the connective tissue around the orbit, optic neuritis, eyelid abscess, membrane inflammation. brain, meningeal abscess, cavernous vein occlusion, bone complications... Therefore, if you have sinusitis, you should not be subjective but need to go to doctors specializing in otolaryngology to examine and treat the disease completely. score, avoid serious complications, greatly affect daily activities as well as the ability to work and study.