I’ve lost taste, smell and ears are blocked

Dear doc,

It started as a cold, then my ears clogged and I lost my senses of smell and taste. It’s now more than a month, I can’t smell anything, and I can only feel the taste of pepper, salt and sugar. My ears have also remained clogged. Kindly help me.

Vincent

Dear Vincent,

Partial or complete loss of smell is called anosmia, and it may be temporary or permanent. Irritation of the lining of the nose due to colds or allergies may cause temporary loss of smell. It can also occur if there is something obstructing the nasal passage or if there is nerve damage. Anosmia can also contribute to an altered sense of taste where you can only notice a few flavours. You need to see a doctor, who will examine to determine the cause of the problem. 

For anosmia that develops due to a cold, the sense of smell usually normalises on its own after a few weeks. Medication that may help to reduce the irritation of the nasal mucosa include antihistamines, decongestants or nasal sprays.

The clogging of the ears may be due to a middle ear infection, which can happen following a cold. This can go away on its own, but may need antibiotics and ear drops, especially if there is pain, fever, or discharge from the ears. It may also be due to sinus infection, which can also cause cold symptoms and loss of smell and taste. Sinus infection can be treated with antibiotics, antihistamines and nasal spray.

Another possible cause of clogged ears would be blockage by impacted ear wax. The wax is easily removed by using ear drops that soften the wax and then removal through syringing with water, using suctioning or curettage.

Hello,

For some time now, I’ve been having some noise in my ears. It gets louder when I’m sleeping. What could this be?

Sam

Dear Sam,

Hearing sounds within the ear is referred to as tinnitus. The sound may be ringing, buzzing, and humming, hissing or even beating in time with your heart. In many cases, it is mild and disappears on its own. In severe cases, it may be accompanied by hearing loss, dizziness and poor concentration.

Tinnitus can be caused by an outer ear infection, or by a build-up of wax in the ears. You need to see a doctor to get examined, so that if it is an infection, it will be treated, and if there is wax, it will be cleaned out.

Tinnitus can also result from exposure to loud sounds and you may notice your ears ringing or buzzing after you leave a concert, or when you remove headphones after listening to music at high volume. Sometimes, repeated exposure to loud sounds causes damage to the inner ear and recurrent tinnitus. It can also occur due to advancing age, especially after age 60.

Other causes include inner ear cell damage, a middle ear infection, ear injury and diseases like otosclerosis, Meniere’s disease, thyroid disease, heart and blood vessel problems, brain tumours, and some medications.

Wear ear protection if you are in an area with loud sounds and turn down the volume on headphones. It would be good to see an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist for examination.

Manage stress, avoid noisy environments, and also avoid coffee and smoking. Playing soft music or radio static when you are in a quiet environment or when you are sleeping may help to mask the noise. Also reduce alcohol consumption because it increases blood flow, especially in the inner ear.

If you have high blood pressure or other blood disorders, they should be properly managed. You may benefit from using some medications prescribed by the doctor to reduce the symptoms. A masking device can also be given to reduce the discomfort.

Dr Flo,

My three-year-old son often has a blocked nose and snores at night. He also gets frequent infections. The doctor said that he needs to have his adenoids removed to solve the problem once and for all. Is that the only treatment? I don't want him to go for surgery.

The adenoids are a small mass of tissue at the back of the nose. They usually grow during the first 10 years of life, and then they start shrinking. If they overgrow, what is called adenoid hypertrophy, then they cause blockage of the nasal passage. This causes difficulty breathing and breathing with the mouth open; snoring, sometimes even when awake; and voice changes. If the blockage is severe, it can interfere with the child’s sleep, because they have to keep waking up to breath. Adenoid hypertrophy can also lead to recurrent infections of the nose, throat and ears, changes in how the face develops, and even lung and heart problems.

The problem is best dealt with by an ENT specialist. If there is an ongoing infection, then antibiotics will be useful. Nasal drops and sprays may also be used. If the symptoms are severe, then surgery can be done to remove the adenoids. Surgery is usually done as a last resort, either because there is no improvement with medication or because the child gets sick too frequently or because the symptoms interfere with feeding, sleeping, learning and growth.