Anosmia

   Anosmia 

Anosmia is the loss of sense of smell that could be total or partial. Anosmia may be caused by head injury, infection, or blockage of the nose. In chapter 3 of the book, we learn that Karl Wuensch becomes anosmic. According to the book, “ Wuensche anosmia as a result of large polyps in his sinuses as well as severely swollen turbinates ( the curved bone shelf that guides the air to nasal receptors” (Pg 67).  Wuensch was not aware of his anosmic until he was outside and the propane tank had heat rising from it and he made his wife and son see if they smelled a strange odor. 

Throughout the last year COVID has symptoms where you can lose the sense of smell which is anosmia. According to the article The Guardian (2021) states, “But over the past eight months, traditional medical perceptions of anosmia have changed, The Sars-CoV-2 virus has proved particularly adept at knocking out our sense of smell, and for the first time, the plight of people with smell loss has been thrust well and truly into the spotlight What we know today is that after two months, about half the people [..] still have impairments, and about 5-10% of those people have a serious impairment” (Para 8). This explains the anosmia that is happening currently with COVID and is recognized as a common symptom. 

Another resource I found talks about anosmia being the loss of smell for COVID. Anosmia happens in another virus too, but the way anosmia is affected in COVID is unique. Below I will attach the video explaining anosmia from COVID-19. I recommend watching it because it explains the process of losing your sense of smell. I recently went through this when having COVID last March, it took about three months for my sense of smell and taste to come back. You never realize how important your senses are until they are gone. 

                                                            Anosmia Images:

            

                                    References:

Guardian News and Media. (2020, December 5). Anosmia: how Covid brought loss of smell centre stage. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/dec/05/anosmia-how-covid-brought-loss-of-smell-centre-stage. 

Rosenblum, L. D. (2011). See what I'm saying: the extraordinary powers of our five senses. W.W. Norton. 

The Conversation. (2021). What happens when you lose your sense of smell due to Covid-19?. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjPsrHln0dA&t=6s.