Disorders of taste and smell

Chemosensory dysfunction involves deficits in taste or smell. Aberrations in these senses can be quite distressing to the patient and can negatively impact on nutritional well-being. A thorough history and physical examination are important in isolating the etiology of the sensory loss from the numerous causes of taste and smell disorders. The diagnosis can be simplified by the fact that only a few causes (nasal and sinus disease, viral-induced loss, and head trauma) are responsible for the vast majority of chemosensory dysfunctions. Therapy is limited, but one should be aware of the existing medical and surgical treatment modalities.