Lost or changed sense of smell
A change in your sense of smell can be unpleasant and affect how things taste. But it isn't usually serious and may get better in a few weeks or months.
Stay at home
A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste could be coronavirus. Stay at home and get advice from the 111 coronavirus service.
Causes of lost or changed sense of smell
Changes in sense of smell are most often caused by:
- a cold or flu
- sinusitis (sinus infection)
- an allergy, like hay fever
- growths in your nose (nasal polyps)
These can cause:
- loss of smell (anosmia)
- smelling things that aren't there (phantosmia), like smoke or burnt toast
- reduced sense of smell (hyposmia)
- the smell of things to change (parosmia)
It's also common to lose some of your sense of smell as you get older.
Cleaning inside your nose can help
Rinsing the inside of your nose with a salt water solution may help if your sense of smell is affected by an infection or allergy.
You can make a salt water solution at home.
How to clean your nose with a salt water solution
- Boil a pint of water, then leave it to cool.
- Mix a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) into the water.
- Wash your hands.
- Stand over a sink, cup the palm of 1 hand and pour a small amount of the solution into it.
- Sniff some of the solution up 1 nostril at a time and let it run out of your nose. It might help to hold your other nostril closed with your finger as you sniff.
- Repeat these steps a few times to see if it helps.
You don't need to use all of the solution, but make a fresh batch each day – don't reuse any left over from the day before.
Some pharmacies sell sachets you can use to make a salt water solution and devices to help you rinse your nose.
Do not go to a pharmacy if you have a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, it could be coronavirus. Ask someone to go for you if you can.
Urgent advice: Contact NHS 111 if you need medical help
- if you have a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, use the 111 online coronavirus service
- if you have any other symptoms and need medical help, use the regular 111 online service
Only call 111 if you cannot get help online or you need help for a child under 5.
Treatment for lost or changed sense of smell
Your sense of smell may go back to normal in a few weeks or months.
Treating the cause might help. For example, steroid nasal sprays or drops might help if you have sinusitis or nasal polyps.
A treatment called smell training can also help some people. To find out more about smell training, see:
Sometimes changes in sense of smell can't be treated and may be permanent.
Important
If you have lost your sense of smell, you may not be able to smell things like gas leaks, fires and food that's gone off.
Fifth Sense has some safety advice if you have anosmia.