Hi Nancy,

Sense of taste is something most of us take for granted until we lose it. It can be very frustrating to even partially lose this sense because it changes our outlook on meals. The allergist encounters patients with loss of smell more often than loss of taste but interestingly one tends to greatly influence the other. If your nose becomes blocked by intense swelling or nasal polyps, you often suffer some loss of taste as well as smell.

Moderate to severe allergic or non-allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps are the most common reasons for loss of smell that I see (most often associated with nasal polyps). More than half of these patients also have decreased sense of taste.

If you have other signs or symptoms of allergic rhinitis you should see a board certified allergist. If not, ask for a referral to a neurologist that has some experience in taste disorders (you may have to be in or go to a major city to find such a specialist).

Good Luck!

J. Thompson, MD