10 Causes of Loss of Smell and Taste Besides COVID

From freshly baked bread to fragrant flowers, your sense of smell adds richness to daily life. That’s why it can feel unsettling when your sense of smell changes. For many people, losing the sense of smell (anosmia) or taste (ageusia) makes them immediately think of COVID-19. 

While loss of smell or taste can be a sign of COVID infection, many other things can affect these senses.

Changes in smell and taste sensation are more common than you might think. Almost 1 in 4 people in the U.S. over the age of 40 report changes in their sense of smell. And 1 in 5 notice changes in their sense of taste. If you’re experiencing changes in taste or smell, here are 10 other causes to consider besides COVID-19.

Can loss of taste or smell be something other than COVID?

Yes, many conditions can cause a loss of taste or smell — not just COVID. 

Whatever the cause, the problem is linked to changes on the surfaces of your nose or tongue, or in the nerves that control them. 

Fortunately, the most common causes of loss of smell and taste usually get better with time. 

Here are 10 things — besides COVID — that can cause a loss of taste and smell.

1. Viruses that cause the cold and flu

Common cold viruses like RSV and the flu infect your body through your nose and mouth. These upper respiratory infections cause swelling inside your nose. This can damage the lining of the nose to the point that some people lose their sense of smell for years after a viral illness.  

But most of the time, you only notice changes in taste and smell while you’re ill. Once you recover, the swelling inside your nose goes away and your usual sense of taste and smell returns. 

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• If you have allergies, you may be at risk for nasal polyps. Learn more about nasal polyps, including symptoms and treatments.

2. Allergies

If you have seasonal allergies or year-round allergies, you know that allergies can affect your nose. Allergies cause swelling and inflammation inside your nose. Sneezing, a runny nose, and congestion can all lead to issues with smelling. The longer you’ve had allergies, or the more severe your symptoms are, the more likely you are to lose your smell because of them. 

3. Nasal polyps

People with allergies or certain medical conditions are at risk for developing nasal polyps. These are noncancerous growths that develop in your nose or sinus. Polyps change the shape of your nasal lining. This puts stress on the nerves inside your nose, which can affect how well you’re able to smell. 

4. Tobacco and vape products

Smoking can affect your sense of smell and taste. It may also increase your risk of developing nasal polyps, making it even harder to smell.

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Other tobacco products — like e-cigarettes (for vaping), cigars, and chewing tobacco — can also affect your sense of smell or taste.

5. Medications

Most people have taken ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for aches or pains. But did you know these medications can affect your sense of taste? In fact, some of the most commonly used medications in the U.S. can affect taste or smell, including: 

• Allergy medications: Loratadine and fluticasone 

• Antibiotics: Amoxicillin and azithromycin

• Blood pressure medications: Lisinopril and metoprolol

• Cholesterol-lowering medications: Atorvastatin and pravastatin

• Reflux medications: Omeprazole and ranitidine

Other common medications that can alter your sense of taste or smell include levothyroxine, metformin, and zolpidem (Ambien) — among many others. Keep in mind that these medications may not just decrease your sense of taste or smell. They may also change your sense of taste or smell altogether. For example, lithium can sometimes cause a metallic taste.

6. Neurological causes

Smelling and tasting works because nerves from your brain are connected to your nose and tongue. Health conditions that affect these nerves, or the parts of the brain that control them, can change your sense of smell or taste.

Neurologic conditions that can affect your sense of taste or smell include:

• Brain injury

• Parkinson’s disease 

• Alzheimer’s disease 

• Multiple sclerosis

7. Aging

Growing older affects all your senses. These changes are often more noticeable in your eyesight and hearing. But your sense of smell and taste can be affected too. As you get older, the nerves that help with smell don’t renew as easily. Areas of the brain that help with smell also change with age. If your sense of smell changes, your sense of taste is usually affected too.

Also, you’re more likely to take more medications or develop neurological conditions as you get older. These added factors can make it harder to smell or taste over the years. 

8. Environmental exposure

Exposure to chemicals, toxins, and metals can affect both taste and smell. They can affect the nerves or sensory cells in the nose and on the tongue. Exposure to solvents, metal dust, or fumes at work or at home can affect your sense of smell and taste.

9. Cancer

A very rare cancer called olfactory neuroblastoma can also cause loss of smell. It’s responsible for only 2% of cancers of the nose and sinuses. This cancer starts in the olfactory cells in the nasal cavity. It usually causes obstruction in one side of the nose and nosebleeds. But it can also result in anosmia (loss of smell).

It’s worth noting that treatments for other cancers — like chemotherapy and radiation — can also affect your sense of smell or taste. 

10. Vitamin deficiencies

There’s some evidence to suggest that certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies may be linked to changes in smell or taste. These vitamins and minerals include:

• Vitamin B12 

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin E

• Zinc

How long does loss of taste and smell last?

Changes in taste and smell can last for different amounts of time, depending on the cause. For example:

• Viruses: Loss of taste or smell from a common cold virus or the flu lasts about 1 to 2 weeks. Loss of smell or taste from COVID illness can take several weeks or, in rare cases, up to a few years to return. 

• Allergies or nasal polyps: Treating allergies or nasal polyps may restore your sense of smell. This can take several weeks to months. 

• Smoking: You can recover your sense of taste and smell after you quit smoking. How quickly they come back depends on how long you smoked. Recovery can take weeks to years.

• Head trauma: When you lose your sense of smell or taste after head trauma, you usually recover those senses within a couple months. But sometimes, these sensations never return. 

• Neurological disorders or age: The loss of smell or taste from neurological disorders or getting older is the least likely to resolve with time. Your sense of smell and taste might never fully return.

How can I get my taste or smell back?

Some people get their sense of taste and smell back without any treatment. But many people need extra help. 

The first step is to talk with your healthcare team. They can review your medications and medical history with you to pinpoint possible causes for your loss of taste and smell. They can offer treatment for medical conditions that may improve your senses. They may also suggest different medications that don’t affect your senses. 

Other treatments that can help with anosmia (loss of smell) include:

• Olfactory training: Also called smell retraining, this involves reteaching your brain to remember different smells over a period of months. Olfactory training can be helpful for most people, regardless of what caused their loss of smell or taste. 

• Steroids: Medications like budesonide can improve the success of olfactory training.

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Written by:

Aunna Pourang, MD

Aunna Pourang, MD, graduated from the University of Florida College of Medicine’s Medical Honors Program and is board-certified in family medicine (Mayo Clinic). She is also fellowship-trained in integrative medicine (Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine).

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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