Chapter 030. Disorders of Smell, Taste, and Hearing (Part 2)

Disorders of the Sense of Smell These are caused by conditions that interfere with the access of the odorant to the olfactory neuroepithelium (transport loss), injure the receptor region (sensory loss), or damage central olfactory pathways (neural loss). Currently no clinical tests exist to differentiate these different types of olfactory losses. Fortunately, the history of the disease provides important clues to the cause. The leading causes of olfactory disorders are summarized in Table 30-1; the most common etiologies are head trauma in children and young adults, and viral infections in older adults. Table 30-1 Causes of Olfactory Dysfunction Transport Losses Neural Losses Allergic...