Enoch Choi

Hi you replied to my post  about the  congestion rebound and using Rhinostat.  Well I am using it and its doing great, Im almost weaned off the nose spray that I dont even use  anymore.
My only question is that when I  did use the nose spray  daily for 2 years there were  times when I lost my smell and towards the end I think I damaged it.  Will there ever  be improvement in smelling food.  Mostly in the mornings  I have hard  time tasting my food.  Is there anything I  should  do about this medicaly.

[Enoch Choi]

Rhinitis medicamentosa is the medical term for the rebound congestion caused by addiction to oxymetazolone (afrin) or other topical nasal decongestants.  It is a common cause of anosmia (loss of smell) via a conductive disorder.  That is to say, that if you're so stuffy that you cannot pass air through congested swollen nasal passages, no air would carry particles past your smell receptors.  It's a problem of not conducting the air to the receptors.

Conductive disorders causing anosmia usually improve with treatment of the blockage.  If the blockage has cleared and anosmia remains, it could possibly be caused by the less than 1/3 of all reasons for anosmia, which would require follow up with an ENT

Enoch Choi, MD