Head trauma causes loss of smell/taste

[brittanyf]

Hello,
I'm 17 years of age and recently (2 months ago) had an accident that has resulted in the loss of my sense of smell and taste. I was at a lake, swinging on a rope into the water but lost my grip and wnet head first down a cliff of rocks and roots. I landed in the water but had hit the back of my head (near the crown, at the top) splitting my head open and fracturing my skull (3-4 inches). The neurologists told me I had a severe concussion as well as contusions (bruising) near the front of my brain where I damaged the nerve endings. I also have a herniated disc located in my lower back which has pinched my sciatic nerve running to my left leg.

Since the fall I have experienced several changes. The main concern I have months later is my senses. I understand the brain is complex but I feel as though I haven't recieved satisfying answers from my doctors. My doctor gave me a 3-4 month time frame to see improvements with my senses. He said I could get my taste back slightly, fully or not at all, same goes for my smell. I could get both back, one or none. To date, I have not experienced improvement with taste but recently I have been noticing (for about 2 days now) my nose is sensitive and feels as though it's tingling and I constantly smell mild "burning" so to speak. I was just wondering if this is a positive notion toward recovery or common in all patients who suffer from losing their sense of smell. Is it likely I will return to normal within my lifetime?

Also, if anyone has ever heard of anyone losing their senses after head trauma and regaining/not regaining them. Please comment, any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks greatly!

[tayla2011]

I lost my smell and taste 9 1/2 years ago. i was cleaning blinds at the school I worked at and lost my balance and fell off a counter. I hit the back of my head on the cement floor. I dont remember if I passed out or not. I was throwing up and had a bad concussion, The EMT came and because I could tell them the right day and year they said it was probably a small concussion and they could take be to the ER but they would probably tell me the same thing so I didnt go. My husband came and took me home. I remenber my eyes felt like they were going to pop out of my head any time I opened my eyes. I was also throwing up. I tried to eat a saltine cracker and thats when I noticed I could not taste it othere than the salt. By the morning I was no better so my husband took me to the ER. I told them what had happened and they ordered an MRI. when I was coming out of that and laying down I told the doctor I could not taste and the look on his face was like wow I never heard such a thing. I also had severe whiplash they told me and all the nerve endings around my tailbone were swollen. Two years after that my doctor wanted me to go get another MRI. I did so but they could not see anything wrong and I was told there is just not enough information for them to look at when this happens so they dont no why it happens. I also get this smell like sulfer sometimes and the sweet smell that doesnt smell like anything I can compare it with. I just assumed its more like a sensation since I cant describe the smell. And also I get the tingling in my nose at times too. At first I thought well i will loose weight but I actually have gaind ten pounds because I tend to eat salty or sweet so my mind is satisfied I enjoyeed it lol. Also chrunchy things and what things look like have more to deal with what I eat now days. Its been 9 1/2 years now so I dont think of it alot unless I think of the they smells that trigger memories like fresh flowers, the christmas tree, or smelling the warm pine smell from the trees when I go camping, homeaid cookies and coffee. I believe everything happens for a reason so if God wants me to smell again it will happen and if not.. then there is a reason for that as well...

[tonser]

Hello,

I fractured my scull over 20 years ago now, it wasn't until about 2  months after my injury ( once the headaches had subsided ), that i realised i had no smell and maybe no taste, test comfirmed loss of smell, although i can smell sillage and strong perfumes, i too have the smell of burn in my nose, i suppose some might get there smell back, but it doesn't have much of an affect on my daily life, it does get better.

Cheers. :)

[alison69]

my daughter suffered  a tbi in novemer of last year ,,she was on her bike and went through the window screen of a bus ,,she was put straight in intensive care where she stayed in a coma for 5 weeks she had to fractures to the skull blood clots and her rain swelled so much they told us to expect the worse after a long and traumatic talk to the consultant we were told our only hope was to operate and move the front and top portion of her skull so litually half her skull was removed fro above her eyebrows to the back of her head ,,this allowed her brain to swell without causing anymore damage to her brain we were told shed be severley brain damaged the op she had was a crainotomy ,,a few days pasted they tried to wake her but she had a collapsed lung also so went on to have a tracky they woke her and a year on shes doing great she as her bad days her smell as gone and taste her pesonality as changed also ..but rather this than what we was first informed she was a very lucky girl 5 weeks ago she went on to have a crainplasty which is where they opeped her up again and replaced the missing skull with a titanium plate was so scared for her the doctor kept saying our you sure you want this done as you might not make it ,,she was adamant she wanted it done and she is now on the mend with no infection thankgod im so lucky to have her still with us xx

[abizerk]

Hey i had accident b4 5 month ,i was ridng bike and other guy who was ridngbike from  wrong side we both get crushed and i was in the air and i  dnt know wht hapn next the thing i know was hard pain in my head and my arms than pplz asked are you ok than i jus waved my hand and said im fine jus my nose is bleedng than i had taken to hospital and than dr said i have go though opretion as my skull was broken and all blood from skull was cumng through my nose  and my face having 17 fractures from head to chin. Than after opreation m. not able smell jus one smell  is cumng dnt wht **** that smell calld but it drivng me crazy every time i wana check if i can smell .well friends io am haveng two still plates fix in my skull one on left and other on right .and doc said the same answer may ur s?mell be back or not.and havng headach from when. I walk in morning till m writing to u pplz life jus becum like hell now. I can fell blood cumng out and in in my vans well friends bye may god bless all of us

[charlie1977]

I am suffering from the exact same smell as yourself and can relate to the depression you are experiencing.
It has been 3 months since my head injury and still have had no let up on this and my doctor informed me that there is no time limit on when or if my senses will return to normal.
The frustration it is causing me is unbearable and all we can do is wait and hope that our mutual condition is cured.
In the mean time I hope you get some results soon,
Good Luck
Charlie

[tejanojoe673]

without me going thru my own TBI story... try this treatment, I found that after doing this (and after a sore neck from trying it alone) that I could smell ever so slightly when I bent down as and looked past my knees. Now although that's an unorthodox position to be in...it stimulates pressure on the brain "gravity" and if their remains any new repairing receptors it helps find the connection via the nasal cavity. The point of me responding to you and your boyfriend is that: any small improvement gives encouragement and stymies off depression for the both of you.

Good Luck and God Bless
Signed: TejanoJoe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=OudVoS5UY0c