Loss of sense of smell

[LATW]

Sorry if I have posted this question before.  Any one have a loss of smell?  I can not smell natural gas or my kids messy diapers.

My MS doctor said she would generally send someone with a loss of smeel for an MRI to see if there was a  tumor that was causing the problem but I had an MRI.

I told her I thought it was from chronic allergies or sinus problems. She said sinus problems can cause loss of smell.

We didn't talk about if it could be related to MS but I do wonder.  Anyone else have this problem? I am dx'd with MS so I am especially curious about those with a dx of MS.

LA

[Quixotic1]

Hey, Gradual or sudden loss of smell is well-reported with MS.  It can be complete or partial, one side or both (though it is hard to tell).

The sense of smell is governed by the 1st Cranial nerve.  You know those nerves that come directly off the brain or brainstem that I am always talking about.  Because their origins are in the brain they are considered white matter and part of the central nervous system.

So, your loss is most likely due to the MS.  It will act as any other symptom would.  It should resolve with time, but may or may not go away.

Quix

[LATW]

Oh, glad you responded.  It has been just recently I noticed the loss of smell to this extent.

I have had problem in the past when my nose is plugged from allergies but that does resolve.  I have started using a nasal irrigation to help with keeping my nose clear.

Is the 1st Cranial nerve connected to the tongue?  I can not manipulate my tongue like I used to.  Can not stick it out of my mouth very far.  Can not move it around inside of my mouth very easily.

I am wondering if it is all connected.  

LA

[risnerrose]

Do the issues with smell include smelling odd odors?  (When I sneeze I smell an unpleasant odor for several seconds.)

[LATW]

Funny you should mention that because I often smell things others can not smell.  I think I drive my husband crazy asking him if he smells something.

I have a difficult time knowing if a food is spoiled or not.  I often think I smell something musty.

LA

[Quixotic1]

This will be a part of a Health Page on Paresthesias


A erroneous sensation from a sensory nerve causes a "paresthesia.  What a lot of people don't know its that there are several different kinds of sensory nerves.

The common kinds are pain, pressure, soft touch, hot, cold, and vibration, but there are another dozen types.  On top of that there are the special senses: smell, sight, taste, hearing, and such.  All of them can be affected by MS.

Also nerves can be affect in two different kinds of ways.  Their error messages can be positive or negative.

A positive paresthesia means that the erroroneous nerve signal will be something felt, or sensed, by the person.  In the case of pain, it will be a sensation of pain from an area that is not damaged and has no reason to send a pain signal.

Hot may send a signal of a warm patch.  We often perceive this as a warm, "wet" patch, but usually this wtness is filled in by our brain because it makes sense and our brains often try to make sense of things that don't add up.

A positive pressure paresthesia may show as the band sensation we often feel in the trunk or the limbs.

And, so the sense of smell by show that is, too, is wonky, by providing us with abnormal smells.  Too often these are not pleasant.  

Eyes may send lights, wavy lines, colors or halos.

You get the idea.

A NEGATIVE paresthesia means the nerve shows its damage by not sending the signal at all, or by sending it in reduced amplitude.  

Something that is hot may just feel warm, or if the sensation is gone there is nothing to counter the cold sensors and the thing may actually feel cold.

Something may be completely  without feeling or numb.

The sense of smell may be totally gone.

Taste may be gone.

So, yes, you can be missing a sensation entirely (the nerve has NO, a negative response) or have the sensation and be getting altered, and wrong, information (the nerve is sending a signal, a positive response) but it is altered.

Quix

[LATW]

Thank you for that explanation.  I really appreciate the time you take to explain these things.  

Many of the odd things I experience are not fitting into this silly puzzle.  I have felt like a jigsaw puzzle for a long time.

LA

[jensequitur]

I'd like to hear more about the reason why paresthesia happens...  I've been having a range of symptoms that are all basically paresthesia - from numbness and tingling, to burning, to pinprick pains, to cold and wet sensations.  And I suppose the odd smells and strong smells I was experiencing last year was paresthesia, too!

[jensequitur]

Just went and looked, and all anybody can say is that it's a derangement or disturbance of the neurons in the central nervous system.  Guess I'm not surprised!  If we knew exactly what was going on, we'd be a lot further along.

[risnerrose]

This helps so much!!  It even explains why certain foods are no longer appealing.  

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Knowledge is powerful!!

Sherry