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Head trauma causes loss of smell/taste
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!
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!
Seeing everyone's posts has made me realize how common the loss of smell and taste is due to TMI. My accident occurred over a year ago and I remember distinctly when my neurologist told me if it does not return in 1 year, it is unlikely you will ever get it back. I don't believe him for a second and like many of the posters I sometimes smell a burning smoky smell, usually when I am showering. And as I notice, it disappears. I still suffer from dizzy spells even after 8 weeks of physio. I just sit down now and it passes. The thing is if you are 70% ok, post accident....they can't do anything for you anymore.
I often referred to my sense of smell as my super power pre TMI. I could tell if my daughter was getting sick 2 days before she showed symptoms. I could smell what others could not. Losing it was devastating for me, but I just told myself, losing it can't be without a reason or lesson. I truly hope it returns. In the meantime try to cook with more spice as your taste buds do work and you can almost trick your brain into thinking it can smell. One thing I have noticed, raw foods (vegies and fruits) uncooked allow some taste (of course only sweet, salty, sour, bitter). Look at a diagram of the tongue and test it out!
Promise, the small things can get you through the worst days. My first thanksgiving, the smell of worms on a rainy day, the smell of my husband and daughter. I remember them and miss them dearly. But on the positive side? I can ride a bus on a hot summer day without the bad smells that are associated with it, someone once threw up on the bus and I was the only one that did not gag, my daughter tells me I am lucky I can't smell my husband's farts, I don't smell the grease when walking in a food court, the perfume section in Sears doesn't make me run....the list goes on. Try to focus on the good....I try to.
I often referred to my sense of smell as my super power pre TMI. I could tell if my daughter was getting sick 2 days before she showed symptoms. I could smell what others could not. Losing it was devastating for me, but I just told myself, losing it can't be without a reason or lesson. I truly hope it returns. In the meantime try to cook with more spice as your taste buds do work and you can almost trick your brain into thinking it can smell. One thing I have noticed, raw foods (vegies and fruits) uncooked allow some taste (of course only sweet, salty, sour, bitter). Look at a diagram of the tongue and test it out!
Promise, the small things can get you through the worst days. My first thanksgiving, the smell of worms on a rainy day, the smell of my husband and daughter. I remember them and miss them dearly. But on the positive side? I can ride a bus on a hot summer day without the bad smells that are associated with it, someone once threw up on the bus and I was the only one that did not gag, my daughter tells me I am lucky I can't smell my husband's farts, I don't smell the grease when walking in a food court, the perfume section in Sears doesn't make me run....the list goes on. Try to focus on the good....I try to.
I fell and hit my head on the ground over 2 months ago, had a concussion which caused my loss of smell 100% and taste I would say 75%.
I can only taste salty, sour, spicy and sweet things but can not taste the actual food that I'm eating.
As everyone had mentioned, the neurologist said that it might come back and it might not.
It's not a good feeling when you can't smell people, places and food, I'm hoping to find a treatment center/clinic that specializes in this and ready to sign up.
I can only taste salty, sour, spicy and sweet things but can not taste the actual food that I'm eating.
As everyone had mentioned, the neurologist said that it might come back and it might not.
It's not a good feeling when you can't smell people, places and food, I'm hoping to find a treatment center/clinic that specializes in this and ready to sign up.
Hey Brittany, I seen your post. I'm sorry for what happened for what happened to you, i hope you're feeling better.
I am going through the same injury, except i was involved in a hit and run accident, some idiot ran me completely over while i was walking across the crosswalk, and i was diagnosed with a skull fracture, a small bruise, and some bleeding in my brain. I was suffering a concussion.
And it's been exactly one month sense my accident, and i can only taste certain foods, such as: salty foods, sweets, fruits and vegetables.. Everything else either tastes like burning plastic, or nothing at all. And same with smell, i can only smell certain things, or absolutely nothing.
And i'm really concerned whether if this is permanent or if it's part of the healing process.
Have you experienced anything like that as far as taste and smell goes?
I am going through the same injury, except i was involved in a hit and run accident, some idiot ran me completely over while i was walking across the crosswalk, and i was diagnosed with a skull fracture, a small bruise, and some bleeding in my brain. I was suffering a concussion.
And it's been exactly one month sense my accident, and i can only taste certain foods, such as: salty foods, sweets, fruits and vegetables.. Everything else either tastes like burning plastic, or nothing at all. And same with smell, i can only smell certain things, or absolutely nothing.
And i'm really concerned whether if this is permanent or if it's part of the healing process.
Have you experienced anything like that as far as taste and smell goes?
Hello brittany. I am slowly entering this world concerning your problem.
I have something really exciting to tell you.
I know about this problem because my friend David suffers from this issue. Now, I do not have full conclusive evidence of a returning sense of smell. I do have factual evidence that after doing energy work with me he was smelling immediate smells of the incense i was burning, and it seemed to him taste was coming back in food, he was using his nose again. I had to leave Costa Rica so we only got about 3 sessions in. Still. I think its amazing that we got the results we did.
I later found out this is a very big problem and a lot of people suffer from it. Thoughts in my head are to continue this with other people, and maybe start up a center somewhere. right now i'm moving around seattle canada and california.
My son has TBI and it has almost been 2 years. His injury is a lot more server than your injury. It is hard to find out for sure even though he can chat with us and eat a normal diet, but I am 99% sure his taste buds are still effected. He can eat just about anything and the main response we get when asked,is, it is cold or hot, but he is not able to tell us what it tastes like.
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