Sudden heightened sense of smell

[Anonymous]

I am 58 (last period at 47). My sense of smell for the last ten years has been diminished (although not totally disappeared). A month ago it suddenly reappeared. I am enjoying whiffs of the Christmas tree (even now that it is time to take it down). I smelled forced bulb tulip blossoms. I smelled a sort of subtle body odor on the person sitting in front of me at church. What would cause a sudden return of the sense of smell ( nothing else unusual in the my lately).

[Anonymous]

Why did it disappear in the first place?

[Anonymous]

Have you stopped smoking? Used nasal sprays?

[Anonymous]

OP here. I think it is common for smell to diminish as one ages which is why I included age and years post menopause. I am not a smoker. I actually was using nasal sprays prior to the return of smell. I had travelled to a dry climate and was using them because of the dryness in the air. However, my smell had been diminished for ten years and I had used nasal sprays before with no improvement in the sense of smell. I have been back in humid Maryland for 3 weeks, not using nasal sprays, and my sense of smell is still good.

[Anonymous]

It's not the sprays, it's the dry climate you were in. You may actually have some allergies that are aggravated by our wet climate. Allergies come and go over the years so maybe yours is on it's way out, or maybe the problem will return in time now that you're back home.

[Anonymous]

I've read that whacky hormones in menopause can do it, though it sounds like you think you should be past that?

[Anonymous]

Your small brain tumor dried up, dissipated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your small brain tumor dried up, dissipated.

Ha, ha, I like this explanation best!

[Anonymous]

Loss of the sense of smell is associated with brain changes of dementia. What have you been doing/taking/eating lately that's out of the ordinary for you? Maybe you've stumbled upon a cure for what might have been pre-dementia.

[Anonymous]

I have worried about that dementia/smell link! I do eat lots of blueberries - maybe that is helping. I do think there are lots of causes of diminished smell - some are more peripheral and would not be associated with brain level cognitive decline. The only different thing I have been doing is using a combination of lavender oil, orange oil and eucalyptus oil to lull myself to sleep. It works great (and I buy it from a natural foods coop, not a MLM marketer!). Anyway, is it possible that smelling those strong odors before sleep somehow awakened my general sense of smell? FYI, my mom also has finished smell and is still cognitively going strong at 91.

[Anonymous]

diminshed not finished

[Anonymous]

I'm 45 and have been experiencing increased sense of smell lately. Certain foods trigger my gag reflex. It is bizarre. Forget about cleaning the litter box-- I can't go near it, that's my DH's job now. I did some research and it sounds like a hormonal issue related to peri menopause.

Good news is, I don't have to clean the litter box anymore... lol

[Anonymous]

Are you sure you're not pregnant???? That sounds like pregnancy nose.

[Anonymous]

Way past pregnancy!!

Here is an article on diminished sense of smell. Apparently in the U.K., there are programs for retraining smell using the smells of essential oils. Perhaps I inadvertently did this with my use of lavender, eucalyptus, and orange scents to send myself asleep. Interesting article with link to UK website. https://www.google.com/amp/www.philly.com/philly/health/20160821_When_the_nose_doesn_t_know__Recovering_lost_sense_of_smell.html%3Famphtml%3Dy?client=safari

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your small brain tumor dried up, dissipated.

Ha, ha, I like this explanation best!

Serious
Y, though. Ask your doctor. This is unusual, as was losing so much of your sense of smell in the first place.