If you’re taking medications that cause anosmia or hyposmia, your care team will work with you to change your medications and manage any side effects. Always talk to your doctor before you stop taking prescribed medications.

Your sense of smell warns you about certain dangers, such as smoke from a nearby fire. It also allows you to identify and avoid spoiled foods and drinks. If you have anosmia, take extra precautions to ensure your safety. Make sure to change the batteries in smoke alarms regularly, and always check expiration dates on foods and beverages that can spoil.

Depending on your health, age, and the cause of anosmia, your doctor may recommend SRT. Also called olfactory training, this therapy involves smelling different scents at scheduled times throughout the day over several months. Usually, the therapy includes a floral scent; a spicy scent, such as cloves; and a fruity scent, such as lemon. You take about 20 seconds to focus on each smell. SRT exercises your olfactory system and creates new pathways between olfactory nerves (those related to the sense of smell) and the brain. It can help improve smell loss from multiple different causes.

At Stanford Health Care, our team pioneered a treatment that combines SRT with steroid nasal rinses. These rinses improved outcomes for people undergoing SRT.

If you have a tumor, nasal polyp, deviated septum, or other obstruction that’s causing smelling abnormalities, your doctor may recommend surgery. Our renowned team of head and neck surgeons has experience with a range of techniques for nasal surgery.

We are skilled at the latest minimally invasive options, such as endoscopic sinus surgery and endoscopic endonasal surgical techniques. We perform these procedures using a thin, flexible tube inserted through the nose, so there’s no need for incisions. Your care team will recommend the appropriate procedure and deliver customized care.