The Hidden Epidemic of Smell Loss (Hyposmia) in the United States

Abstract

 There is a hidden epidemic of hyposmia in the United States. While most otolaryngol
ogists may see one or two patients with hyposmia yearly there are as many as 21 million people 
in the United States with hyposmia.1 Most of these patients experienced hyposmia following 
an influenza-like infection.2 Data suggest that there are 30 million patients who experience a 
f
 lu-like illness yearly; our data suggest that about 1% of these patients develop permanent hy
posmia or about three million people develop and suffer with this symptom on a yearly basis. 
As many as two million patients who have what can be termed allergic rhinitis suffer with 
hyposmia on a chronic basis.2 Otolaryngologists do see these patients but if they do not exhibit 
rhinitis, sinusitis or nasal polyps the patient’s hyposmia may not be paramount in their evalua
tion or treatment. Patients with hyposmia after a traumatic brain injury represent a third major 
etiology of hyposmia with as many as 500,000 patients exhibiting a persistent hyposmia after 
their head injury.2 Hyposmia associated with aging, head and neck radiation or chemotherapy, 
Parkinson’s disease or other metabolic or neurological issues constitute a part of this epidemic 
which is not recognized by otolaryngologists as a major medical problem.
 While hyposmia may not be life threatening for most of these patients their lives are 
inhibited by their inability to obtain flavor from food, enjoy social events around meals or to 
smell both pleasant and unpleasant or dangerous odors. Most patients are deeply disturbed and 
can become depressed by this loss and search unsuccessfully for methods to restore their smell 
function.