If your aging loved one has a loss of the senses, like taste and smell it can be a traumatizing experience. A seasoned nurse from an Ear, Nose and Throat practice explains to us another problem that can occur as the senses decline; confusion between taste and smell.

In our practice, we treat a large number of seniors who are complaining about an inability to taste. While sometimes taste buds do change as part of the natural process of aging, this is most often not where the problem stems from. When we try to explain to our patients that the problem actually derives from their nose, it’s not uncommon to receive looks or distrust. Really, we’re not crazy, but we do understand how it can be difficult to accept when people naturally assume that problems with taste must begin with the tongue and taste buds.

While many different problems with the nose can cause challenges with taste and the interpretation of flavor, the best way to illustrate the connection between smell and taste is to use the common cold analogy. Anyone who’s had a stuffy nose knows that any food or drink consumed tastes different than what they’re used to, but since the taste buds aren’t truly at play, what it really comes down to is flavor instead. Taste and smell are very closely linked, and when we eat certain foods, we process both the odor of the food with our nose and taste on our tongue; and unconsciously roll them together and interpret them as one sense. So naturally, when scent is compromised because of a cold or other nasal complication, the flavor appears different than what we’re used to.

So, while you may walk into a doctor’s office, believing you have a problem with taste; whether you belong to the elder or younger generation, keep an open mind, understanding that taste and flavor are not one and the same and that problems with the nose can actually alter the interpretation of flavor.

Sources: American-Rhinologic.org
Wiki.Answers.com
Pubmedcentral.nih.gov

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