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A member asked:
For what reasons do we lose our sense of taste and smell when we have severe cold?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
Inflammation: When one has a viral upper respiratory infection, the mucous membranes within the nasal cavities become swollen. The olfactory (smell) nerve comes from the brain and enters the nose through the cribriform plate. The nerve endings detect the odorants that are inhaled through the nose. The swelling associated with a cold prevents smells from being sensed. Taste is impaired without sense of smell.
Answered 8/16/2013
5.2k views
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