DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY OF OLFACTORY AND GUSTATORY DISORDERS

Olfactory and gustatory disorders are not as rare as generally assumed. Permanent olfactory loss is suffered by one in 83 people. Case history data quite often are inaccurate, the more as the terms of smelling and tasting are used as synonyms by many patients. The cinnamon test has been recommended for identification of anosmia, while three camphor concentrations have been proposed for classification of hyposmia. Threshold concentrations are given for sweet, salty, sour, and bitter to detect gustatory disorder. Treatment for respiratory olfactory disorders so far has been most successful. Gustatory disorders may quite often be caused by medication and have then gradually regressed after change of medicaments. Reference is made to the need for adequate psychic guidance of patients with chemosensorial problems.