to Remind Us of Why Our Sense of Smell Matters
One of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 is losing the ability to smell. This brought a loss of sense of smell to the fore, and many have become aware of it. In medical terms, the loss of smell is Anosmia. Anosmia Awareness Dayis observed onFebruary 27every year. We talk about people being blind to the facts and environment. But some people are nose blind. These are the people who have a loss of sense of smell and are people with Anosmia. One in 10 people have some degree of Anosmia. Many times, one is not aware of this deficiency. There are several variants of Anosmia. Some are born with Anosmia, and some acquire it. Just like fingerprints are unique to individuals, so is their ability to smell. No two people can smell things the same way. Not being able to smell can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. Individuals with Anosmia can lead whole and productive lives with the proper support and resources. Observation of Anosmia Day is a step in that direction.
You have lost a whole dimension of your life – we constantly sample the atmosphere for smells.
Tim Jacob
It’s a loss that needs to be mourned.
When the COVID-19 virus was active and spread across the globe, everyone was worried about the symptoms. Cough and cold being common symptoms, confusion about whether to go for the test prevailed. The fear of being diagnosed as COVID-19-positive created tension and worry. One of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 is losing the ability to smell, which brought the loss of sense of smell to the fore, and many have become aware of it. In medical terms, the loss of smell is Anosmia. Ancient scriptures describe the “Pancha Jnanendriya” (five sensory organs): eyes, nose,tongue, skin, and ears. These are the sense organs that allow humans to perceive the world. Associated with them are the five senses: smell, form, taste, touch, and sound. Smell helps people connect with the environment; it could be a pleasant fragrance of flowers, subtly related to the food and its fragrance.
Anosmia Awareness Day is observed on February 27 every year. It is a day to spread awareness about Anosmia. It is the efforts of Daniel Schein, who himself identified to have Anosmia but came to know about it much later in life, that led to the establishment of Anosmia Awareness Day. It happened in 2012. Subsequently, the US House of Representatives recognised it in 2016. People associated with the observation wear red attire on this day.
We talk about people being blind to the facts and environment. But some people are nose blind. These are the people who have a loss of sense of smell and are people with Anosmia. One in 10 people have some degree of Anosmia. Many times, one is not aware of this deficiency. There are several variants of Anosmia. Some are born with Anosmia, and some acquire it. Congenital Anosmia refers to individuals born without the ability to smell, while acquired Anosmia results from injury or illness. Anosmia may be temporary and resolve independently, like what happened to the people affected by COVID-19. There is also a condition of selective Anosmia, the ability to detect only some odours. Some can detect odour but cannot recognise it. Anosmia is one deficiency for which there is still a cure and medication. Medical researchers indicate that Anosmia can be a symptom of neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Medically speaking, the olfactory bulb (in the vertebrate forebrain) gives the smell perception. The reason for losing the sense of smell when infected with COVID-19 is due to the olfactory bulb being infected by COVID. Just like fingerprints are unique to individuals, so is their ability to smell. No two people can smell things the same way. The ability to sense influences the ability to perceive emotion. If we were to examine two individuals with Anosmia, it is unlikely that they would experience this condition similarly. The scent cells keep regenerating at a frequency of 30-60 days. Researchers indicate that human beings can detect at least one trillion distinct scents. Recall the effectiveness of sniffer dogs. Dogs have 44 times more scent cells than humans.
While society can connect to the loss of other senses, like vision and hearing, it is not easy to relate to people suffering from Anosmia. Not being able to smell can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. Individuals with Anosmia can lead whole and productive lives with the proper support and resources. People may suffer from sensory deficiencies which you may not be aware of. Being compassionate is the first step to support them. Observation of Anosmia Day is a step in that direction. Daniel Schein can be an inspiration to many. When you have encountered a problem inflicted on you, you have a choice to live with it and withdraw with self-pity or fight and work towards finding solutions, if not anything, at least bring awareness.
Toons: Shreya
Logs: M. Sai Baba
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