How many people have issues with the sense of taste & smell?

Somebody asked this question on Facebook & I was interested to see that quite a few people did have issues with it.

I have had issues for the last two years that was being attributed to me having sinus problems. I have been under a specialist Taste & Smell ENT clinic - there are only 3 in the whole of the country!

However it would be interesting to see if it is a problem connected to auto immune conditions.

Some people have had it attributed to the medication we are on but I don't think that theory is conclusive.

There is a fairly new group supporting people with taste & smell issues called The Fifth Sense

fifthsense.org.uk

Although taste & smell is one of the five senses very little credit is given to the impact that it has on people's lives.

If we had problems with hearing & sight we would be referred to the appropriate doctor, however this doesn't happen with taste & smell.

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My sense of smell is important to me and as for taste .... vitally important! Both went for a burton around the time that my other symptoms came to the fore. I've found that they have returned when my disease is more under control, even though it has never been satisfactorily controlled so far. I think basic healthy living - good food & not too much of it, exercise, plenty of sleep all help with general well-being including keeping these senses sharp - 'looking after myself' generally seems to help with some of the subtler, grotty little symptoms of my disease.