Yes, Allergies Can Cause a Loss of Smell. So How Can You Be Sure It’s Not COVID-19

 Losing your sense of smell are often pretty nerve-racking, particularly because it’s a symbol of COVID-19—and a comparatively common one, too.

A 2020 study published within the journal PLOS Medicine found that 78% of 567 people that had experienced a lost sense of smell or taste within the previous month tested positive for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus).

“I do think most of the people don’t necessarily recognize [a loss of smell] as a symbol of infection. they'll just think it’s odd and not related,” Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security previously told Prevention. “But it seems to be an honest indicator of COVID-19.”

However, a lost sense of smell (medically referred to as anosmia, which is usually amid a lost sense of taste, or ageusia) is often rooted in other issues, including upper tract infections just like the cold and, yes, even allergies.

As spring ramps up, you would possibly feel confused if you've got a sudden onset of symptoms, especially if they’re new to you. Ahead, doctors explain the link between allergies and a loss of smell especially, plus what to try to do if you experience it.

Why do allergies cause a loss of smell?

It has tons to try to do with how allergies add to the primary place. once you inherit contact with something you’re allergic to, it triggers a sequence reaction that starts in your genes and is expressed by your system, consistent with the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

When your system detects an allergen, like pollen or grass, it overreacts by making antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). Those antibodies then visit your cells, where they release chemicals called histamines—and those histamines depart typical allergy symptoms, sort of a stuffy nose, cough, and itchy, watery eyes.

Here’s where a loss of smell comes into play: The nerves that conduct your sense of smell to your brain are located within your nose, says Stanley Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D., division chief of Allergy-Immunology-Rheumatology at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of drugs and Biomedical Sciences. When you’re having an allergy, those nerves can become inflamed, and “that will stop your sense of smell,” he explains.

Allergies also can cause sinusitis, an inflammation of your sinuses, i.e. the cavities in your skull that are located around your eyes and behind your nose. “Sinusitis can cause your sinuses to refill with mucus,” Dr. Schwartz says, “and which will affect your ability to smell odors.”

Then, there’s the difficulty of just handling a stuffy nose thanks to allergies. “If you're very congested, you'll notice a decreased sense of smell,” says allergist and immunologist Scott Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., professor of clinical medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of drugs. Uncontrolled inflammation in your sinuses thanks to intense allergies also can cause nasal polyps, or growths on the liner of your nose and sinuses, which may also mess together with your sense of smell, he says.

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How to tell if your loss of smell is caused by allergies or COVID-19

COVID-19 remains spreading, so it’s important to think that your lost sense of smell might be thanks to coronavirus infection. But as positive cases decrease across the country and more people become fully vaccinated against the virus, your loss of smell or taste might be stemming from allergies.

So, how are you able to tell the difference? First, a loss of smell thanks to allergies always happens alongside nasal congestion, Dr. Schwartz points out. Plus, if allergies are the culprit, the loss of smell will come on gradually, says Kara Wada, M.D., an allergist and immunologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Center. “Loss of smell from COVID is pretty sudden,” she says.

It’s important to stay your personal history with seasonal allergies in mind, too. If you’ve struggled with them within the past and develop a loss of smell around the same time as you always develop allergy symptoms, “that’s worth considering,” Dr. Wada says.

If your loss of smell or taste happens in tandem with other notable coronavirus symptoms, especially a fever, you ought to be more suspicious that you simply may need COVID-19, says Richard Watkins, M.D., an communicable disease physician, and professor of general medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University.

Can’t find out what’s happening? It’s totally understandable because the symptoms of COVID-19 and allergies tend to overlap. during this case, your doctor can help provide guidance. They’ll be ready to get an in-depth history of your symptoms and knowledge of allergies. From there, they’ll likely recommend getting tested for COVID-19, just to get on the safe side.

What are you able to do if allergies have led to the loss of smell or taste?

If you’ve tested negative for COVID-19 otherwise you are pretty positive that your allergies are behind your loss of smell and taste because it’s happened before, there are a couple of belongings you can do to urge relief.

✔️ Do your best to avoid your triggers.

This can be tricky if you’re allergic to outdoor allergens like pollen. But, if you'll, Dr. Schwartz recommends staying inside together with your air conditioning or an air purifier running when pollen counts are high in your area. got to go out? Wear a mask, even when you’re not getting to be around others. this will help filter irritating particles so you'll breathe a touch easier and ideally avoid the onset of symptoms.

✔️ Try employing a nasal spray.

A low-dose, regular use of steroid nasal spray like fluticasone (Flonase) can help. “It doesn’t cure your allergies, but it reduces the inflammation which will cause a loss of smell,” Dr. Schwartz says.

Saline sprays are another mild option that will be useful in helping to filter out gunk and allergens that would be lurking in your sinuses and cavity, Dr. Wada says.

Azelastine (Astepro) may be a nasal antihistamine that’s also “pretty effective” at combating allergy symptoms, says Dr. Schwartz. With these, “you don’t need to use it continuously—just use it on and off once you need it,” he explains, but you would like a doctor’s prescription to urge your hands thereon.

✔️ Reach for an oral antihistamine.

While Dr. Feldman recommends employing a nasal antihistamine or sprays first, he says an antihistamine pill may help if you don’t find any relief from a sprig solution. These medications block histamine to stop allergy symptoms in the first place. Try Claritin or Zyrtec for non-drowsy options.

✔️ If all else fails, see your doctor.

If you’re battling a loss of smell or taste thanks to allergies and at-home solutions aren’t working, ask your doctor. they're going to be ready to offer personalized suggestions to assist you to discover relief.

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