Q I have severe chronic rhinitis and sinusitis, and lately I can barely smell anything. Can rhinitis and sinusitis also cause loss of smell?
A Yes, chronic rhinitis and sinusitis (rhinosinusitis) are among the common causes of smell disorders. When mucosal swelling and purulent discharge block the path for air to reach the olfactory epithelium, odor molecules cannot reach the receptors and the sense of smell declines. Repeated inflammation can also damage the olfactory epithelium itself.
Detailed Answer
For smell to work properly, odor molecules must reach the olfactory epithelium located high in the innermost part of the nose. When chronic rhinitis or sinusitis causes the mucosa to swell or purulent discharge to accumulate, this pathway becomes physically blocked. This is called conductive hyposmia, and in the early stages it recovers with anti-inflammatory treatment. However, when inflammation recurs, the mucosa itself can become fibrotic or a neural component is added as the olfactory receptors are damaged, slowing recovery.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
Dongjedang views the decline in smell caused by sinusitis as the result of phlegm-fluid (dameum) stagnating in the nasal cavity. When sticky waste material blocks the passage, no matter how strong an odor is, it cannot reach the olfactory epithelium. We directly relieve local congestion through nasal bloodletting to restore airflow, and use phlegm-resolving (hwadam) prescriptions to reduce the stickiness of the discharge.
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