Anosmia: Causes, Symptoms, and Natural Treatment Options

20 mule team borax has had a profound effect, ie. restoring my olfactory senses back to almost 100% efficiency, both taste and smell, which I had lost almost completely for almost 6 years, beginning two weeks after my first (and last! ) root canal.

I have suffered with chronic sinusitis/rhinitis symptoms ever since the root canal was performed. I am a senior chinese medical practitioner, and have been using acupuncture and herbs to very good effect, but still could not smell or taste much of anything. Tipped of by the mayo clinic website... that fully 80% of chronic sinus issues were demonstrated (by biopsy) to be fungus-related, I began reviewing natural anti-fungals, and since fungus lodged in the sinus cavity has no vascularity, and thus is immune from anything taken orally which makes it's way into the bloodstream, is why the heinous pharmaceutical anti-fungals such as dieflukan, etc are not effective.

Hence, a topical approach makes much more sense. Borax is a quintessential anti-fungal par excellence!

This should come as no surprise, yet nobody I am aware of has simply put borax in their neti pot.

I'm filling the neti pot with water, 1 full teaspoon borax + 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and using it in each nostril, twice daily, to very very good effect.

Borax is so cheap and so effective....the best single cure for sinus issues I am aware of, and can be done everyday!

Restore smell loss due to too much magnesium with common nose sprays with natural ingredients:

Restoring sense of smell after losing it from too much magnesium is easy, but it burns a bit. Lots of cold cures include magnesium. I've lost my sense of smell twice using magnesium in nasal gels and cold lozenges. Just go to any drug store and get one of the capsaicin nose sprays, like Sinus Buster, at Walgreens or Walmart or CVS or wherever. They are used for sinus issues and migraines and cluster headache attacks. Just use as directed. Smell came back pretty quickly; I think it was the same day I started the capsaicin spray. The ones I still have in the fridge are Allergy Buster, Sinus Buster, and Headache Buster. I use them for cluster headache attacks. But I no longer use magnesium for colds, as it aggravates my cluster headache attacks.

Regaining Taste and Smell

My naturopathic doctor told me to use castor oil to regain smell.

I did some research and found some instructions. Never warm any oil too hot it will destroy the healing properties. I think lukewarm is the key or don't warm it at all.

• Gently warm castor oil on the stove or microwave. Make sure it is warm and not hot.
• Place two drops of oil in each nostril twice a day: once upon waking and right before sleep.

Here is the link

https://www.healthline.com/health/anosmia

After using saline rinse and prescribed medication, I am happy to report today I can smell. I lost that sense for a couple of months. Castor oil is the remedy. I can smell again. I know it will improve with time. I'm sold, I feel like pressure is lifted from my sinuses. Remember its only day one and Im estatic.

Castor oil is beginning to work for me, lost smell and taste for many months, Growth in my left lower cavity on MRI, I used Qtip to swath entire nostril cavities twice a day basically one drop each side months without taste or smell, taste and smell are returning after a week.

If the loss of sense of smell is caused by a brain injury, castor oil will probably not help.

If the lost of sense of smell is caused by polyps or infection or scar tissue in the nose, the castor oil may heal those conditions over time, restoring the sense of smell.

Castor oil is a surprisingly powerful healing oil.

~Mama to Many~

Castor Oil treatment for loss of smell:

I used the castor oil once in the morning and once at night. I warmed it and put it in each nostril with an eye dropper. I did this for three weeks and my sense of smell and taste is returning; however, how long do I need to do this for and if I stop will I lose smell again?

All of the post that I've read, both here and other sites, says to use a drop or two in every nostril morning and night. I've made myself a 60-40% Castor oil and tea tree oil mixture. I've been putting this on a Q-tip ( Cotton bud in UK, I understand), But have not had much luck bringing back my sense of smell. But I'm going to try tilting my head back over the side of my bed. And applying the oil this way. I really hope it works, I'll try to keep up on here, and let everyone know. I'm suffering from Nasal Polyps, they're not very big, but located where they block my Olfactory glands. Good Luck, and God Bless!

If using castor oil internally for the nose, get one marked "Hexane Free". Hexane is a bad chemical to turn loose in the body. Health Food Stores usually carry the Hexane Free and yes it costs a bit more but so worth it.

Is castor oil safe to put in my nose? Because of ricin (very strong poison)

I lost my sense of taste and smell after taking about 6 zinc lozenges over a 2 day period - only noticed it after the cold ended and I still had no taste or smell. I regained it by using castor oil one drop in each nostril morning and evening in addition to smelling raw garlic and onion several times per day.

I have had a diminished sense of taste and smell for over a month, following a bad bout with the flu and pretty bad congestion. I have spent hours searching for cures online. I have been irrigating my sinuses with warm saline for about 2-1/2 weeks and it seems to have helped somewhat. Then I read an article about "re-training" your brain by smelling things with strong odors (coffee, cloves, pine, etc). That helped a bit but not substantially becuase I could only smell those things in a diminished way.

I finally came across the posts about castor oil a couple of days ago and just went out and bought some today.

After trying it just once this afternoon I noticed a big improvement in being able to smell things more. I am thrilled that this seems to have helped. Tonight it was chilly in the house and I put the heat on (gas heat) and for the first time in ages I could actually SMELL the heat! My food already has more flavor and I am looking forward to more improvements as I continue the castor oil treatment (one drop in each nostril; head hanging over the bed).

By all means, give it a try! The castor oil was less than $2 and really seems to be working like a charm. Thanks so much for posting this information!!

A very, very grateful renewed smeller/taster

I lost my sense of smell & taste almost a year and a half ago. I had a head injury where I had broken my jaws and when the wires were removed I was physically sick every day for 3 weeks until they finally hospitalized me. During this time I lost both my smell and taste & vertigo set in.

I read, on the net, that if you swab your nose with castor oil, a thin coating, it will help & it has! I can't smell in full or properly, but it's there & that is HUGE for me!! I don't do it everyday, nor every week or month, but plan to do it more often now that I've realized just helpful this is.

Unfortunately, I cannot find that article that made the suggestion.

Since I use such a small amount of castor oil I'd think there is no risk or harm involved, but I am not a doctor and if anyone reads this and finds that statement to be inaccurate, I'd like to know.

My wife lost her sense of smell seven month ago. I want to contact Tenderson from St. Louis, Missouri, about the suggestion of using castor oil. I want to be sure that it works and its secondary effects. Please contact me as soon as you can. My wife is getting crazy with this situation and I really appreciate any help.

I tried it but I didn't warm it. IT WORKED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY! Thank you SO much for the castor oil suggestion! Since the smell returned, so did my lack of taste. What a great, safe remedy! I love this site. It's provided me so many wonderful suggestions and this is one of the best!