Anosmia
Published July 24, 2024 | 
Taste and smell are closely related. Smell is perceived by fine endings of the olfactory nerve high up in the nasal cavity. If obstruction in your nostrils prevents inhaled scents from reaching this area, no sense of smell occurs. This is known medically as anosmia (an-OZ-me-ah). Taste arises in your taste buds on your tongue, but requires involvement of the olfactory system to be recognized.
Almost everyone has experienced a short-term loss of smell and taste in association with a congested nose due to a cold or hay fever. Nasal polyps can cause chronic nasal obstruction. In addition, some tumors that arise in the nasal cavity or near the olfactory nerves at the front of the brain also can lead to persistent anosmia and loss of taste.
If loss of your sense of smell or taste is of more than a few weeks duration, it warrants a medical evaluation by your doctor to determine the cause and possible need for treatment.