USING SMELL TO TASTE?
An estimated 200,000 people a year go to the doctor because of a problem
with smell or taste. This is Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, Speaking of
Health. According to the academy which represents the nation's ear,
nose and throat specialists, not everyone who goes in for a problem with
smell or taste turns out to have trouble in the area they though they did.
For example, it is not uncommon for someone to think they have a problem
with the taste buds on their tongue when, in fact, the problem turns out
to be in the nose. Up high inside the nose are specialized olfactory
cells, receptors which are capable of distinguishing between various odors
and send their messages directly to the brain. Nasal polyps, sinus
problems or even the chronic effect of tobacco smoke on olfactory
structures inside the nose and throat can reduce the ability to identify
odors and diminish the sense of taste as well.
Those smelling cells have a lot to say about what we perceive as taste,
as any gourmet chef can tell you. To prove this to yourself, the
next time you eat chocolate, hold your nose and see if you can then enjoy
the chocolate flavor. Our ability to "taste" chocolate is largely
dependent on our ability to smell it. The same holds true for the
flavor of coffee and other familiar food stuffs.
So, if someone notices a persistent, diminished sense of taste, it could
actually stem from several sources. It could originate from some
problem inside the nose; or be related to disorders of the taste buds in
the mouth or on the tongue which merit medical care. For a copy of
this script access our Web site, speakingof health.com. Speaking of Health,
I'm Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, for CBS News.
E-Mail
drdavis@davishealth.com
Dr. Steve Davis
7810 Louis Pasteur #200
San Antonio, Texas 78229
210/614-3355
