When people learn I have no sense of smell, the first question everyone asks is, “Can you taste?”
The lack of a sense of smell is called Anosmia. Some people (like myself) are born with it, while others may get it from an infection, a concussion, or other such incidents. And it’s not always a total lack of the sense of smell either. Losing your sense for only some smells is called partial Anosmia. The opposite of Anosmia is Hyperosmia, where your sense of smell is exaggerated. (Bonus fact: The lack of a sense of taste is called Ageusia.)
So, back to the question. Can I taste? The simple answer is yes. I can, in fact, taste. I can taste the usual things: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter. I can distinguish the taste between different fruits, like apples and oranges. I can even taste the difference between Coke and Pepsi. However, without a real reference of what other people taste, I can’t be too sure that I taste things the same way other people do.
Sometimes I think maybe there are flavors I am unaware of, and that the food I eat tastes vastly different from how other people taste it. I do notice I use copious amounts of condiments. So maybe my taste buds are, indeed, affected in some way. Still, I enjoy what I enjoy. Besides, it’s not like I can really do so much about it at this point. Just pass me the Sriracha sauce, and everything will be all right.
But one must be aware: Anosmia doesn’t just affect my eating experience. It can be a real health and safety concern, too. The amount of spoiled food I have accidentally ingested over the years isn’t something I’m particularly proud of. On top of that, I can’t smell gas leaks or burning wires. I wouldn’t be able to tell if my house is on fire until I see (or breathe in) the smoke. Good news for the guy with the body odor, though. I wouldn’t be able to smell him! (Then again, I wouldn’t be able to tell if I need a shower either.)
And when it comes to colognes and perfumes, I just really have to trust my friends and family for that. I’ve been gifted perfumes a few times. Thankfully, they smell great (as I’ve been told).
So how did I realize I had no sense of smell? I didn’t realize it until I was in my teenage years. For most of my childhood, when people asked me to smell something, I either pretended to smell it because I didn’t understand what was going on, or pretended I had a cold. It was only in high school that I had to tell those around me I couldn’t smell a thing.
I admit, I do get curious about being able to smell sometimes. I often wonder how chocolate smells, or if coffee really does smell as good as baristas say it does. Does fried chicken really have that hearty aroma, like they say on TV? Does a rose smell as sweet as Juliet said it does? What does a fart smell like? Is body odor really that bad? Do cozy homes really smell like cinnamon?
I’ve not gone to a doctor for this, because I don’t really see the point of doing so right now. I’ve grown accustomed to this anosmic lifestyle and, really, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
By the way, today, Feb. 27, is Anosmia Awareness Day.
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Jade Lu is a freelance writer who has spent the last 32 years navigating the world wondering what it’s like to have a sense of smell, especially since she spends most of her days in sweaty gyms practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu and weightlifting.