Taste disturbance

In everyday life, a person quite often encounters such a case as taste disturbance (hypogeusia).

It can be short-term (for example, you put food that is too hot in your mouth and for some time you stop feeling the taste) or long-term - it can be a consequence of deeper disturbances in the human body, or one of the symptoms of a serious illness.

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Causes taste disturbances

This diagnosis is given to a patient when the patient is unable to identify the taste of a product:

• If the damage affected the taste buds. Doctors classify this pathology as transport losses.
• If the pathology has damaged the receptor cells. Doctors assign to sensory disorders.
• Taste damage caused by pathology of the afferent nerve or malfunction of the central taste analyzer. This pathology can be classified as neural changes.

What are the causes of taste disturbance:

• Facial nerve, complete or partial paralysis. This pathology is characterized by loss of taste perception on the tip of the tongue, paralysis of the facial muscles. The affected part of the face looks like a frozen, distorted mask. Paralysis leads to increased salivation and lacrimation, and the process of blinking is difficult.
• Traumatic brain injury. As a result of trauma, the integrity of the cranial nerve was apparently damaged. In this case, the patient has difficulty differentiating complex taste compositions, while the patient normally distinguishes basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty and bitter). Other symptoms of this pathology include bleeding from the nose, nausea and dizziness, headaches and deterioration of visual perception.
• Cold. Quite often this widespread disease is accompanied by blocking of the sense of smell. And also swelling of the nasopharyngeal region, temperature, decreased vitality, chills and aches, cough.
• Cancerous neoplasms in the oral cavity. About half of the cases of oral cavity tumor lesions occur in the posterior lateral region of the tongue, which most often leads to necrosis of the taste buds. And as a consequence - taste disturbance. With this disease, speech is also impaired, the process of chewing food becomes problematic, an unpleasant odor appears, which spreads from the mouth.
• Geographic tongue. This term was coined by doctors for inflammation of the papillae of the tongue, which manifests itself as hyperemic spots of various shapes covering the tongue. The spotted pattern is somewhat reminiscent of a geographic map.
• Candidiasis or thrush. This disease manifests itself as a fungal infection of the oral cavity and is expressed by the appearance of creamy and milky spots on the palate and tongue. The patient feels a burning sensation, pain appears, and taste perception is impaired.
• Sjogren's syndrome. This disease has genetic roots. Its symptoms are disorders in the functioning of the secretory glands, such as sweat, salivary, and lacrimal. Blocked salivation leads to dry mouth mucosa, impaired taste perception, and periodic infection of the oral cavity. Similar dryness appears on the cornea of the eye. Symptoms of this disease also include nosebleeds, enlarged salivary and lacrimal glands, dry cough, swelling of the throat, and others.
• Acute viral hepatitis. The symptom that precedes the manifestation of other signs of this disease is jaundice. In this case, there is a distortion of olfactory perception, nausea and vomiting appear, appetite disappears, general weakness, muscle and headaches, joint pain and others increase.
• Consequences of radiation therapy. Having received a dose of radiation in the neck and head during the treatment of this terrible disease, the patient also acquires a bunch of pathologies and complications. Some of them are taste disturbance, dry mouth.
• Thalamic syndrome. This pathology involves changes in the normal functioning of the thalamus, which quite often entails such a disorder as distortion of taste perception. The primary sign of a developing disease and a warning bell is a superficial and rather deep loss of skin sensitivity with the manifestation of partial paralysis and significant loss of vision. In the future, sensitivity can be restored and develop into hypersensitivity, for example, to pain.
• Zinc deficiency. Laboratory studies often show that patients with taste disorders have a deficiency of this chemical element in their body, which indicates its significant role in preventing hypogeusia. Zinc deficiency also entails a failure in the sense of smell. The patient may begin to perceive unpleasant, repulsive odors as a wonderful aroma. Other symptoms of the element's deficiency include hair loss, increased brittleness of nails, and an enlarged spleen and liver.
• Vitamin B12 deficiency. This seemingly minor deviation in the mineral content of the body can provoke not only hypogeusia (taste disturbance), but also olfactory disturbances, as well as weight loss, up to anorexia, swelling of the tongue, impaired motor coordination, shortness of breath, and others.
• Medicines. There are many medications that can, in the process of taking them, affect the change of taste preferences. Here are some of them: penicillin, ampicillin, captopril, clarithromycin, tetracycline (antibiotics), phenytoin, carbamazepine (anticonvulsants), clomipramine, amitriptyline, nortriptyline (antidepressants), loratadine, chorpheniramine, pseudoephedrine (antiallergic drugs and drugs that improve nasal airway patency), captopril, diacarb, nitroglycerin, nifedipine (antihypertensive (pressure), cardiotropic (heart)) and many others. There are hundreds of them and before you start taking this or that drug, you should reread the instructions for use and side effects.
• Otoplasty. Hypogeusia may develop as a result of unprofessional performance of this operation or due to physiological characteristics of the body.
• Long-term smoking (especially pipe smoking). Nicotine can lead to partial atrophy of taste buds or distortion of their function.
• Injuries to the mouth, nose or head. Any injury is fraught with consequences. One of these consequences may be a disturbance of taste and smell.
• If hypogeusia is suspected in a small child, do not rush to conclusions. In fact, it may turn out that the baby simply does not want to eat or does not want to eat this particular product.

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Symptoms taste disturbances

Before we go into more detail about this disease, let's define the terminology. Based on clinical studies and patient complaints, doctors divide the symptoms of taste disorders into certain categories:

• General ageusia is a problem in recognizing simple basic tastes (sweet, bitter, salty, sour tastes).
• Selective ageusia is the difficulty in recognizing certain flavors.
• Specific ageusia is a decreased sensitivity to taste for certain substances.
• General hypogeusia is a disturbance of taste sensitivity that occurs with all substances.
• Selective hypogeusia is a taste disorder that affects certain substances.
• Dysgeusia is a distorted manifestation of taste preferences. This is either an incorrect taste sensation of a specific substance (the taste of sour and bitter is often confused). Or a somatically imposed perception of tastes against the background of absent taste stimuli. Dysgeusia can develop both on a semantic basis and in pathology at the physiological or pathophysiological level.

Forms

Impaired sense of smell and taste

It is quite rare that a patient with a particular disease is diagnosed with either only taste disorder or, individually, olfactory disorder. This is rather an exception to the rule. Much more often, in most diagnosed cases, olfactory and taste disorders go hand in hand. Therefore, if a patient complains of taste loss, the attending physician will definitely examine the sense of smell as well.

Such an interconnected disorder rarely leads to loss of ability to work, does not pose a threat to life, but the disturbance of taste and smell can greatly reduce the quality of social life. Often, these changes, especially in the elderly, can lead to apathy, loss of appetite and, ultimately, exhaustion. Loss of smell can also lead to dangerous situations. For example, the patient simply will not feel the odorant (aromatized fragrance), which is specially mixed into natural gas. As a result, he will not recognize a gas leak, which can lead to a tragedy.

Therefore, before stating the symptoms as harmless, the attending physician must exclude underlying, systemic diseases. Since hyperosmia (increased sensitivity to odors) can manifest itself as one of the symptoms of neurotic diseases, and dysosmia (perverted sense of smell) - in the infectious genesis of the disease.

Adequate perception of taste in humans occurs when all groups of receptors work in the recognition process: facial, glossopharyngeal, and vagus nerve receptors. If at least one of these groups, for some reason, falls out of the examination, the person gets a taste disorder.

Taste receptors are spread across the surface of the oral cavity: the palate, the tongue, the pharynx and the pharynx. When irritated, they send a signal to the brain, and the brain cells recognize this signal as taste. Each group of receptors is “responsible” for one of the basic tastes (salty, bitter, sweet, sour) and only when working together in a complex manner are they able to recognize the nuances and subtleties of taste shades.

Doctors attribute non-pathological causes of taste and smell disorders to age-related changes (reduction in the number of taste receptors) and smoking, which dries out the mucous membrane (taste is better recognized in a liquid medium).

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Diagnostics taste disturbances

Before proceeding with diagnostics, it is necessary to clearly exclude the case when the patient not only has difficulty determining the taste of the product, but also suffers from olfactory pathology.

First, the specialist tests taste sensitivity throughout the entire oral cavity, determining its threshold. The patient is asked to determine the taste of citric acid (sour), table salt (salty), sugar (sweet), and quinine hydrochloride (bitter) in turn. The test results form the clinical picture and the extent of the lesion.

The qualitative threshold of sensations in certain language zones is checked by applying several drops of the solution to certain areas of the oral cavity. The patient swallows and shares his sensations, but the characteristics are given differentially, for each area separately.

Today, such research methods as electrometric ones have appeared, but they do not paint a sufficiently clear and reliable picture of perception, therefore, diagnostics of taste disorders are carried out in the old-fashioned way, using clinical taste tests.

As in the case of olfactory pathology, in case of taste disorders, at the moment, there are no precise methods that can categorically differentiate sensory, transport or neural causes. In order for the doctor to be able to more specifically determine the cause of the neurological disorder, it is necessary to localize the site of the lesion as accurately as possible. The patient's medical history also provides important information for the attending physician. It is necessary to exclude genetically transmitted endocrine diseases.

It is also necessary to examine the side effects of medications if the patient is undergoing treatment for another disease. In this case, the attending physician will either prescribe another drug with the same effect or change the dosage of the first one.

Computer tomography is also performed. It will allow you to get a clinical picture of the sinuses and brain matter. It is necessary to exclude or confirm the presence of systemic diseases. Oral cavity diagnostics will help determine possible local causes (diseases) that can lead to taste disturbance: malfunction of the salivary glands, otitis, prosthetics of the upper jaw teeth, etc.

The doctor is also interested in the presence of traumatic brain injuries, laser irradiation of the head and neck area, diseases associated with inflammatory processes of the central nervous system and cranial nerves.

The attending physician also establishes the chronology of the onset of the disease, injury or surgical intervention with the appearance of taste disturbance. It is necessary to understand whether the patient has contact with toxic chemicals?

For women, important information is the approaching menopause or a recent pregnancy.

Laboratory tests are also conducted. They are capable (a comprehensive blood test) of giving an answer as to whether the patient's body has foci of infectious lesions or allergic manifestations, anemia, blood sugar levels (diabetes mellitus). Conducting special tests will help to identify liver or kidney pathologies. And so on.

If there are any suspicions, the attending physician refers the patient for consultation with a specialized specialist: otolaryngologist, dentist, endocrinologist, neurologist, etc. And if there is a craniocerebral injury, the patient undergoes X-ray, as well as CT or MRI of the head, which will help to identify intracranial changes or cranial nerve disorders.

If no obvious reasons for the taste disturbance can be found, a repeat diagnosis is carried out after two to four weeks.

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Treatment taste disturbances

First of all, the treatment of taste disorders is the elimination of the cause of its occurrence, that is, it is a set of measures that lead to the relief or complete eradication of the disease that led to this pathology.

Treatment can be started not after the doctor has diagnosed taste disturbances, but after the source and cause of this pathology has been fully established.

If the cause of taste disturbances is a drug that the patient takes during treatment, then the attending physician, after the patient’s complaints, will either change the drug to another one from the same group, or change the dosage of the first one if it is impossible to replace it.

In any case, if the problem exists and has not yet been resolved, or the composition of the secretions has changed, artificial saliva is prescribed.

• "Hyposaliks"

This medication is used to moisturize the oral cavity, which will fully or partially restore the resulting taste disorder.

The solution is sprayed in the mouth when the patient is sitting or standing. The medical spray is directed alternately to the inside of one cheek, then the other. Spraying is done with a single press. The number of daily repetitions is six to eight times. There is no time limit, and it is sprayed as needed - if the patient begins to feel dry mouth. This drug is non-toxic, it can be safely used by pregnant women and small children, there are no contraindications during lactation.

If the source of the problem is bacterial and fungal diseases, the treatment protocol for such a patient will consist of drugs that can suppress harmful pathogenic flora.

• Erythromycin

Daily dose of the drug:

• for newborns up to three months of age – 20-40 mg;
• for children from four months to 18 years old – 30-50 mg per kilogram of the child’s weight (in two to four doses);
• adults and adolescents who have crossed the threshold of 14 years - 250 - 500 mg (single dose), repeat dose no earlier than 6 hours later, the daily dosage can be increased to 1-2 g, and in severe forms of the disease, up to 4 g.

When taking this drug, some side effects may occur: nausea, vomiting, dysbacteriosis and diarrhea, liver and pancreas dysfunction, etc. This drug is contraindicated during lactation, as it penetrates well into breast milk and can enter the newborn's body with it. As well as increased hypersensitivity to substances that are part of the drug.

• Captopril

If the cause of taste disturbance is a malfunction of kidney function, the doctor prescribes a daily dose (for a mild form of the disease) of 75-100 mg. For more severe manifestations of the disease, the daily dose is initially reduced to 12.5-25 mg and only after some time the attending physician gradually begins to increase the amount of the drug. For elderly people, the dosage is selected by the doctor individually, starting with the figure of 6.25 mg and it is necessary to try to maintain it at this level. The intake is carried out twice a day.

This medicine is not recommended for use if there is intolerance to one or more components included in the drug, as well as in case of obvious disorders in the liver and kidneys. Very carefully, only under the supervision of a doctor, take people with cardiovascular diseases. Not recommended for children under 18 years of age, as well as pregnant and nursing mothers.

• Methicillin

Or scientific name - methicillin sodium salt. It is prescribed only intramuscularly.

The solution of the drug is prepared immediately before use. 1.5 ml of special water for injections, or 0.5% novocaine solution, or sodium chloride solution are injected into a bottle with 1.0 g of methicillin using a needle.

Adults are given an injection every four to six hours. In severe cases, the dosage can be increased from one to two grams.

For infants (up to 3 months) the daily dosage is 0.5 g.

For children and adolescents under 12 years of age, this medicine is prescribed at a dose of 0.025 g per kilogram of the child's weight. Injections are given every six hours.

For children over 12 years of age - 0.75-1.0 g of methicillin sodium salt in solution every six hours, or the adult dosage.

The course of treatment is dictated by the severity of the disease.

Limit the use of this drug in people with individual intolerance to penicillin.

• Ampicillin

Taking this medicine is not tied to food intake. An adult can take 0.5 g at a time, and the daily dosage can be designated as 2-3 g. For children under four years of age, the daily dosage is calculated per kilogram of the child's weight and is 100-150 mg (divided into four to six doses). The course of treatment is individual, prescribed by the attending physician and lasts from one to three weeks.

This drug is quite insidious in terms of side effects: gastrointestinal tract (exacerbation of gastritis), stomatitis, dysbacteriosis, diarrhea, nausea with vomiting, sweating, abdominal pain and many others. This drug is contraindicated for children under three years of age; with increased sensitivity to the components of the drug, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.

Such patients are also prescribed immunostimulants without fail in order to encourage the patient’s body to resist the disease.

• Immunal

The solution is prepared immediately before use by diluting the solution with a small amount of boiled water. The dosage is individual and is calculated for each age. Taken orally, three times a day.

• For children from one to six years old – 1 ml of solution.
• For adolescents aged six to 12 years – 1.5 ml.
• For adults and adolescents over 12 years of age – 2.5 ml.

The medicine can also be taken in tablet form:

• For children from one to four years old. Crush one tablet and dilute with a small amount of water.
• For children aged four to six years – one tablet one to two times a day.
• For adolescents from six to 12 years old - one tablet one to three times a day.
• Adults and adolescents over 12 years of age – one tablet three to four times a day.

The course of treatment is not less than one week, but not more than eight.

Immunal is contraindicated for use in the following cases: children under one year of age (when taking the solution) and under four years of age (when taking the tablets), hypersensitivity to the components of the drug, as well as plants of the Asteraceae family; tuberculosis; leukemia; HIV infection and others.

• Timalin

It is administered intramuscularly. The solution is prepared immediately before injection: the volume of one bottle is diluted with 1–2 ml of isotonic sodium chloride solution. The mixture is shaken until completely dissolved.

The drug is administered:

• toddler up to one year - 5 - 20 mg. Daily.
• For a child aged one to three years – 2 mg throughout the day.
• For a preschooler aged four to six years – 3 mg.
• For a teenager aged seven to 14 years – 5 mg.
• Adults – 5 – 20 mg daily. The general course of treatment is 30 – 100 mg.

The duration of treatment is from three to ten days. If necessary, the treatment can be repeated after a month.

This drug has no special contraindications, except for individual intolerance to its components.

If the cause of taste disturbance is zinc deficiency in the body, then the patient will most likely only need to take some zinc preparation. For example, zinctheral.

• Zincteral

A tablet that should not be chewed or divided. Adults should take it one hour before meals three times a day, or two hours after meals. Gradually, as taste perception is restored, the dosage can be reduced to one tablet per day. For children over four years old, the dosage is one tablet per day. There are practically no contraindications for this drug, except for hypersensitivity to the components included in the drug.

If it turns out that the cause of the loss of taste perception is smoking, then you will have to choose one of the two: either smoke and not feel the delights of taste, or quit smoking and regain your “taste for life.”

Prevention

It is quite difficult to decide on preventive measures if the cause of taste disturbance can be such a huge number of different diseases, both in genesis and severity. And yet, taste disturbance prevention is possible.

• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For example, smoking or alcohol can be one of the reasons for the violation of taste preferences.
• Increasing the quantity and variety of spices consumed. Excellent training for the receptor apparatus.

Don't forget about personal hygiene:

• Brush your teeth in the morning and evening.
• The toothbrush and toothpaste must be selected correctly.
• Rinsing the mouth after each meal, which, if not removed, begins to rot, creating a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria.
• You should wash your hands not only before eating, but also after using the toilet and upon returning home from outside.
• Preventive visits to the dentist. Complete sanitation of the oral cavity is a good barrier in the fight against infectious and fungal diseases.
• The diet should be harmoniously balanced. It should contain sufficient amounts of minerals and vitamins.
• If necessary, as prescribed by your doctor, you should take zinc and iron supplements.
• If the disease has arisen, it must be treated “without delay”, and the course must be completed, thereby eliminating all causes of taste disturbance.

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Forecast

Treatment of taste disorders is, first of all, stopping the disease or treating until complete recovery the disease that caused the occurrence of this pathology. The prognosis of taste disorders will also be determined by the prognosis that can be given to the disease that provokes this disorder.

Interesting things have been noticed, it turns out that people who enjoy eating bitter-tasting food also enjoy eating fatty foods. This leads to gaining extra pounds, and subsequently, to atherosclerosis and other various diseases, which, in turn, can lead to taste disorders.

Most women have a sweet tooth in life (this is their genetic predisposition), and this gene is double. Therefore, their taste palette is richer, and they can easily distinguish dozens of tones and semitones of sweet. Sweet tooths are less committed to fatty foods, therefore they suffer from diseases such as heart attacks or strokes less often.

To varying degrees, taste disorders are a fairly common phenomenon in our lives. They may arise briefly, due to some everyday reasons, or they may “make friends” with you for a long time. In any case, do not let the situation slide and do not brush it off. After all, this seemingly insignificant deviation from the norm may be one of the symptoms of a serious illness. And it depends only on you how quickly doctors can diagnose the disease and begin its treatment. Take care of yourself and pay more attention to your health - after all, it is the most valuable and expensive thing you have!