Practical approach to the loss of smell.

Loss of the sense of smell can be easily confirmed in any physician's office by having the patient try to identify various odors. The etiology of anosmia can be extremely varied, including nasopharyngeal disorders such as rhinitis and tumors; neurologic conditions such as head trauma, neoplasms, vascular lesions and infections of the central nervous system; viral infections; familial and congenital disorders; drugs; industrial exposure; endocrine diseases, and several other disorders. The prognosis of anosmia is guarded, and its treatment depends on the etiology.