How do people cope with a complete loss of smell due to a concussion?
First, I would say not to give up hope. There is a chance of recovery from this condition given time. There are also new treatments being developed for every condition under the sun, so even if there doesn’t seem to be anything effective at the moment, there may be a cure in the near future. In the meantime, you might want to join a support group or participate here: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/anosmia/ Or here: http://www.anosmia.net/ But here’s a somewhat technical account of what is known about recovery from this: The olfactory system has the ability to regenerate. Indeed, there is the potential for recovery after a head injury and animal studies have demonstrated that recovery is possible. Costanzo (1985, cited from Smith and Seiden, 1991), recorded cells from the olfactory bulb of a hamster and demonstrated recovery within nine months. However, i
