Last summer I had a very bad cold and since then I can barely smell or taste anything. What could it be?
141342
Anosmia (loss of sense of smell) and dysgeusia (loss of sense of taste) often occur together, since much of what we "taste" is actually smell.\n\nTemporary loss of the sense of smell is common with colds and nasal allergies, such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis). It may occur following a viral illness.
443387
Could be anything from an inner ear infection, to MS. Go see a doctor.
800557
you might want to check if you have an infection of some sort. If not there is stuff that you can buy at the drug store for odour
6126
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.\n\nI have a HORRIBLE cold right now (why else would I be on this site?!) and I realized that this is the one time I feel like my body has control over me, not the other way around. And it's probably because I wasn't taking good enough care of it to keep it going like I was!\n\nThe two most important things you can do are (1) SLEEP, and (2) DRINK...a LOT. I mean like there will be no water tomorrow. If you're like me, you probably get a fourth of what you're supposed to each day. Which means now is the time to make up, because your body is punishing you. :-)\n\nAside from that, take vitamins (that, again, you should be taking every day). Boost up your immune system with things like Vitamin C (OJ!), Zinc, and Selenium. Go with the Nature's Way echinacea if you would like, but make sure to give your doctor's recommendation dibs.\n\nAlso, stay away from work, school, or other places where you might spread your ickyness. Not for too long, but remember there are other people out there (people with kids!) who will be very unhappy with you if you cramp their style by getting them sick.\n\nKeep the foods you eat pretty bland (is this the rationale behind chicken soup and crackers?) so that you don't put your digestive system through the ringer. The key is nice 'n easy.\n\nI am not sure of this, but I was always told to stay away from dairy products (milk, cheese, etc) as they contribute to the production of phlegm. I'm in the draining process now and don't need any more mucus, thank you.\n\nTake the time (when you're not sleeping) to catch up with movies, books, or online shopping (my personal favorite!) to keep yourself indoors. Try to keep your physical activity to a minimum, but depending on how severe your cold is, this might not be a problem. My body protests every time I try to climb a flight of stairs (and I live on the 3rd floor!) so taking it easy is not difficult for me.\n\nThis is just me, but I like to stay away from over-the-counter medication (unless I need it to sleep at night - NyQuil is my legal drug) because I think I can better gauge if I'm getting better without it.\n\nGood luck and feel better!
434908
Did you recently have a cold?  If so, this cough can be the final stage of your cold, which in itself, is a virus.  This cough can linger for a long time (as much as 6 months!)  You may need to get something to suppress your cough.  As with all virus's, you will have to wait it out.\ngood luck!
804418
last week had a bad sinus & lung infection -had to go to the doc & get some meds to clear it up-was pure hell-hope you are not getting sick [angel]\n\nhappy day\nold geezer
693650
Sounds like the flu or a cold.
115562
*Thinking a bit* Bad breath (halitosis) is a common problem which often comes from the activity of bacteria in the mouth. Although there is no way of knowing for sure, most adults probably suffer from bad breath occasionally, with perhaps a quarter suffering on a regular basis.\n\nMost cases of bad breath appear to be due to the breakdown of proteins by a variety of micro-organisms. Several of the breakdown products are foul smelling gases.\n\nIn people with healthy teeth and gums, the odour usually comes from the far back region of the tongue, and grows stronger when the patient starts talking.\nBreath odor and body odor can be a signal of unhealthy conditions. There are other reasons for bad breath other than the mouth.\n\n    * Infections in the sinuses or lungs\n    * Diabetes mellitus (acetone smell)\n    * Kidney failure (fishy odor)\n    * Malfunction of the liver\n    * Stomach disorders\n    * Sjogren's syndrome (extreme dryness of mouth & nasal passage)\n    * Disorder of metabolism ; body can't process choline (fishy odor)\n    * Fasting or on diets\n\nDo's\n    * Visit your dentist regularly.\n    * Have your teeth cleaned periodically by a dental professional.\n    * Floss or otherwise clean between your teeth, as recommended by your dentist. Choose unscented floss so that you can detect those areas between your teeth that give off odours, and clean them more carefully.\n    * Brush your teeth and gums properly.\n    * Ask your dentist to recommend a toothbrush or scraper for your tongue. Clean your tongue all the way back gently, but thoroughly.\n    * Drink plenty of liquids.\n    * Chew sugar-free gum for a minute or two at a time, especially if your mouth feels dry. chewing parsley, mint, cloves or fennel seeds may also help.\n    * Clean your mouth after eating or drinking milk products, fish and meat.\n    * Unless your dentist advises otherwise, soak dentures overnight in antiseptic solution.\n    * Get control over the problem. Ask a family member to tell you whenever you have bad breath.\n    * If someone in your family or a close friend has bad breath, find a kind way to let them know. If you can't tell them directly, leave this fact file lying around. They may get the message.\n    * Buy a mouthwash which has been shown to be clinically effective in fighting bad breath. \n    * Use it most effectively right before sleeping.\n    * Eat fresh, fibrous vegetables such as carrots.\n\nDon'ts\n    * Don't let your concern about having bad breath run your life. Don't be passive.\n    * Don't be depressed. Get help. Don't ignore your gums - you can lose your teeth as well as smell bad.\n    * Don't drink too much coffee - it may make the situation worse.\n    * Don't forget to clean behind the back teeth in each row.\n    * Don't brush your tongue with regular toothpaste - it's better to dip your toothbrush in mouthwash for tongue cleaning.\n    * Don't run to the gastroenterologist for concerns of having bad breath - it usually comes from the mouth and almost never from the stomach.\n    * Don't give mouthwash to very young children, as they can swallow it.\n    * Don't clean your tongue so hard that it hurts.\n    * Don't rely on mouthwash alone - practice complete oral hygiene.\nhttp://www.tau.ac.il/~melros/bda/index.html\n\nNow there are herbal methods to deal with halitosis (No Guarantee how well these work except a couple like pepermint, a main ingredient in toothpaste, that I'm fairly certain works.)\nCoenzyme Q10 (if gum disease)\nFolic acid (if gum disease)\nZinc chloride (rinse or toothpaste)\nSelenium (if gum disease)\nVitamin C (if gum disease and deficient)\nVitamin E (if gum disease and deficient)\n\nHerbs\nBloodroot (rinse)\nCaraway\nClove oil (rinse or toothpaste)\nEucalyptus\nMyrrh (rinse)\nPeppermint\nSage\nTea tree oil (rinse or toothpaste)\nThyme oil (rinse)\nFennel \nhttp://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/health/Concern/Halit
929099
lets just say i can no longer taste things
45464
flu? head cold? knocked up? try a bland diet for the next several days or see a doctor \nthe diet would be dry plain toast white or brown rice and maybe a little (and I do mean little) fried ground up beef. and tons of water.
946297
Do you have anay other symptoms?  Being cold could be something that is totally no big deal, like a change in metabolic processes (ie, how you're digesting and stuff).  Fevers and flu often cause chills.  It could also be heart or kidney-related and somewhat serious.  Talk to your parents if you're seriously freaked out about it.  If the cold is the only symptom though, it's probably nothing to worry about.
800762
probably go to the doctor and get some medicine. My longest cold was probably for 2 and a half weeks.
162357
I read somewhere that is is breathing in the warm vapors which helps. I have experienced this, but you could just take a hot shower or have any kind of soup and it would help.
687705
Well certain illnesses and medications can cause this. Also being sick with a cold, sinus problem etc... can. \n\nBut with my husband he was pretty much born with no sense of taste or smell. It is not good. His identical twin brother has the same problem but not as extreme as my husband. He can eat, taste, and smell more. \n\nTheir mom did not know she was having twins, really, till she had them. She had another child before this. And they were a bit early too. But still a bit over 5 lbs. \n\nENT doctor and others told my husband there is nothing they can do. He has to put a lot of salt on his food and he only eats certain things. He is a meat and potatoes guy. He does not like a lot. But like he told me. He does not eat a lot, it would be like eating cardboard, how some things must seem to him!!! His weight is normal though.
934979
Have a rennie, or a strong tasting cough sweet (or something aniseed).\nSip some water\nlearn to do some breathing exercises.\nRead the Allen Carr Easyway book it works.
19664
When this happens to me I associate the lightheadedness and nausea with lack of oxygen going to my brain.  When your nasal passages are clogged you actually breathe less good air.  Try to use some kind of nasal spray or maybe something like Vick's Vaporub.
74477
It depends, if it is really bad, it can be caused by an infection and you should see a doctor. But if it is just more intense, then it can be caused by the food you use to take. Anyway, that smell is not bad, it is a natural one.