I just do not smell things like I use to do. Some odors I can not detect at all-others must be really strong for me to notice. I always feel like my nose might be stopped up. Do you think the nose sags as we age? If I take a finger and place on bridge of my nose -raising the skin up just a tad- seems I can smell better. Okay it is weird question, but inquisitive minds want to know
I probably don't smell as well as when I was younger but mainly because I was a smoker. Still...don't really have problems that make me question my sense of smell. Maybe a very faint scent.
My sense of smell - and taste - are less than they used to be. I know one reason is because I used to be a smoker. The other reason I know for sure is due to my COPD meds. I've learned to live with it but once in a while I can smell something and it's such a celebration. This morning I was able to smell the coffee .. boy did that smell good ! I'm not sure about aging and the loss of our sense of smell but I wouldn't rule out anything anymore.
I can still smell a rat but my sense of smell has changed and my nose seems to be stuffed up or running constantly. Just add it to the list of all the other things that don't seem to work as well as they used to.
@Maggie Mae ...I have COPD also..no oxygen or inhalers.. Never thought about this effecting sense of smell. I know cigarette smoke makes me gag now..can you belive that ?
Same with me. I blame it on the hay fever which was stronger when I was middle-aged. Sadly, it influences my gustation as well.
My nose is working just great and provides me with pleasure and joy and triggers fond memories. Garlic, celery,stew,soups, bacon, tar, bar b q, Chinese food.lavender. perfumes. I once followed a woman for two city blocks to ask her the name of her perfume.
Gloria I agree about the cigarette smoke. I do have trouble being around anyone who smokes. When I walk past an area where someone has had a smoke I find it horribly offensive. Standing in line behind a smoker almost makes me wretch. I can't believe that I used to smell that way. My husband thinks it all smells good but for me it's disgusting. As for the COPD .. no oxygen .. just twice daily Symbicort and rescue inhalers. Every now and again I have to use the nebulizer.
I quit smoking 9 or 10 years ago and I still love to catch a whiff of second-hand smoke. I suppose I'm still a smoker at heart I just don't smoke!
@Beatrice Taylor @Maggie Mae .... One of the reason I stopped trying to quit..was so I would not become 'one of those 'people who ewwed and preached about the ills of smoking. I do not even mention to those who do, as we well know that is useless anyway. My husband still smokes but must do so outside and not in our autos. He has been very helpful in doing that...besides he is messy smoker! I don't really miss it ..have no cravings...but when I get upset ...I tell people...hey get outta tha way...I am handling this smoke free people...or dont make me want to smoke!
I think that my nose still works, and have been trying to remember if I used to be able to smell more than I do now, but I don’t think so. So, if I am losing the sense of smell, it must not be to any great degree. I have always had sinus problems, and had to carry around a Kleenex for my runny nose, and that might be worse than it used to be. I use hydrogen peroxide and that cleans it out pretty well, and then I think that I can smell better for a while after I do that. As far as the relationship to smoking, I have never smoked in my life, but my father smoked when I was growing up, plus I have been married to a smoker most of my adult life. I do hate the stench of cigarettes, and I am glad that Bobby goes outside when he smokes; but I love the smell of pipe tobacco, and enjoy it when he smokes his pipe occasionally. My dad smoked all of his life until he was in his 70’s, and then one day just stopped. I think that it surprised him as much as anyone, because he had never even tried to stop smoking as far as I know, and then one day he said he just didn’t want a cigarette when he woke up. After carrying the pack of Camels around in his shirt pocket for a few days, he decided that he wasn’t going to want a cigarette , and he threw the pack away. As far as I know, he never missed smoking after he quit.
I have noticed my sense of smell has decreased that is linked to the sense of taste as well. Joking my wife says I smell. A little secret for congestive noise I have found a drop of DMSO on each side of my noise will open it within seconds also helps with a drop on the temples for sinus.
DMSO is helpful for so many things, but I have not actually tried it on my nose, except when using something like Vicks, and added the DMSO to help the Vicks penetrate into my nostrils better. I will definitely try it in my nostril and see if it helps me to breathe and smell things better. Thank you for the suggestion, @Martin Alonzo !