Dysgeusia: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Shaheen Lakhan is an award-winning physician-scientist and clinical development specialist.
An altered sense of taste is called Dysgeusia.It has a lot of different things to do.Some of the causes, like the common cold, can be solved on their own.
It's noticeable that the taste distortion is very noticeable.People with this condition describe their tastes in very specific ways.If you don't know if you have an impairment of taste or smell, you may need to have a taste test.
If the cause of your symptoms is not obvious, it is important to get a diagnosis.It is possible to treat conditions that impair taste.After treatment, your sense of taste will improve.
An altered sense of taste can affect you when you are not eating or drinking.Some people have a metallic taste, a bitter taste or a salty taste.
It can affect your enjoyment of food, but it doesn't cause nausea.Dysgeusia causes aversions to certain foods.
You may experience other symptoms with dysgeusia.These symptoms are not caused by taste distortion, but are related to the cause of your dysgeusia.
You might have a decreased appetite when you experience dysgeusia.If this problem lasts for a few days, you may lose weight.Dysgeusia can cause pregnant women to lose weight.In a healthy person, appetite is restored once dysgeusia resolves, and most people gain their weight back again.
A long-term condition such as diabetes, GI disease, or a stroke can cause taste distortion and lead to malnutrition.People lose weight.
If you have dysgeusia, you can develop a preference for junk food, which leads to malnutrition even without weight loss.
There are many causes of dysgeusia.Some of these are related to changes in the mouth, such as a dry mouth or dental problems, while others are based on the neurological aspects of taste sensation.
dysgeusia can be caused by hundreds of medications.This does not mean that you will develop the dysgeusia if you take a medicine that can cause taste distortion.You can develop dysgeusia with just a few doses, or it can come on suddenly after years of taking the medication.
There are a number of medical conditions that affect the sense of taste.It can be difficult to distinguish which of the senses is impaired due to the medical conditions that interfere with taste sensation.
Your sense of taste can be affected by chemical toxins.Chemicals in pesticides, cosmetics, detergents, and industrial environments can enter your system through your skin, mouth, or nose.
Your sense of taste is activated all the time, but it is more sensitive when you are eating and within an hour after.
You have taste in your mouth.The vagus nerve is one of the facial nerve'sreceptors.You can recognize the taste with the help of the nerves in your brain.Positive, negative, or neutral responses are typically elicited by the taste sensation.
Damage or impairment in any part of this pathway can disrupt your sense of taste.
Your sense of taste can be affected by an injury to your mouth or nerves.This can happen as a result of an accident, surgery, or an illness.
If you have an altered sense of taste, you will be evaluated for dysgeusia.
Diagnostic tests can be used to evaluate taste.You have to measure your response to certain tastes in some of the exams.Other tests look at your nerve function.
You may need more than one test for the evaluation of your taste distortion.
If your sense of smell seems to be malfunctioning, you might want to have a smell test.
If you have been avoiding food because of your dysgeusia, you might need to have a blood test.If you have dysgeusia for more than a few months, you should be tested for vitamins and minerals.Nutrition effects can be hard to detect within the first few weeks.
A complete blood count can be used to assess your red blood cells count.Blood tests can measure a number of vitamins and minerals.
You may need to have your lead or mercury level checked to find out if you have been exposed to either of these agents.
If there is a concern that you could have a growth in your mouth, throat, or brain, you would need to have an X-ray, computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imagery (MRI) to assess the area.
You may need a combination of approaches for the treatment of dysgeusia.If you have a deficit in nutrition, it needs to be fixed.You can reduce your sense of taste distortion with a few treatments.If a cause of your taste distortion is identified, you would need treatment for it as well.
A deficiency of vitamins and minerals can be corrected with supplements.You may need to take a prescription-strength supplement if you have a major deficiency.
Some strategies can be used to diminish your sense of taste.Artificial saliva products are suggested by some doctors and dentists.
Flossing, brushing, and regular use of mouthwash can alleviate the effects of bad oral hygiene.Taking care of your oral health can permanently resolve your dysgeusia if overgrowth of oralbacteria is the cause.
Modifications to your diet may be recommended by your doctor to reduce the unpleasant taste in your mouth.
Some experts suggest eating food with a few ingredients so that the tastes don't mix together, which could cause an unpleasant effect.It's a good idea to avoid products that have been sweetened or spiced because they can leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Some GI conditions can be alleviated with diet.Fruits and vegetables can be used to combat constipation.Bad breath can make your dysgeusia worse if you have any food sensitivities.
The causes of taste distortion can be resolved on their own.
Smoking cessation can help if you have a smoking habit.Your doctor might change your prescription if you are taking medication that causes dysgeusia.
It is possible that you need treatment to correct the cause of your taste distortion.Constipation can be managed with diet and stool softeners.Steroids can be used to manage allergies.
The issues with altered taste need to be addressed in order to improve appetite and nutrition.
Mild Dysgeusia can be distressing.It can affect your enjoyment of food, even when you aren't eating.If you experience a distorted sense of taste for more than a few days, you should talk to your doctor.
Try to keep an eye out for any other symptoms.If you have been exposed to any new substances around the time that your dysgeusia developed, these observations can help you and your medical team identify the cause of your problem.You and your doctor can begin to work on a treatment plan once you know the cause of your taste distortion.
Receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life if you sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter.
Matsunaga K, Yoshida Y, Takemaru M, Yamashiro K and Monden I are authors.Sharing oral examination information can be used to treat a diabetes patient.The case was published in the Clin Case Rep.May.
Balducci I, Dutra MT, and AlmeidaJD.How does persistent dysgeusia affect patients' quality of life?There is a Med Oral Patol.May 1st, 2019:e319-e325.There is a medical journal titled: 10.4317/medoral.