Prime Time Living 6.18.25 - Flipbook - Page 11
A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, June 18, 2025 11
your sight isn’t as good as it was. The same
is true of our ability to smell.
“By the time we are in our sixties,”
explains Rowan, “around 60 percent of us
have a decrease and deterioration of our
sense of smell. Over time, the smell nerve
and the lining of the nose where it lives deteriorates. With aging, there are fewer neurons
there and they are not as robust as they
used to be, so more subtle smells or flavors
or those with a lower concentration may be
harder to detect. Meanwhile, odors that are
strong and potent can still be detected.”
You can almost see Rowan grinning
as he picked up the story of smell. “Now
for some good news. This particular nerve
is unique in its regenerative capacity. Like
many of the muscles in our body, to regain
your sense of smell, you can make it stronger by exercising it. It’s one of the only
nerves that can regenerate on its own. We
can’t make our eyes stronger, so we’re stuck
with glasses or other corrections. No other
sensory part of your body can be improved.
“I’m often asked if having a big nose
would make a difference. Not really.
However, its shape on the inside can make a
difference. And if you came to me or another
ENT or otolaryngologist, the first thing we
look for or test is a physical cause for the
loss of sense of smell – like a blockage in the
nasal passage.”
How does the nerve regenerate? What
does a person need to do to get back that
missing sense of smell?
Rowan describes what happens. “At our
clinic, we have smell tests, a scratch and
sniff booklet that has about 40 odors. Once
we determine there is no anatomic or local
issue, our next step would be to offer smell
training for the olfactory nerve, which is a
structured program of repeatedly smelling
different odors in an attempt to improve the
strength and function of the smell nerve.”
Your olfactory nerve is the first cranial
nerve (CN I). This nerve enables your sense
of smell. Cranial nerve 1 is the shortest
sensory nerve in your body. It starts in your
brain and ends in the upper, inside part of
your nose, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
This nerve also has a high level of neuroplasticity, the medical term used to describe
your brain’s ability to learn and adapt, to
update and reprogram. Think of it as an
internal rewiring process that allows your
mind to grow and meet new and increased
demands. Because it can learn, regenerate
and strengthen, it can change its status and
relearn to identify smells.
“However,” says Rowan, “especially
when doing smell training exercises, don’t
look for outcomes for three to six months,
maybe longer. This is a nerve that is recovering, so it’s waiting for the nervous system to
start working again. In other words, it’s like
watching paint dry! Exercise patience and
don’t give up.”
Rowan usually recommends smell training kits with four different smells. The patient
uses these inhalers twice a day, morning
and evening, with 20 seconds devoted to
each one. The patient needs to inhale each
smell and hold it for ten seconds while really
concentrating on each one.
“There are some reports that increasing
the number of exposures to more odors may
be helpful for improving results in smell training programs,” Rowan explains, “researchers suspect that by adding more stimuli
this may ‘awaken’ more smell receptors.
We have considered scents like campfire or
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smoke because it is a personal ‘early warning system’ for you and your house. Being
able to smell smoke could save your life.
Generally speaking, younger people have a
better chance of improvement depending on
the reason for smell loss.”
You can find smell retraining kits online.
Ascents offers a “smell retraining kit 1”
that includes Rose, Lemon, Clove, and
Eucalyptus. It has a “smell retraining kit 2”,
or you can buy both together. And NeilMed
is a large supplier of over-the-counter nasal
remedies based in Santa Rosa, California.
Rowan has a booklet on smell loss that
is available online through Johns Hopkins.
“My group, he says, is also doing research to
see if anosmia (loss of smell) is a biomarker
or potential risk factor for unhealthy aging in
older adults. If you think you have anosmia,
consider visiting an otolaryngologist – an ear,
nose, and throat doctor – just to make sure
there is no physical reason.
“There isn’t a lot of clinically meaningful
research on smell. If I could, I’d make it part
of regular examinations. No matter what,
though, the ability to smell improves our
lives, so if we can help, we will.”
