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Phantom smells can be a sign of a serious health problem, but until now it’s not been known how many people experience them.
A new study finds that 1 in 15 Americans over the age of 40 detect strange odors like burning hair or rotting food when nothing is actually there. The study, published Thursday in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, is the first in the U.S. to estimate how common the phenomenon is in nationally representative data.
“Problems with the sense of smell are often overlooked, despite their importance," said Judith A. Cooper, acting director of the the National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders, part of the National Institutes of Health. "They can have a big impact on appetite, food preferences and the ability to smell danger signals such as fire, gas leaks and spoiled food.”
Researchers used data from 7,417 participants over 40 years of age from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The data was collected by the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Millions of Americans experience some type of olfactory problem, including conditions such as anosmia, or the inability to smell; hyposmia, a decreased ability to smell; and parosmia, a distorted perception of smell. Many people with smelling disorders also have issues with taste, because smell and taste are inextricably linked.
www.nbcnews.com
A new study finds that 1 in 15 Americans over the age of 40 detect strange odors like burning hair or rotting food when nothing is actually there. The study, published Thursday in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, is the first in the U.S. to estimate how common the phenomenon is in nationally representative data.
“Problems with the sense of smell are often overlooked, despite their importance," said Judith A. Cooper, acting director of the the National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders, part of the National Institutes of Health. "They can have a big impact on appetite, food preferences and the ability to smell danger signals such as fire, gas leaks and spoiled food.”
Researchers used data from 7,417 participants over 40 years of age from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The data was collected by the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Millions of Americans experience some type of olfactory problem, including conditions such as anosmia, or the inability to smell; hyposmia, a decreased ability to smell; and parosmia, a distorted perception of smell. Many people with smelling disorders also have issues with taste, because smell and taste are inextricably linked.
What stinks? Phantom smells affect millions of Americans
Detecting odors that aren't there can be a sign of a serious health problem.
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