Is Loss of Smell Specific to “Covid-19?”

Many people who believe “Covid-19” is a new disease caused by a novel “virus” tend to give the loss of smell (and taste) as a reason for this belief. They seem to think that this is the new symptom of disease which was not common before the arrival of “Covid-19.” This is most likely due to the hype that the CDC/WHO/MSM placed on this condition as an initial symptom heavily involved with this “novel virus.” However, when you do a little research, you find that this condition, known as ANOSMIA, is not new or rare at all. In fact, you will see it has been around for quite a long time:

HOW MANY PEOPLE SUFFER FROM ANOSMIA?

“The answer is not really clear. There has never been a census to count the number of people who complain of problems with their senses of smell.

The Anosmia Foundation is working on putting together some statistics but in the meantime, please browse through the following statements from various North American newspapers.

The true incidence of anosmia is difficult to determine, although the National Institutes of Health have estimated that more than 2 million persons in the United States have a smell dysfunction.

-Ear, Nose and Throat Journal December 1, 2001

Anosmia is the term scientists now use for the condition, which affects at least 2 million Americans.

– Omaha World-Herald, September 20, 1999

She is a patient at the Nasal Dysfunction Clinic at the University of California at San Diego, one of only a handful of such clinics in the United States that explore the little-understood phenomenon of loss of smell, believed to afflict 2 million people nationwide.

– Los Angeles Times, March 30, 1987

Almost two out of three Americans have suffered a temporary loss of smell; about 1.2 per cent have “anosmia”, which means they have no sense of smell.

– The Toronto Star, September 27, 1989

Several million Americans have a problem with smell or taste.

– Knight Ridder/Tribune December 12, 1997, Friday

Study author Claire Murphy, psychology professor at San Diego State University, said tests showed the prevalence of smell loss among seniors is “much larger than previously appreciated.” Earlier estimates put the number of older Americans with smell-related disorders at 2.7 million; this new study suggests it is closer to 14 million.

– The Houston Chronicle January 03, 2003, Friday
– Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA) January 5, 2003 Sunday
– Newhouse News Service December 17, 2002 Tuesday
– The Seattle Times December 23, 2002, Monday

Certain medications, prescribed and over the counter, can also diminish the sense of smell. Brain tumors, influenza, allergies and normal aging are other factors that contribute to the loss of the olfactory sense in the millions of people in the United States who, literally, cannot smell anything.

– Capital Times (Madison, WI.) June 2, 1998, Tuesday

Something strange is happening to our sense of smell. More and more people find it difficult to cope with ordinary odours. In summer, we suffer from hay fever and a host of other allergies. One in five babies is born with asthma, and with immune systems so weak that almost any kind of smell can trigger an allergic response. Anosmia, the medical term for the loss or impairment of the sense of smell, has become common. Are we in danger of evolving our sense of smell out of existence?

– New Statesman September 11, 2000

Millions of North Americans suffer from anosmias, disorders of smell, but medical textbooks offer little guidance for treatment.

– The Toronto Star, September 27, 1986

An estimated 16 million Americans suffer from smell and taste disorders. A UC San Diego Web site says it has been estimated that 3 million to 5 million Americans suffer from anosmia, the loss of the sense of smell.

– Los Angeles Times October 6, 2000, Friday

https://www.anosmiafoundation.com/suffer.shtml

As can be seen by the above statements from newspapers throughout the last few decades, the loss of smell and taste is not a new phenomenon. It has been known about, studied, and discussed. There are various reasons given for this symptom such as side effects from pharmaceuticals, old age, allergies, tumors, etc. So why is this old symptom of disease seemingly regarded as something new? This next source provides a nice breakdown for why this may be the case:

Anosmia—A Clinical Review

“Anosmia and hyposmia, the inability or decreased ability to smell, is estimated to afflict 3–20% of the population. Risk of olfactory dysfunction increases with old age and may also result from chronic sinonasal diseases, severe head trauma, and upper respiratory infections, or neurodegenerative diseases. These disorders impair the ability to sense warning odors in foods and the environment, as well as hinder the quality of life related to social interactions, eating, and feelings of well-being.”

“Recent nationally representative data reveals that anosmia afflicts 3.2% of US adults who are aged more than 40 years (3.4 million people) (Hoffman et al. 2016), and this number increases with age (14–22% of those 60 years and older; Kern et al. 2014; Pinto et al. 2014; Hoffman et al. 2016). These data have informed US public health recommendations for the need to appropriately evaluate and treat individuals with olfactory disorders thereby reducing the negative health effects of these disorders (Promotion USOoDPaH 2017).”

“As olfactory testing is not part of general health exams, clinicians need to rely on patient self-report of the problem. Of importance is that self-report measures are sensitive (correct recognition of olfactory dysfunction) and specific (correct recognition of normal) in comparison with a gold standard. The general consensus is that self-report of the sense of smell is specific but not sensitive—people do not recognize the problem (Wehling et al. 2011; Schöpf and Kollndorfer 2015; Adams et al. 2016). In a nationally representative sample of older US adults (NSHAP), 12.4% reported their sense of smell as fair or poor (using a 5-point Likert scale), whereas 22.0% had objective olfactory dysfunction. Among those with measured olfactory dysfunction, 74.2% did not recognize it (Adams et al. 2016).”

“The sense of smell plays a major role in eating behavior, for both anticipation and stimulation of appetite (Boesveldt and De Graaf 2017) and for flavor perception during consumption of food (Hummel and Nordin 2005; Stevenson 2010; Croy et al. 2014). Fifth Sense, the United Kingdom-based charity for people affected by smell and taste disorders, surveyed its members on the impact of their condition on their quality of life. From 496 respondents, 92% reported a reduced appreciation of food and drink, whereas 55% reported going out to restaurants less frequently (Philpott and Boak 2014).”

“Anosmia can result from many underlying diseases. The most common causes are sinonasal diseases, postinfectious disorder, and post-traumatic disorder (Damm et al. 2004; Nordin and Brämerson 2008). Other etiologies (e.g., congenital, idiopathic, toxic disorders, or disorders caused by a neurodegenerative disease) are less common but nonetheless important to rule out.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5863566/

The loss of smell is not a commonly reported symptom nor is it one that is regularly looked for upon clinical examination. It is a very subjective symptom which can mean many things to different people and it often goes overlooked and undiagnosed. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutically-controlled mouthpieces have touted anosmia as if it were both new and specific to “Covid.” This symptom was highlighted in numerous headlines over the last two years.

The recognition for the loss of smell has increased because of a heightened awareness and state of consciousness due to continuous reminders linking this symptom to a “new” disease. Sadly, people still hold onto the belief that this condition is a tell-tale sign that “Covid-19” is somehow unique. They use it as an argument to claim “Covid-19” is somehow different from other diseases such as the flu even though they share the exact same symptoms of disease.

Is it the case that anosmia is not associated with the flu? Not at all:

Can The Flu Permanently Damage Your Sense of Smell?

“The flu can damage your sense of smell. Fortunately, this is usually not permanent, though it may take it a while to return. Often, whether or not you regain your sense of smell depends upon the underlying cause. If extensive damage is done to your nasal nerves, it is more likely that the condition will be permanent.

The medical term for a complete loss of smell is anosmia, while a partial loss of smell is called hyposmia.

Typically, anosmia is not an indicator of a serious condition. However, because the sense of taste and sense of smell are closely related, anosmia may mean that you lose interest in eating, and as a result, lose too much weight. Therefore, you fail to get the important nutrients your body needs. The National Institutes of Health state that anosmia affects 3 percent of the adult population over the age of 40, and the incidence increases with age. For those over 60 years of age, the rate rises to as much as 22 percent.”

Can The Flu Permanently Damage Your Sense of Smell?

Even the CDC admits that the loss of smell is not specific to “Covid-19.” In fact, they state that both the flu and “Covid-19” can not be differentiated clinically due to the similarity of symptoms and that testing must be done in order to make a diagnosis:

“Because some of the symptoms of flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory illnesses are similar, the difference between them cannot be made based on symptoms alone. Testing is needed to tell what the illness is and to confirm a diagnosis.”

Similarities:

Both COVID-19 and flu can have varying degrees of signs and symptoms, ranging from no symptoms (asymptomatic) to severe symptoms. Common symptoms that COVID-19 and flu share include:

• Fever or feeling feverish/having chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle pain or body aches
• Headache
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Change in or loss of taste or smell, although this is more frequent with COVID-19.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/flu-vs-covid19.htm

Or at least the CDC agrees that the loss of smell is a shared symptom between “Covid-19” and the flu until it decides to throw out misleading propaganda designed to deceive:

The flu is not the only condition anosmia is associated with either. According to the Mayo Clinic:

“A stuffy nose from a cold is a common cause for a partial, temporary loss of smell. A blockage in the nasal passages caused by a polyp or a nasal fracture also is a common cause. Normal aging can cause a loss of smell too, particularly after age 60.

Any problem in this process — a stuffy nose, a blockage, inflammation, nerve damage or a brain function condition — can affect your ability to smell normally.

Problems with the inner lining of your nose

Conditions that cause temporary irritation or congestion inside your nose may include:

• Acute sinusitis (nasal and sinus infection)
• Chronic sinusitis
• Common cold
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• Hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
• Influenza (flu)
• Nonallergic rhinitis (chronic congestion or sneezing not related to allergies)
• Smoking

Obstructions of your nasal passages

Conditions or obstructions that block the flow of air through your nose can include:

• Deviated septum
• Nasal polyps
• Tumors

Damage to your brain or nerves

Nerves leading to the area of the brain that detects smell or the brain itself can be damaged or deteriorate due to:

• Aging
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Brain aneurysm
• Brain surgery
• Brain tumor
• Diabetes
• Exposure to chemicals in certain insecticides or solvents
• Huntington’s disease
• Kallmann’s syndrome (a rare genetic condition)
• Klinefelter syndrome (a rare condition in which males have an extra X chromosome in most of their cells)
• Korsakoff’s psychosis (a brain disorder caused by the lack of thiamin)
• Lewy body dementia
• Medications (for example, some high blood pressure medications, antibiotics and antihistamines)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Niemann-Pick (Pick’s disease, a form of dementia)
• Paget’s disease of bone (a disease that affects your bones, sometimes facial ones)
• Parkinson’s disease
• Poor nutrition
• Radiation therapy
• Rhinoplasty
• Schizophrenia
• Sjogren’s syndrome (an inflammatory disease that generally causes dry mouth and eyes)
• Traumatic brain injury
• Zinc-containing nasal sprays (taken off the market in 2009)
• Zinc deficiency

https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/loss-of-smell/basics/causes/sym-20050804

It would seem anosmia isn’t uncommon at all and can occur due to various reasons. This was even admitted in an early study on “Covid-19:”

“The common symptoms of COVID-19 are general malaise, fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms include muscle and joint pain, sore throat, headache, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and some nasal symptoms, especially smell and taste dysfunction. Similar to other upper airway viral infections (URTI), such as common cold or flu, the loss of smell is a frequent symptom in COVID-19 patients. However, a sudden, severe, and isolated loss of smell and/or taste may also be present in COVID-19 patients who are otherwise asymptomatic.”

Why Does Loss of Smell Occur?

“Major causes of acquired smell loss include URTI by respiratory viruses (adenovirus, rhinovirus, coronavirus, influenza), traumatic brain injury, upper airway inflammation (rhinitis, rhinosinusitis), and neurodegenerative (Parkinson and Alzheimer) diseases while minor causes are intracranial/sinonasal tumors, drugs, exposure to toxic substances, irradiation, or iatrogenic factors [7].

Loss of smell is a common (> 60%) and usually transient (3–7 days) symptom in common cold and acute rhinosinusitis [8], with the post-viral etiology being also the most frequent cause of permanent loss of smell.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7397453/

Even though anosmia is neither new or specific to “Covid-19,” it is still seen as a telltale sign one has this “new” disease:

“Anosmia is a prominent sign of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients with COVID-19 can present a sudden onset of anosmia without any other symptoms. Before the onset of anosmia, other mild symptoms such as a dry cough may also be presented.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7265845/#:~:text=Anosmia%20is%20a%20prominent%20sign,may%20also%20be%20presented.

Why is it that anosmia is listed as a prominent sign of “Covid-19?” Why has there been such a focus on this particular symptom as a way of distinguishing “Covid-19” from other respiratory diseases when they all have this same symptom in common?

It is clear that anosmia is not new, that it can be a symptom of many diseases/disorders, and that it is not specific to “Covid-19.” In fact, there are no new or specific symptoms associated with “Covid-19.” They are all well known and range from none whatsoever all the way up to death. The CDC/WHO/MSM fear propaganda tried to cast anosmia as a new symptom primarily associated with “Covid-19” because, while many suffer from this condition, it is not regularly noticed and/or reported. It is the perfect culprit to reinterpret as a “new” symptom for their “novel virus.” This is just another trick they have utilized in an attempt to fool you. Once you realize this, you will see that all of the symptoms of disease, from allergies to the common cold, and from the flu on up to pneumonia, are nothing but the progressive worsening state of a highly toxic environment within the body. You will find that none of the symptoms associated with these diseases are ever caused by a “virus.” Once you see this, you will not be fooled by the rebranding and reshuffling of the same symptoms ever again.