Q: I was operated a year back for sinus in Mumbai and since then I have lost the sense of smell and taste. If the surrounding smell is extreme, then I get the smell otherwise I dont. I had contacted the doctor and he said that there is no guarantee of my sense getting back. Please advise if there is any chance of recovering back my sense of smell. My breathing is clear.

A:I presume you got the surgery done for sinusitis. The area for perceiving smell is at a higher level than the nasal airway. So you can sometimes have normal breathing but the sense of smell can get affected if due to cold, some swelling or adhesions, air currents are not reaching that area. You can get nasal endoscopic examination done by an ENT surgeon to find the cause. Alteration in taste can be felt along with loss of smell.