West Florida News

• Sinus infections can lead to a loss of taste and smell.
• Losing the ability to taste and smell can cause a decreased quality of life for the patient.
• Treating the sinus infection can restore the patient's sense of taste and smell.

Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers explains that chronic sinus issues can have negative effects on a patient's overall quality of life.

"Nasal obstruction, chronic sinusitis or chronic allergies really affects one's quality of life,” Blair told West Florida News. “If you have a poor outlook on life because you're always suffering from allergies or sinusitis, it's going to affect the rest of your general health. So if you can get your nose in tiptop shape, you're going to feel better, and you'll want to do more things, and you're going to overall improve your quality of health."

According to the Taste of Home website, the holidays are a time of celebration with traditional foods, and a YouGov survey found the most popular cuisine includes mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, turkey, bread rolls and stuffing. However, the Houston Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy website noted that sinus infections could be behind a person's loss of taste and smell. Congestion is a common symptom of a sinus infection, and a stuffy nose impedes the ability to taste by blocking access to the key part of the brain used for that sense.

Mayo Clinic reported that people who do lose their sense of taste and smell often lose their appetite and suffer from poor nutrition, which could result in depression.

People suffering from a loss of taste may use extra salt or sugar to improve the taste of their food, exacerbating issues with diabetes or high blood sugar, according to Mayo Clinic. The successful treatment of a sinus infection, however, can restore the patient's senses of taste and smell.

To learn more about the symptoms of sinus infections, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.