Texas head injury victims: the loss of smell after a TBI

Because the brain is such a complex organ, it can be difficult for doctors to tell exactly what side effects an accident victim will suffer after sustaining a head injury.  A new study from scientists in Montreal reveals that brain injury victims can suffer from a loss of smell and taste.

 

The research study examined 49 people suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and administered smell tests.  They found that just over half of the injury victims had an impaired sense of smell.  What was interesting is that 41 percent of the victims did not even know that they had experienced a loss of smell.

 

Researchers did find that the TBI victims who suffered injury to their frontal lobe were more likely than those without frontal lobe damage to suffer a loss to their sense of smell.  Because it is difficult for accident victims to compare the way they could smell before the accident to the way they smell after the accident, many go through life without even realizing what they are missing.

 

Why is this an issue?  Studies have linked our sense of smell to our sense of wellbeing and happiness.  Not only does our sense of smell help us enjoy food, but it is also a safety feature – imagine if you were unable to smell that you had a gas leak or that a fire was burning in your home.

 

Losing your sense of smell can lead to a lesser quality of life, depression, mood swings, lost appetite, and difficulty cooking.  If you suffered a brain injury in an accident, make sure you take any loss of your senses into consideration when calculating fair compensation from the insurance company.