Cacosmia is a disorder of the sense of smell. It’s a type of parosmia. It occurs when there’s a problem somewhere along the pathway of smell. When this happens, a person is unable to recognize smells or interpret the
Cacosmia is a disorder of the sense of smell. It’s a type of parosmia. It occurs when there’s a problem somewhere along the pathway of smell. When this happens, a person is unable to recognize smells or interpret the odors of different substances. Around
People with cacosmia often feel as though they can smell something offensive, when in fact no such substance is present. When the sense of smell, or olfactory system, is not working correctly, a person can perceive even pleasant odors to be foul smelling. With cacosmia, the smell is often described as similar to feces, or a burning, rotten, or chemical odor.
The condition can lead to distress among those who experience it, as it causes a persistent feeling of smelling something unpleasant.
Sensing a persistent foul smell is the main symptom of cacosmia. Since smell and taste are closely linked, the condition can also affect your ability to eat. It may make it difficult to identify the actual smell of different foods, or it may cause foods that you usually enjoy to suddenly taste foul. It can become extremely difficult to eat a sufficient amount when every b