In children, it usually takes about three to six weeks to heal. However, it will take at least the same period again to restore full strength to your shoulder. While the fracture heals, a lump may develop along the collarbone.
A: A reduced sense of smell (hyposmia) -- and less often taste (hypogeusia) -- are common conditions that are more likely to occur as we get older. In fact, some loss of taste and smell occurs normally with aging. The nerves and nerve endings that send smell and taste signals to the brain can degenerate as we age. The senses of smell and taste are rarely lost simultaneously. Loss of the sense of smell is more common. Because our sense of smell plays a critical role in the appreciation of flavors, loss of our sense of smell frequently gives the perception that our sense of taste is lost or greatly diminished.
The loss of smell is much more common than the loss of taste, and many people mistakenly believe they have a problem with taste, when they are really experiencing a problem with their sense of smell. A loss in taste or smell is diagnosed by your doctor using special taste and smell tests. The sense of smell gradually declines in older people. This is normal. Many older people are not even aware that they have a problem with their sense of smell because the changes occur gradually over several years.