North Baltimore Journal

• 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.

Holiday meals carry aromas that churn up nostalgia and happiness, but it can be a trying time for people suffering from sinus conditions, who may have lost their sense of smell.

Not being able to smell holiday turkey may not be the worst of it, though, according to Dr. Jamie Oberman of Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.

Dr. Jamie Oberman | Frederick Breathe Free

"People who lose their sense of smell lose their sense of taste," he told North Baltimore Journal. "In addition, being (out of) work with sinus infections or sinus headaches, those types things... all those ramifications."

Oberman says sinus condition sufferers should not put off getting help.

"If you addressed (the sinus issues) earlier, you'd have people that are thriving and living, not suffering," he said.

Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers is located in the Patriot Professional Center on Thomas Johnson Drive in Frederick, Maryland.

Oberman is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, according to Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers website.

Many U.S. holiday celebrations include the yummy smells of a traditional meal, Taste of Home reported. Citing a YouGov survey, Taste of Home said that the most popular foods to serve up during the holiday season are roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, turkey, bread rolls and stuffing.

It all sounds wonderful, but sinus infection sufferers often feel left out of holiday meals because they've lost their senses of smell and taste, according to Houston ENT. Congestion and a stuffy nose, both symptoms of sinus infections, can decrease a sufferer's ability to taste by blocking access to the part of the brain that processes taste.

People who lose their senses of smell and taste frequently experience decreased appetite and poor nutrition, according to Mayo Clinic. They also are more likely to experience depression. Some might try to compensate for the loss of taste and smell by using excess salt or sugar to make food taste better, but that can cause other problems, particularly for those with diabetes or high blood sugar.

Fortunately, if the loss of taste and smell is due to a sinus infection or other nasal issues, treating that condition 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.