What it is
Reduced smell / hyposmia describes partial or complete loss of olfactory ability from viral illness, neurological causes, or post-COVID sequelae.
Emerging evidence
Reduced Smell
Partial or complete reduction in the ability to detect odours, which may be temporary or persistent depending on the underlying cause.
CategoryNeurological
Reviewed by Gyfts Editorial Team · Editorial Health Review
26 March 2026
At a glance
Reduced Smell at a glance
Commonly experienced as
- Food tasting bland, inability to detect pleasant or warning odours, and reduced food enjoyment. Some describe phantom smells (parosmia) — distorted or unpleasant odour perceptions.
