Dysgeusia is a medical term used to describe any decrease or change in taste, which may appear right from birth or develop throughout life, due to infections, the use of certain medications or due to aggressive treatments, such as chemotherapy.
There are about 5 different types of dysgeusia:
- Parageusia: feeling the wrong taste of a food; Fantogeusia: also known as "phantom taste" consists of the constant sensation of a bitter taste in the mouth; Ageusia: loss of ability to taste; Hypogeusia: decreased ability to taste food or some specific types; Hypergeusia: increased sensitivity to any type of flavor.
Regardless of the type, all changes are quite uncomfortable, especially for those who have developed dysgeusia throughout their lives. However, most cases are curable, and the change disappears completely when the cause is treated. Still, if curing is not possible, different ways of cooking can be used, I bet more on spices and textures, to try to improve the eating experience.
How to confirm the diagnosis
In most cases, the change in taste can be identified at home by the person himself, however, the diagnosis needs to be made by a doctor. Thus, if it is a relatively simple case, the general practitioner can arrive at the diagnosis of dysgeusia only through what the patient reports, as well as the evaluation of the medical history, to find a cause that may be affecting the taste.
In the most complicated cases, it may be necessary to turn to a neurologist, not only to make the diagnosis, but to try to identify the true cause of the problem, since it may be related to some alteration in one of the nerves responsible for the taste.
What can cause dysgeusia
There are several conditions that can lead to changes in taste. The most common include:
- Use of remedies: more than 200 medications capable of altering the sensation of taste are identified, among them are some antifungal remedies, antibiotics of the type "fluoroquinolones" and antihypertensives of the type "ACEI"; Surgery of the ear, mouth or throat: they can cause some minor trauma to the nerves of the place, affecting the taste. These changes can be temporary or permanent, depending on the type of trauma; Cigarette use: the nicotine present in the cigarette seems to affect the density of the taste buds, which may alter the taste; Uncontrolled diabetes: Excess blood sugar can affect the nerves, contributing to changes in taste. This situation is known as "diabetic tongue" and can be one of the signs that leads the doctor to suspect diabetes in people who have not yet been diagnosed; Chemotherapy and radiation therapy: changes in taste are a very common side effect of these types of cancer treatments, especially in cases of head or neck cancer.
In addition, other simpler causes, such as zinc deficiencies in the body or dry mouth syndrome, can also cause dysgeusia, it is always important to consult the doctor to identify the cause of the change in taste and start the most appropriate treatment.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of dysgeusia should always start with the treatment of its cause, if it is identified and if it has treatment. For example, if the change is being caused by the use of a medicine, it is recommended to consult the doctor who prescribed it to assess the possibility of exchanging that medicine for another.
However, if dysgeusia is caused by more difficult problems to eliminate, such as cancer treatment or surgery, there are some guidelines that can help relieve discomfort, especially related to food preparation. Thus, it is generally advisable to consult a nutritionist to receive guidance on how to prepare foods in order to make them more tasty or with better texture, while remaining healthy.
Check out some nutritional tips that can be used during cancer treatment that include guidance on taste changes:
In addition to all this, it is still important to maintain adequate oral hygiene, brushing your teeth at least twice a day and doing the tongue hygiene, avoiding the accumulation of bacteria that can contribute to changes in taste.
