It is an affection that we little talk about. It happens that we lose all or part of our smell. This is called anosmia (such as blindness for the blind or deafness for the deaf). It can be congenital, (by birth), viral (the covid virus for example), accidental or due to the presence of a tumor like a meningioma which is close or on the olfactory nerve, or else following its excision.
On December 18, 2021, at the Jean-Pierre Melville library (Paris 13 th ), the photographer Eléonore de Bonneval, who has been working on the treatment of odors in image for several years, presented her exhibition "Anosmie, Le Silence des Odeurs", accompanied by a CNRS neuroscience research director, Hirac Garden, specialist in olfactory. The exhibition and the conference included several testimonies from members of the anosmie.org association, created in 2015 by Jean-Michel Maillard, partner of the event.
If you have lost your smell, rehabilitation is possible when the loss is partial and without physical involvement of the nerve or the olfactory bulb. An olfactory training protocol inspired by a German doctor, Thomas Hummel, and simplified by Mr. Garden, can be done independently. It is available on the website of the anosmie.org association.
The conference has been recorded and will soon be available on the Podcast site nose less https://shows.acast.com/nez-en-mins/episodes .
You can also read this article co-written by the photographer and the researcher
https://mag.bynez.com/dossiers/education-olfactive-comment-cultivier-son-nez/__Trashed/
Some advice given by Mr. Garden:
- Before eating, practicing respiratory exercises (sophrology, yoga, qi Cong ..) to regain its calm and develop your respiratory capacities, thus better appreciate food;
- Diffusers of essential oils can enrich the surrounding environment and stimulate neurons;
- The association can give ENT contact details that know these conditions.
Thank you for sharing your testimonies and experiences.
In November and December 2021, the Libraries of the City of Paris proposed exhibitions and conferences "Do you have a nose", echoing the exhibition " The century of Poudriers, Beauty Powder and its Writings ", which is held at the Forney Library (Paris 4th ) until January 29, 2022.
Useful links
https://www.paris.fr/evenements/la-pount-de-beaute-et-ses-crins-12300
Magali Guibert
Extract from the program of the program "Do you have any nose?" »»
