Why does my body smell like fish? Sweating is a natural process that performs important life support functions for the body:

• regulation of body temperature;
• removal of toxic substances;
• skin cleansing.

The smell of sweat is specific for each person, but if hygiene standards are observed, it is quite natural and does not cause unpleasant sensations. Unpleasant odors may appear when taking certain medications as a result of illness. This is due to the excretory function of the skin, which through the pores, together with the liquid base, removes some waste products that have a specific odor.

Causes of unpleasant odor

Changes in body odor can be caused by natural causes, such as:

• excess weight;
• eating too spicy and spicy foods;

• high level of sex hormones in the body;
• wearing clothes and shoes made of synthetic fabrics;
• representatives of some nationalities and races may have a specific smell;
• in women during menstruation, the smell may change;
• in adolescents during puberty.

These points can be easily corrected, or they will need to be taken into account in Everyday life. It is much more important to pay attention to the smell of sweat, which indicates a disease.

Thus, a change in “aroma” may occur due to the development of:

• tuberculosis;
• diabetes mellitus;
• diseases of the digestive system;
• heart problems;
• kidney diseases;
• hormonal abnormalities;
• oncological diseases.

The smell that appears may have different impurities:

• acetone;
• rotten apples;
• ammonia;
• fish;
• very sour;
• rotten eggs;
• pear;

• cat urine;
• bitter;
• fresh bread and others.

Why does a fishy smell occur?

Before you begin to solve a delicate problem, you need to decide why your sweat smells, and then take appropriate measures.

The appearance of a fishy odor from the body while observing normal hygiene requirements does not always indicate a person’s active consumption of seafood or vitamins and dietary supplements containing a type of vitamin B - choline; much more often it signals a malfunction internal organs.

One of the reasons may be a dysfunction of the liver, as a result of which a person lacks choline. Sweat smells fishy due to hereditary disease metabolism – trimethylaminuria, in which the patient’s body does not absorb trimethylamine, which comes from food rich in choline (eggs, liver, soy, beef and others). This substance is excreted from the body in large quantities along with urine and sweat; even the breath of people suffering from this disease has a specific “fishy spirit”.

In women, the pathology is much less common than in men, but it actively develops in them during puberty, causing difficulties in communication and problems with the opposite sex.

The cause of the development of the disease is a defect in the FMO3 gene, which controls the process of converting digestive products into odorless substances. In the absence of this gene, the liver is unable to break down trimethylamine N-oxide, which causes a fishy odor. As a result, this substance is released with human waste products: sweat, urine, exhaled air.

Moreover, the carriers of the disease themselves unpleasant odor emanating from them is not felt. At the same time, they have problems with communication and work in a team, since the people around them think that they stink, often such patients are forced to work from home.

When the smell of fish from the body is accompanied by pain in the abdominal cavity or genitals, discomfort during defecation or urination, and the appearance of blood in waste products, it indicates the presence of diseases of the digestive system: chronic constipation, diarrhea, urinary incontinence.

Any of these diseases is quite dangerous and can cause serious consequences, so if such signs appear, you should consult a doctor. First of all, you need to go to a gastroenterologist, who can prescribe additional consultation with the following specialists:

• endocrinologist;
• gynecologist;
• proctologist;
• urologist.

If an unpleasant odor appears in the urine, you should visit a therapist who will prescribe clinical tests:

• blood and urine tests;
• taking smears from the vagina and urethra;
• bacteriological urine culture;
• biochemical blood test;
• detection of infectious agents using polymerase chain reaction;
• other tests.

Held:

• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs, kidneys, pelvis, ureter, urethra and bladder;
• cystography;
• X-ray of the pelvis and kidney area.

Elimination of unpleasant odor

If the causes of the problem are related to poor diet or failure to comply with certain hygiene rules, then this can be easily solved. It is enough to reconsider your diet, wardrobe and daily routine. You should exclude or reduce the amount of foods high in protein consumed from the menu:

• beans and all legumes;
• eggs;
• liver;
• seafood;
• dairy products;
• meat.

Properly selected clothing, which should be made from natural fabrics that allow the skin to breathe, be of the appropriate size and comfortable to wear, can help get rid of discomfort.

You need to shower regularly, especially after sports activities However, it is not necessary to use soap every time; sometimes it is enough to wash off the sweat from the body. Many experts advise giving preference to natural-based cosmetics that are less aggressive towards the natural human microflora. It is necessary to be careful when visiting beaches and solariums, which can cause damage to the upper layers of the skin.

At the same time, regular exercise and visiting the sauna allow you to remove excess metabolic products, cleansing the pores of the skin, as a result of which sweat becomes less “smelly”, but do not forget about a sense of proportion.

One of the proven folk ways –taking baths with a decoction of oak bark, wormwood, sea salt or a solution of potassium permanganate.

An important point is the removal of hair on the body, including in the armpits and groin area, since it is on the hair that sweat usually accumulates, which then begins to smell.

If the cause of the fishy smell is diseases of the digestive system, then it is necessary to focus on their treatment, and only then on additional measures.

At the same time, for people suffering from trimethylaminuria, the prognosis is unfavorable. Medicines for of this disease no, so it cannot be eliminated. The patient can improve the situation a little with the help of diet, temporary use of antibiotics, and avoidance of situations that cause sweating.

As an auxiliary agent, it is recommended to use soap with a pH of about 5.5. Activated carbon and copper preparations can be taken internally. Naturally, carefully monitor hygiene, regularly change your underwear and epilate your body, which will somewhat reduce the unpleasant odor.

Use of deodorants in in this case an additional, but not very effective measure, since the drug does not eliminate the cause itself, but only temporarily masks the odor.

Smell is one of the senses a person needs to live a full life. And its violations impose tangible restrictions on the emotional state and become real problem. Among the disorders of smell, there are also those when the patient is haunted by a smell that actually does not exist. Everyone is interested in the question of the origin of unpleasant symptoms, but only a doctor can help determine the source of disorders in the body.

Smell is perceived through the reaction of olfactory receptors located in the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity to certain aromatic molecules. But this is only the initial section of the corresponding analyzer. Next, the nerve impulse is transmitted to the areas of the brain responsible for the analysis of sensations (temporal lobes). And when a person smells odors that are not there, this clearly indicates some kind of pathology.

First of all, you should divide all the reasons into two groups. The smell may be very real, but is not felt by others until the patient speaks to them at close range. This is likely in the following situations, covering the practice of ENT doctors and dentists:

• Fetid runny nose (ozena).
• Sinusitis (sinusitis, sinusitis).
• Chronic tonsillitis.
• Caries, pulpitis, periodontitis.

These diseases are accompanied by the formation of pus, which gives an unpleasant odor. A similar situation may occur in those who suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, peptic ulcer, cholecystitis and pancreatitis). Food that enters the digestive tract is processed less well, and during belching or reflux, molecules of unpleasant aroma come out. A similar problem may not be noticeable to others if they do not get close.

Some people have a lower olfactory threshold. They smell better than others, so sometimes they encounter misunderstandings from others. Some aroma may be too weak to be detected by anyone else. And this feature should also be taken into account by the doctor.

A separate group of causes are those that are associated with damage to any of the sections of the olfactory analyzer. The emerging odors do not reach others, since their formation, transmission and analysis in a particular person are disrupted. And although the basis for an unpleasant aroma may be some other (quite real) one, the final result is present only in the patient’s mind and poses a problem specifically for him.

There are quite a lot of conditions manifested by impaired sense of smell (dysosmia or parosmia). They include both respiratory pathology with inflammation of the nasal mucosa, for example, rhinitis or ARVI, and other disorders in the body:

• Hormonal changes (during pregnancy, during menstruation or menopause).
• Bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse, drugs).
• Taking certain medications and chemical poisoning.
• Endocrine disorders (hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus).
• Systemic diseases (scleroderma).
• Traumatic brain injuries.
• Brain tumors.
• Neuroses or depression.
• Psychosis (schizophrenia).
• Epilepsy.

It is also necessary to remember about the so-called phantom odors, which are associated with some kind of stress in the past and left a strong impression. In similar situations they can come to the surface. As you can see, the source of an unpleasant odor can be hidden among a large number of diseases. And some can be quite serious. But you shouldn’t immediately get scared and look for a dangerous pathology - the causes of the disorders will become clear only after a thorough examination.

Why people imagine certain smells is a rather serious question and requires further research.

Symptoms

Any pathology has certain signs. To identify them, the doctor evaluates the patient's complaints, analyzes the factors that precede the appearance of an unpleasant odor, and conducts a physical examination. You should understand when an extraneous odor is felt, whether it is constantly present or occurs periodically, how intense it is, what contributes to its disappearance and what additional symptoms there are in clinical picture. Sometimes this alone makes it possible to establish the cause of dysosmia, but not always.

The aroma that haunts the patient may have different colors. Those who drink citrus tea often feel a foreign burning smell, and hot spices can cause a feeling of the presence of sulfur in them. Simultaneously with the distortion of smell, taste also changes, since they are closely related. A bad runny nose, for example, can create the illusion that onions have become sweet and smell like apples.

ENT pathology

The first thing you should think about when complaining of an unpleasant odor is diseases of the ENT organs. When the nasal mucosa is damaged, the sense of smell is invariably impaired, but the patient may not always feel the smell of pus or rot. Most often, a similar symptom occurs with sinusitis, chronic tonsillitis or ozena. In the latter case, the smell is so pronounced that others notice it. But besides this, you need to pay attention to other symptoms:

• Impaired nasal breathing.
• Nasal discharge (mucopurulent or purulent).
• Heaviness in the projection of the paranasal sinuses.
• Dry mucous membranes and crusting.
• Sore throat when swallowing.
• Traffic jams on the tonsils.

If we are talking about acute sinusitis, then the purulent process in the sinuses invariably entails an increase in temperature and intoxication with headaches, but chronic sinusitis gives less pronounced symptoms. With tonsillitis, disorders of the kidneys, heart, and joints are often detected (the result of sensitization to streptococcal antigens). If the sense of smell is impaired due to ARVI, then in the clinical picture, in addition to a runny nose, against the background of intoxication there will be other catarrhal symptoms, for example, redness of the throat and lacrimation.

Pathology of the nose, paranasal sinuses and pharynx is the main cause of the appearance of a foreign odor, which can be perceived by others only upon close contact with the patient.

Digestive tract diseases

An unpleasant odor can also haunt those who suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Impaired digestion of food is the main mechanism of this symptom. Smell rotten eggs worries with hypoacid gastritis (low acidity) or peptic ulcer duodenum, he does not appear constantly, but after eating. The clinical picture also contains other signs of dyspeptic syndrome:

• Belching.
• Nausea.
• Bloating.
• Changing the stool.

Many people feel discomfort in the stomach or pain in the epigastrium. And concomitant gastroesophageal reflux causes heartburn and further esophagitis. If the gallbladder is affected, then an additional symptom will be a feeling of bitterness in the mouth.

Psychoneurological problems

Many patients with neuropsychiatric status disorders perceive an odor that is not really there. It can have either a real prototype (illusion) or be based on non-existent connections (hallucination). The first situation can also arise in healthy person who has suffered severe emotional stress, but often becomes a constant companion of those who suffer from neurosis or depression. Additional symptoms of the pathology are:

• Decreased mood.
• Emotional lability.
• Irritability and anxiety.
• Feeling of a “lump” in the throat.
• Sleep disorders.

Characteristic signs will also be somatic functional disorders that arise due to an imbalance of nervous regulation (increased heart rate, increased sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, etc.). Unlike neurotic reactions, psychoses are accompanied by profound changes in the personal sphere. Then there are various hallucinations (auditory, visual, olfactory), overvalued and delusional ideas, when the perception of the surrounding world and behavior are disrupted, and there is no critical understanding of what is happening.

The feeling that you suddenly began to smell like rotten meat can occur with epilepsy. Olfactory and gustatory hallucinations are a kind of “aura” that precedes a convulsive attack. This indicates the location of the focus of pathological activity in the temporal lobe cortex. After a few seconds or minutes, the patient develops a typical attack with clonic-tonic convulsions, short-term loss of consciousness, and tongue biting. A similar picture also occurs with a brain tumor of the corresponding localization or skull injuries.

Neuropsychic disorders, as a cause of foreign odor, are perhaps the most serious situation that cannot be ignored.

Additional diagnostics

Smells that others cannot smell are a reason for a detailed examination. It is possible to find out the cause of what is happening only on the basis of a comprehensive diagnosis using a laboratory and instrumental complex. Based on the doctor’s assumption based on the clinical picture, the patient is recommended to undergo additional procedures:

• General blood and urine analysis.
• Blood biochemistry (inflammatory markers, liver tests, electrolytes, glucose, hormonal spectrum).
• Nasal and throat swab (cytology, culture, PCR).
• Rhinoscopy.
• X-ray of the paranasal sinuses.
• Computed tomography of the head.
• Echoencephalography.
• Fibrogastroscopy.
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs.

To obtain maximum diagnostic value, the examination program is developed on an individual basis. If necessary, the patient consults not only an ENT doctor, but also other specialists: gastroenterologist, neurologist, endocrinologist, psychotherapist. And the results obtained make it possible to establish the final cause of the violations and eliminate the unpleasant odor that seemed to patients.

I. P. Pavlov believed that the problem of smell and odor is one of the most difficult in physiology and general biology. A person perceives smells through the nose. It is capable of perceiving and recognizing 4,000 different odors, and a very sensitive nose - up to 10,000, and special signals are transmitted to the brain about each individual smell. The olfactory nerves are almost never wrong. They won't transmit a lily signal when the air smells like a rose. Animals distinguish odors even better than humans. Cats, dogs and horses have such a developed sense of smell that, with a fair wind, they can distinguish the smell of a person they know from an entire block away. Wild animals have a developed and even stronger sense of smell. The numerical magnitude of the nose's sensitivity to odorants is simply incredible. For example, an ordinary person smells vanillin at a concentration of 1 gram in 10 million cubic meters of air.

Aromas from the air enter the nasal cavity to the olfactory cells (about 30 million neurons). There are receptors on the surface of these ciliated cells. An impulse in the cell occurs when 8-10 molecules of an aromatic substance hit the receptors of the cilia. The sensation of smell occurs if at least 40 neurons are simultaneously excited. Even to perform such a seemingly simple task: how we distinguish smell, more than 6 million neurons are involved, each of which receives perhaps 10,000 contacts from its comrades. The odor signal travels through special cells directly to the hypothalamus of the brain. This is very important because this tiny organ regulates dozens of body functions such as temperature, thirst, hunger, blood sugar, sleep, sexual arousal and emotions such as anger and joy. At the same time, the odor signal is sent to an area called the Hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and attention. For this reason, smells are the most evocative of our memories. The world of smells surrounds us everywhere and continuously. Dozens of irritants penetrate the human nasal cavity every minute. However, we distinguish only some of them consciously. Most reactions to surrounding odors are subconscious.

Humans perceive only five basic odors.- mint, camphor, floral, ethereal, musky. All others are obtained by mixing the main ones.

Conscious reactions to smell- this is when the brain processes a numerous stream of information signals (highlighting the most vital), sends a return signal to which a person reacts (the smell of food or gas).

The mystery of the smell has not been completely solved, since scientists have not paid enough attention to it. One of the most interesting features of smell is the ability of this non-directional sensation to evoke a directional response. Animals with a pair of ears can determine the direction of sound very accurately. Even with the help of one ear, the animal can determine which side the sound is louder. Hearing is directional, like vision, but smell, like the sense of taste, has no direction.

There were more than 3 theories of smell. The greatest debate was caused by the question of whether the aroma molecule should come into contact with the receptors, or whether it emits waves that irritate the receptors.

Eymur's (key-lock) theory explains the smell as follows:“If the molecule is round, then the corresponding nerve receptor has a concavity into which the molecule fits.” However, Boston University neuroscientist John Cowhera discovered that this theory was flawed. In an experiment using a tomograph, Cauer discovered that three closely related chemicals - acetic acid esters, propyl acetate and amyl acetate, whose molecules have a similar shape, cause different activity in brain cells.

Recently, a young British biophysicist, Luca Turne, put forward a completely different concept of the mechanism of odor perception. According to this concept, smell, like color or sound, is determined by the frequency of vibrations, and the olfactory organ is like a device that is capable of recording these frequencies. Turn proved that different substances with different frequencies of interatomic vibrations have a similar odor. For the experiment, hydrogen sulfide and boron water were taken with an oscillation frequency of 2500 Hz. It turned out that boletus also smells of hydrogen sulfide, despite the fact that their molecules have different shapes.

American microbiologist Linda Buck may write a new page in the theory of smells. She managed to identify the gene in the human chromosome set that is responsible for olfactory receptors.

Let's discuss it together. Why does the poet connect the words “I live” with human senses?

Answer. Human life is an interaction with the environment, a constant exchange of substances with it. To live, a person needs to navigate environment. And he does this with the help of his senses - vision, smell, hearing, touch, taste and others. Therefore, the poet described his feelings this way.

Vision

Question. Let's look at various items. What visual impressions did we get of them? What signs of objects did we see? Do we agree with the conclusion “The eyes are our “windows” to the world?”

Answer. I agree with this expression. Most We receive information from the outside world with the help of our visual organs. We can determine the color of an object, its size, distance to it, and give a description. With the help of our visual organs, we recognize objects, distinguish people, and perceive written speech.

Hearing

Let's play. Let's close our eyes and try to determine from which side (left, right, back, front, etc.) the sound is coming. Do we agree with the conclusion: “Hearing helps us navigate the world around us?”

Answer. I agree with this statement. Thanks to sounds, we navigate the environment, we can communicate with each other, we hear the sounds of nature, music, and we avoid danger.

Question. Explain why these rules need to be followed.

1. Try not to shout, go away from places where there is a lot of noise and sharp sounds.

2. Do not turn on the tape recorder, radio, or TV at high volume.

3. Do not put objects into your ear.

4. Use a cotton swab to clean your ears.

Answer. These are all rules of hearing hygiene. Loud speech and music cause damage to the eardrum and auditory ossicles. At the same time, the nerve endings become tired, which leads to a decrease in the hearing threshold. If you insert various objects into your ear, you can damage the inner ear; the eardrum must be cleaned of earwax, but this must be done with soft objects.

Smell

Question. What is the sense of smell? What rules must be followed to preserve your sense of smell?

Answer. The sense of smell is the ability to perceive odors. There are a lot of smells. They can be recognized by special cells located in the nasal mucosa. We distinguish up to four thousand odors, but a dog is several times more. From sensory cells, information enters the brain, where it is analyzed.

Exercise. Let's smell various substances: perfume, garlic, horseradish, flower. Let's divide odors into two groups - pleasant and unpleasant.

Answer. Pleasant smells - perfume, flowers; unpleasant odors – garlic, horseradish.

Let's discuss it together. Let's smell something pleasant, like tasty food. To do this, take a deep breath through your nose. Now let’s hold our nose and take a deep breath through our mouth. In what case will we smell? Which sense organs “tell” us that the food we eat is not spoiled? Let's explain our answers.

Answer. We smell when we breathe through our nose. It is the olfactory organs that first of all tell us that food is not spoiled. Secondly, these will be the taste organs.

Question. Prepare for the conversation. Think about how to answer the questions: “Why do we almost stop smelling when we have a runny nose? Why does a person never confuse the smell of fish and the smell of flowers?”

If you have a cat or dog at home, observe how they react to smells. Talk about it in class.

Answer. During a runny nose, the nerve endings in the nasal mucosa become clogged. When a cat and a dog sniff something, their nostrils widen, they inhale deeply, their breathing quickens.

Taste

Exercise. Place a piece of sugar on your tongue. Let's wait until it melts. Wipe your tongue with a clean napkin and quickly run another piece of sugar over it. In what case did we feel the taste? Let’s analyze whether we can draw the following conclusion: “Saliva helps to distinguish taste. A dry tongue cannot sense taste.”

Answer. Yes, we can draw such a conclusion. The sensitive endings on the tongue are irritated only when the food is wet. And saliva wets food.

Question. Look at the drawing. Read the signatures. Using the words “left”, “right”, “front”, “back”, explain how different parts of the tongue (taste zones) distinguish between sour, sweet, salty, and bitter tastes.

Explain how you understand the word “taster”. What sense organs do you think are especially developed in people of this profession?

Answer. The back of the tongue detects bitter taste. The left and right sides of the tongue distinguish between sour tastes. The left and right parts closer to the tip of the tongue distinguish between the salty taste. The tip "in front" of the tongue detects sweet taste. A taster is a person who is better able than others to identify different tastes and smells. These people have better developed senses of smell and taste than others.

Touch

1. Take a piece of ice in your hands and touch the glass with hot water, let's stroke the fur with our palm. What do we feel (touch)? Let’s draw a conclusion by answering the question: “Does the sense of touch help us perceive the world?

2. Place your hand in warm water. What we feel. Will the sensation change after a few minutes? Let’s analyze whether we can draw the following conclusion: “The hand got used to the temperature and stopped feeling the heat.”

3. Let’s conduct a game-exercise “identify an object by touch.” The student puts his hand into the bag, selects an object without looking and determines by touch what it is and what it is made of.

Let's compare our conclusions with the text.

Answer. 1. With the help of the organs of touch we perceive the world– heat, cold, surface of objects – soft, hard, smooth, rough. From tactile cells, signals go to the brain and a person, even with his eyes closed, is able to distinguish the size and shape of an object, react to changes in temperature, and withdraw his hand from a hot object or a piercing object.

2. First we feel warmth, and then the brain stops responding to incoming signals. This is a protective reaction of the brain. This is how he protects himself from fatigue. But in everyday life they say that the hand has gotten used to it.

3. A person identifies objects by touch. Experience helps with this. previous life. But if an unfamiliar object comes across, the person will find it difficult to name what it is.

A wise wizard in a wide-brimmed hat once said: “When in doubt about something, always rely on your sense of smell.” It was good advice not only for the little hobbit, but also for you and me.

Aromatherapy also teaches you to treat your nose with respect. We know that our love (and dislike) for certain scents can say something about us; that from the whole variety of essential oils with their unique baggage of benefits you need to choose “your own”; that from 50 to 70% of the volatile molecules of essential oils enter the bloodstream through the nose.

We know that aromatherapy is not only useful, but also very pleasant. If, of course, you are able to distinguish aromas.

How we smell

We detect odors when odorous substances irritate the nerve endings in the nose. In each of your nostrils there is a special zone, about a square centimeter in size, where neurons are located - about 10 million of them are concentrated there.

It would seem like a lot! But... information for comparison: dogs have 225 million of them. Alas, people, along with monkeys, fall into the category of microsmatics - mammals whose sense of smell is poorly developed.

In 2004 Nobel Prize received by scientists who proposed a new hypothesis for odor perception. It is based on the genetic mechanism of protein coding. According to this hypothesis, not two or three neurons react to an odor molecule, recognizing a specific aroma, say, bread or violet, but a whole group - up to 1023 neurons! It is logical to assume that genetic predisposition plays a role in the ability to recognize aromas. This may be the answer to the question of why people perceive scents differently.

Let's remember the famous durian - a tropical fruit, the aroma of which causes a gag reflex in many. They say that when the British tried this particular dish in the 19th century, they compared it to eating herring with blue cheese over an open sewer manhole. And one of my friends perceived the aroma this way: a slightly rotten onion, nothing special...

Some people distinguish aromas better, some worse, some cannot smell certain substances or even smells at all (so-called anosmia). Some people like ylang-ylang, while others like pine. Moreover, it could all be the same person! Throughout life, the acuity of smell, our preferences, and even our needs at different moments in life can change. In women, the menstrual cycle leaves an imprint on perception. On different days, the same oil can cause exactly opposite reactions.

Why did my sense of smell disappear? Negative factors

Point number one is always health.

In many diseases of the nasal cavity, the olfactory cells are also affected. Flu and ARVI, persistent runny nose, allergies are understandable reasons for a decreased sense of smell. But olfactory dysfunction also accompanies other ailments, such as traumatic brain injury or a deviated septum. Even an emotional state can cause a temporary change in the sense of smell.

The good news is that the receptor cells in the olfactory system are capable of recovery. So, if you suspect you have any medical problem, seek advice from an ENT specialist.

Smoking has a very bad effect on the sense of smell: novice smokers lose their sense of smell by 50-60%. So if (suddenly) you decide to smoke, then the world of magical aromas of essential oils will be half lost for you. And this is a very unfortunate loss! In experienced smokers, the function of smell is partially restored, but not 100%. Alcohol can also be detrimental, reducing your sense of smell.

Some girls notice that the ability to distinguish aromas changes depending on the menstrual cycle. On the other hand, research confirms that the female nose is more talented: the fair sex has significantly more olfactory cells, they are capable better than men recognize and classify odors (Oliveira-Pinto AV, Santos RM, Coutinho RA, Oliveira LM, Santos GB, Alho AT, Leite RE, Farfel JM, Suemoto CK, Grinberg LT, Pasqualucci CA, Jacob-Filho W, Lent R, 2014).

How to develop your sense of smell

Let's imagine that you don't have a runny nose, your septum is straight as an arrow, you don't smoke or drink. Is it possible to somehow train your sense of smell?
Let's try.

Perhaps, it is not so easy to become a Perfumer without a genetic disposition, but you can develop your abilities. So how can you improve your sense of smell?

We will start, of course, with training with essential oils. Inhaling the complex aromas of essential oils can stimulate our receptors. Learn to distinguish notes and remember aromas. S. A. Mirgorodskaya recommends for these purposes the aromas of rose, verbena, neroli, vetiver, sage, rosemary, geranium, incense, juniper, sandalwood, myrrh and patchouli. Try to describe the aroma, think about what you associate it with, write it down. In a few months it will be interesting to compare whether there will be any changes.

Basil oil is known for its ability to restore the sense of smell after a runny nose. How to restore your sense of smell when you have a runny nose using inhalations: add 1 drop of basil essential oil to a bowl of hot water, cover with a towel... and enjoy. The procedure time is 5-7 minutes. You can also try basil baths (don't forget to dissolve the oil in salt or polysorbate).
Another option is to make yourself a personal inhaler with basil oil and inhale the sweet aroma throughout the day.

It’s not just aromatherapy that can help develop your sense of smell. Of course, multifaceted natural essential oils They are best suited for training the sense of smell, but there is also a lot to learn from modern perfumers. Perfume school students must first memorize hundreds of fragrances in order to continue their studies. For example, in one well-known school there are 500 aromas, among which only 150 are natural. One must think that such intensive training with such a huge base of aromas also contributes a lot to the development of the sense of smell. To develop your sense of smell, get used to smelling everything. Not only essential oils and apples in the store, but also the most ordinary things - a wooden spoon, a knitted sweater, water, books...

Remember aromas: in order to have a good sense of smell, you need to have not only a good sense of smell, but also a good memory! Don't forget to practice the latter.

Exercise your brain by describing scents using epithets and abstract definitions. The smell of orange - what is it like? Sweet, tart, fresh, morning, warm, tickling, New Year's - come up with dozens of definitions for each scent.

Elina Arsenyeva, owner of a school of perfumers, in the book “How to become a perfumer. Practical guide” suggests the following exercise: Describe your path from bed to work using smells. Be careful. Surely it smells like soap and toothpaste, and morning tea or coffee, your breakfast... The stairs and the elevator will have different smells. Are there bird cherry blossoms in the yard? Or are there garages that give off a gasoline, rubber smell? Or is there a railroad nearby and it smells like grease? List the smells in a row, let it be a trail of smells. Do not divide odors into pleasant and unpleasant. Accuracy of description is important.

Breathing exercises can also help. B.V. Shevrygin, professor, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, recommends doing the following exercise to develop the sense of smell. Sit up straight with your toes and heels together. Exhale completely and press both ear canals with your thumbs. Use your middle fingers to press the wings of your nose. Inhale sharply through your mouth, purse your lips and puff out your cheeks. After this, lower your chin to your chest, close your eyes and place your index fingers on your eyelids. Stay in this position until you need to exhale. Then raise your head, release your fingers except those covering your ears, and exhale through your nose. Put your hands down.

Two more exercises from G.V. Lavrenova: To strengthen the muscles of the nose, as well as the mouth and throat, read aloud from time to time. Pronounce the words clearly, distinctly, loudly, controlling yourself when pronouncing a number of consonant sounds (b, v, g, m, p, t, f, w);
Do the simplest exercise regularly breathing exercises: With your mouth closed, take 5-6 slow breaths in and out through your nose. In this case, place your hands on the neck (back) or on top part belly.

Diet. Scientists have discovered an interesting relationship between diet and the ability to recognize aromas. The experiment was carried out on mice, which had to point to the desired scent in order to receive a reward. For six months, some of the subjects were kept on a balanced diet, while other mice were fed a diet high in fat. As a result, in this second group, the number of neurons responsible for the perception of aromas was halved, and the mice coped with the task worse (Nicolas Thiebaud, Melissa C. Johnson, Jessica L. Butler, Genevieve A. Bell, Kassandra L. Ferguson, Andrew R. Fadool, James C. Fadool, Alana M. Gale, David S. Gale and Debra A. Fadool, 2014 ).

And as a preventive measure, protect your nose from chemicals. If you start working with aerosols and chemical paints, or decide to poison insects, make bath bombs with finely ground citric acid- wear a respirator, do not breathe caustic substances. Go to the park to breathe fresh air and ventilate your apartment more often.

Smell is a property of a substance. In the air, various odors spread due to a phenomenon called diffusion (similar to spreading, mixing one liquid in another). A person’s perception of odors is directly related to the particles of substances that emit these odors.

A person can perceive up to 400 thousand different smells. Odors are not classified, but are called by the name of the substance that emits them (for example: “the smell of perfume”, “the smell of flowers”, “the smell of food”, etc.).

Substances that have an odor tend to be absorbed. This explains the fact that our clothes are often soaked various types smells (perfume, smoke, food, etc.).

The sense of smell helps a person to protect himself from various impurities in the air when inhaling it, and to determine the quality of the air he breathes.

A person smells only when he inhales. This is easy to check. If you bring some object, the source of the smell, to your nose and hold your breath, you will not smell it.

The organ of smell is located in the uppermost part of the nasal cavity and its surface area, in almost every person, does not exceed 5 square centimeters. If you express a desire to feel a particular smell well, then take several short but sharp breaths in a row. This is due to the fact that during such inhalations, the air with vortex movements reaches the olfactory organ well and the smell it carries is felt quite strongly.

As you can see, the sense of smell plays a very important role in a person’s life, and sometimes can play a decisive role.

Lesson No. 4 Nose - the organ of smell “How we smell different smells”

Target: will introduce you to the features of the nose, give a comparative description of its work on the perception of odors in animals and humans; together with children, formulate recommendations for the protection of this important organ of smell.

Material: a vase of flowers, products with a characteristic smell, fabric bags, toilet soap, a bottle of perfume, pictures of some animals.

Progress of the lesson

At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher identifies children’s knowledge about the work of the nose, then summarizes the information.

Teacher's story: Some people believe that the nose is an ornament on the face. Others think that nature gave us a nose to lift it up. There are even expressions: “Look, you turned your nose up!” or “Why are you hanging your nose?” It's a joke.

In fact, even the smallest nose is a very important part of the body. We breathe through our nose. The nose also helps to sense and distinguish smells. How does the nose smell? The air we inhale irritates the nerve endings; if it has any odor, we will immediately feel it.

Experience No. 1

Target: Exercise children in distinguishing colors and food by smell.

The adult invites the child to determine without looking which vase contains roses and which contains lilies of the valley. You can use various products with a characteristic smell (black and white fresh bread, fresh strawberries or oranges, onions or garlic, cutlets or fish, etc.).

The teacher continues the story: Cells that perceive odors are extremely sensitive, they are able to distinguish thousands of a wide variety of odors, and a special signal is transmitted about each individual smell. Most animals smell better than humans.

Cats, dogs and horses have such a strong sense of smell that they usually recognize the scent of someone they know long before they approach.

In wild animals, the sense of smell is even better developed. Deer and rabbits smell a predator at a great distance and manage to run away or hide.

When we have a bad runny nose, we almost stop smelling, this happens because the mucous membranes in the nose become swollen, irritated and clogged with mucus.

As a result, odors cease to excite the olfactory cells. In humans, odor-sensing cells are located in the uppermost part of the nasal cavity. Therefore, in order to smell it, you need to inhale. Let's verify this by experience.

Experience No. 2

Target: prove the need for inhalation to determine the smell.

The teacher places in front of each child a thick cloth bag, inside of which a piece of toilet soap or a bottle of perfume is hidden.

Without touching the bag, the teacher invites the children to guess what is inside by smell.

After the children’s answers, the teacher clarifies: in order to feel and identify the smell, you need to take several deep breaths in a row.

The teacher continues the story: With the help of smell, a person controls the air quality. When a pleasant smell appears in the air, we try to breathe deeper (air after rain, while walking in the forest, etc.). And when we feel an unpleasant odor, we try to breathe as little as possible. But within a short time the person gets used to the new smell and begins to breathe at a normal rhythm.

Scientists have calculated that a person distinguishes great amount(400) different smells. And yet, in most animals, the apparatus for distinguishing odors is much better developed. For many animals, smell is the most important sense, often replacing sight or hearing. For some of them, not being able to smell the scent of a predator or not finding prey on the trail is tantamount to death.

Dogs perceive odors better than other animals, birds perceive odors very poorly, but dolphins do not distinguish odors at all.

People perceive each other through sight and hearing during conversation.

But for animals, the peculiar smell coming from them plays a very important role. For example: ants have a “smell of alarm” and a “smell of death” which comes from dead ants. A living ant emitting this smell is “buried” by its fellows - pulled out of the anthill, and no matter how many times it comes back, “the funeral will be repeated until this smell disappears.

Yu. Prokopovich

“Why do babies need a nose?”

There are directspouts ,

Eatsnub noses...

I really need every nose

Since he has grown to his face.

Hot summer on a meadow

Nose smells flowers .

In the clearing - strawberries,

There are ripe strawberries in the garden bed.

The nose smells in the garden

Where the garlic and onions have grown.

This can happen in the house

The spout will also come in handy :

He will find jam in the cupboard,

Where are the candies and cookies?

Where are the chocolates in the buffet?

Or the juice in the bottle is sweet.

Who brought the oranges?

Everything will be sniffed out by our nose.

He even remembers what it's like

The smell of my mother's perfume.

Z. Moshkovskaya “My wonderful nose”

I do not know anything.

And suddenly

My nose

Speaks,

That somewhere

And someone

Something

Now

It'll burn!

I do not know anything,

I'm sitting in the stuffiness

Nose says:

– Let's take a walk!

I beg you very much!

You go with him

And you walk.

He speaks to me.

He says:

– You know, it already smells like spring!

The sense of smell is like a rudiment

The human body has undergone (and continues to undergo) certain changes in the process of evolution. For example, hundreds of thousands of years ago a person had three kidneys, but with changing conditions the third kidney was reduced. The ability to detect odors may be a vestigial feature that may also disappear over time. Many scientists who study this process in detail are inclined to this opinion. In their opinion, in the process of evolution, the olfactory system has lost its functional significance, and after some time (perhaps thousands of years) people will completely cease to smell. However, such claims are controversial, since the olfactory system helps a person navigate in space, stimulates taste buds, and also plays a role in sexual desire. Therefore, the mystery of the olfactory system still remains unsolved.

Odor receptors

Like any other sensory system, the sense of smell is carried out thanks to the work of receptors - specific cells that capture odors and transmit information to the brain.

The superior turbinate is the olfactory region of the nose, which contains smell receptors. In their structure, these receptors are nerve cells (neurons) with numerous processes (dendrites). At the tips of these processes there are specific hairs that are immersed in the mucus of the nasal cavity. When substances enter the mucus, they dissolve in it and the olfactory hairs perceive these substances in the form of odor. The olfactory cells contain a signal amplification mechanism, which allows a person to perceive odors at ultra-low concentrations of substances.

As soon as the hairs of the scent receptors have caught a substance (smell) in the mucus, they begin to transmit a signal to neighboring nerve cells and threads in the brain, where the signal is processed and the perception of smell is formed.

The work of smell receptors in the process of smell

Interesting facts about how people perceive smells

Since the sense of smell remains a poorly understood phenomenon, scientists continue to discover interesting facts about this system. Here are some of them:

The sense of smell makes a significant contribution to a person’s sexual life. With the help of scent receptors, we perceive pheromones - specific substances produced by the body of each person. make a person attractive to another, causing sexual desire. In some animals this process is highly developed. high level.

The olfactory system is much better developed in women. Women are able to distinguish many more odors than men.

Women's sense of smell increases significantly during the menstrual cycle. At this time, a woman reacts especially actively to male pheromones.

In infants, the olfactory system is highly developed, but in the first year of life it loses almost 50% of its functions.

The right nostril in right-handed people perceives odors better, while in left-handed people the left nostril is more active.

Arkady Galanin