Congestion and loss of taste: what to know

Much of what people call taste comes from smell travelling from the mouth to the nose. A blocked nose from a common cold can therefore make familiar foods seem flat or bland. COVID-19 may cause changes in smell or taste with or without congestion. Long COVID can involve symptoms that continue after the initial infection, including altered smell or taste. Dry mouth, some medicines, dental problems and other nasal conditions can also contribute.

Loss of taste can mean reduced flavour rather than complete absence of the basic taste sensations. It may affect appetite and make it harder to notice spoiled food. A new change should be considered alongside fever, cough, breathlessness, mouth symptoms and the timing of any infection or medicine.

Use fluids and saline nasal spray to ease dryness and mucus, and rest while an infection settles. Keep food safe by checking dates, storage and smell with help from another person if needed; do not taste food to test whether it has spoiled. Choose foods with varied textures and safe flavours, and maintain regular meals even if appetite is lower. Avoid smoking and strong irritants. If you suspect COVID-19, follow current local testing and contact guidance. A clinician or pharmacist can review medicines that may affect taste, but do not stop a prescribed treatment on your own.

Seek urgent help for loss of taste with breathing difficulty, facial swelling, confusion, severe weakness or inability to keep fluids down. Arrange medical advice if the change is sudden and unexplained, lasts after nasal symptoms improve, keeps returning, causes weight loss or makes eating unsafe. Contact a clinician promptly for persistent symptoms after COVID-19 or for mouth pain, sores, swallowing difficulty or a new neurological symptom. A healthcare professional can examine the nose and mouth and decide whether further testing is useful.

Ask whether reduced smell may be driving the taste change, whether your medicines or mouth health could contribute, whether testing is appropriate, and how long to monitor before review.