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Chennai:
What kind of medical issues cause partial or total loss of taste?
—Vetri Vel, a resident of Puzhal.
The partial or total loss of sense of taste can be due to problems in the mouth, nose, and even the ears that can be due to minor cough or due to other medical conditions. Very often the partial and total loss of sense of taste is temporary due to allergy or infection, such as an infection that inflames the nasal passages. The condition can be treated after finding out the cause behind the loss of taste. Exposure to certain allergens such as chemicals, preservatives can also cause similar symptoms. However, permanent loss of taste can be due to exposure to chemical, Alzheimer’s disease, and aging
—Dr Vignesh K, general physician, Kilpauk Medical College
My 40-year-old uncle often experiences numbness in fingers. How can that be treated?
— R Nivedita, a resident of Nungambakkam
There can be many reasons behind numbness of fingers and can be treated with changes in the way someone uses their fingers. Few lifestyle modifications can resolve the problem, based on the underlying issue. A person may feel numbness in their legs and feet due to sitting in a position that puts too much pressure on the nerves or reduces blood flow. However, long-lasting or unexplained numbness may be a sign of an underlying medical condition and has to be evaluated by a neuro-physician.
—Dr S Sridhar, consultant neurologist, Stanley Medical College.