A common symptom of an egg allergy is nasal congestion, which can cause anosmia, or loss of smell. During an allergic reaction to eggs, various tissues in your body become swollen, causing most allergy symptoms. MayoClinic.com states that anosmia occurs whenever your mucus membranes in the nasal passages become irritated and inflamed. If your sinuses are congested, you will temporarily lose your ability to smell and taste. Talk with your doctor if you suspect that you're allergic to eggs.
Allergy Reaction
Eggs are one of the most common foods that cause an allergic reaction. You may be allergic to the proteins found in the yolk, the white of the egg, or both. Kids Health explains that, even if you're diagnosed with an egg yolk allergy, you should still avoid egg whites because of the risk of cross-contamination. Eggs are harmless to the body, but if you're allergic to them, your immune system mistakes the proteins in the egg as dangerous. This causes the body to defend itself with IgE antibodies, or immunoglobulin E, and histamine. Histamine in the sinus cavity causes the sinuses to swell and become inflamed.
Nasal Congestion
Nasal congestion is not typically the result of excess mucus but is caused by inflammation in the sinus cavity. When the sinuses become inflamed by an egg allergy, your ability to breathe or drain mucus from your nose may become completely restricted, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If this occurs, your ability to smell will be temporarily diminished or completely eliminated. Nasal congestion will also cause sinus pressure pain, sinus headaches and postnasal drip -- the constant dripping of mucus down the back of your throat.
Prevention
Anosmia can be prevented by eliminating eggs from your diet. Talk to your doctor about which foods need to be avoided. Eggs may be found in unlikely foods, such as bagels, ice cream, lattes, beer, pretzels and processed foods. "Kids Health" states that food labels are required by law to state if the food was made with egg ingredients or made in a facility that also processes eggs. Avoid eating these foods to prevent anosmia.
Treatment
If you accidentally ingest eggs and develop loss of smell, use over-the-counter medications to alleviate sinus congestion symptoms to restore your smell. Medications that may help with sinus congestion include decongestants and antihistamines, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
