There are 12 cranial nerves that pass directly from the brain through openings in the skull. Each of these nerves serves a unique function: some provide sensory information to the brain; some allow messages to pass from the brain to muscles,...
Cranial nerves are a set of 12 nerve pairs that connect from the brain to areas of the face, neck, shoulders and some internal organs. The nerves run through holes in the skull. Each set of nerves are paired for service on each side of the body....
There are twelve nerves in the human body that exit from the central nervous system via openings in the skull. These are known as cranial nerves. The 12 cranial nerves are responsible for regulating numerous diverse functions, from allowing the...
Loss of sense of smell, known as anosmia, and taste, known as ageusia, can stem from three main causes: obstruction of the nose, damage to the nose lining, or damage to the olfactory nerve or parts of the brain that deal with smell and taste....
There are two ways that nerves exit the central nervous system and become part of the peripheral nervous system--through openings in the vertebrae of the spine or through openings in the skull, or cranium. Twelve cranial nerves conduct signals to...
The sweet evocative scent of vanilla essential oil is said to help with dieting, boost the libido and reduce stress. Vanilla beans come from the tropical orchid Vanilla Planifolia. It is the only orchid out of thousands of varieties to produce an...
Olfactory neuroblastoma is a rare malignant form of cancer that arises from the olfactory nerve, which controls the sense of smell. This slow-growing tumor advances into the ethmoid sinuses. The ethmoid sinuses are located within the skull between...
Yoga isn't just a series of poses and postures to stretch out and strengthen the body; it's an energetic practice through breath. Breathing properly can calm the mind and the autonomic nervous system, bringing down stress and improving well-being....
Sinusitis refers to an inflammation or infection in the air spaces in your skull called your sinuses, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID). Frontal sinuses are located near your eyebrows. Maxillary sinuses...
Many smokers undergo changes to their sensory modalities, with a diminished ability to taste certain foods of flavors perhaps chief among these. Many smokers, however, only become aware of the effect of cigarette smoking on their ability to taste...
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to stimulate healing and promote a sense of well-being and calm. The reason aromatherapy is so effective is that the olfactory nerve, the "smell" nerve, is connected directly from the nose to the brain and...
Cranial nerves determine your ability to taste, smell, see and maintain your balance. Damage to some nerves, such as the olfactory nerve related to your sense of smell, will not respond to exercises as treatment. Other nerves respond well to a...
There are 12 paired cranial nerves that exit the skull under the brain's surface that extend to various parts of the head, neck, chest and abdomen. The cranial nerves comprises three nerve types: motor nerves that send an impulse signal to a...
Anosmia is the loss of the sense of smell. Some people have congenital anosmia, meaning they were born without the ability to detect odors. Other times, people develop anosmia as a result of other disorders. In some diseases, such as allergies or...
While you may know some of the most significant health-related threats of smoking---such as lung cancer or emphysema---you may not know other long-term effects, such as a reduced sense of smell, according to American Academy of Otolaryngology....
Smoking affects more than your lungs, according to The Ultimate Quit Smoking Guide. Over time, smoking can affect almost every part of your body, including the nerves that control your sense of taste. If you begin to notice tastes being less sharp...
The majority of sinus infections are annoying and effectively treated with antibiotics or natural therapies. Other sinus infections can have serious consequences that can turn into life threatening conditions, according to the American Rhinologic...
Comprised of bone and cartilage, the nose separates into two hollow nostrils. The nostrils open up to the hollow sinus spaces in the head. Some conditions, such as nasal polyps or seasonal allergies, may hinder the functions of the nose. As part...
The frontal lobe is the seat of personality. It contains the main motor area, which controls the movements of the entire body. Tumors in this region affect these main functions as well as causing a wide array of symptoms affecting many mental and...
Essential oils are essences of plants that have healing properties. They are used by diffusing the scent into the air, adding them to baths, or massaging them into the skin after diluting them in carrier oils such as jojoba oil. Rose, lavender,...
Essential oils, used in aromatherapy treatments, are extracted from various plant parts and used for their varying healing properties. There are over one hundred different essential oils and several of these are very beneficial in soothing muscle...
According to Jean Valnet, author of "The Practice of Aromatherapy," essential oils are very effective medicines that work with the body's natural systems to create and maintain wellness. Essential oils, the concentrated essences of plants, affect...
Anosmia is the medical term for either the temporary or permanent loss of the sense of smell. Anosmia can be caused by a variety of medical or environmental factors and is normally treated with specific medications. Medical researchers believe...
Aromatherapy uses the powerful connection between your sense of smell and brain responses to affect emotions and achieve results such as relaxation or exhilaration. The aromas for aromatherapy come from essential oils extracted from plant...
According to Harvard professor Dr. J. Kimball, there are approximately one-hundred-billion neurons in the brain, and each one can have about ten thousand connections. That results in major complexity. However, the brain has several ridges,...
Many varieties of "alternative" medicine---such as acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy and healing energy work---have become popular in recent decades. Swedish massage, particularly, has gained a strong following in "mainstream" western medicine....
Although an ancient practice, aromatherapy first got a foothold in the United States in the 1960s with patchouli, one of the essential oils used in aromatherapy. During the 1980s, aromatherapy became more widespread and now is used to treat a...
Aromatherapy is an effective tool for healing both psychological and emotional distress. Smells have an immediate effect on the olfactory nerves, signaling the brain to produce systemic neurological and immunological effects. This can be achieved...
Seniors slowly lose their sense of taste and smell, affecting how much they eat and what kind of food they choose. As you age, your body goes through changes that are triggered by both the aging process and those changes in nutrition, sleep and...
