Table 4. Clinical pearls.

Clinical pearls for olfactory investigation
1) Lesions in any segment of the olfactory nerve usually affect the perception of more than a single stimulus, because of the proximity of the olfactory pathways.
2) The most reliable tests are those consisting of stimulus presentation that involves odor identification. These tests are therefore preferrable for clinical practice.
3) It is indispensable to test each nostril individually, in order to detect potential unilateral problems. It is essential to point out that patients with unilateral problems usually do not complain about olfactory loss.
4) Complaints of hyposmia or anosmia indicate a bilateral lesion.