Olfactory fatigue is a phenomenon that causes a temporary reduction in the ability to smell, leading the brain to 'switch off' perception after prolonged exposure to an intense odor.
Olfactory fatigue is a phenomenon that causes a temporary reduction in the ability to smell, leading the brain to 'switch off' perception after prolonged exposure to an intense odor.
Many people have experienced this situation: applying a favorite perfume and, minutes later, noticing that it has disappeared, or entering places with strong aromas, such as restaurants or friends' houses, and no longer being able to perceive them clearly.
This phenomenon occurs when there is a loss of sensitivity to odors due to continuous exposure. Professionals in sectors such as coffee shops, nail salons, or restaurants often stop noticing strong smells, whether they are from roasting, chemicals, or food, right at the beginning of their shifts.
The brain needs mechanisms to decrease the perception of constant olfactory stimuli, because without an efficient filter, it could be overloaded by excessive information. Olfactory fatigue, also known as olfactory blindness, odor fatigue, or olfactory adaptation, represents one of these natural adaptations.
When an environmental odor repeatedly reaches the nasal receptors, the neurons responsible for sending this signal to the brain begin to respond less actively. Consequently, the brain interprets this aroma as non-threatening and starts to ignore it, freeing up resources to focus on other important smells, such as a gas leak or the smell of burning.
It is a normal and temporary bodily reaction that can occur at any time of day. Although there is not much research on the topic and no proven method to prevent it, some techniques can help minimize the effect, especially for those who work with smell, such as perfumers or sommeliers.
A simple suggested strategy is to move away from the stimulating environment for a while and then return. Away from the stimulus, the nasal receptors renew themselves and resume functioning normally. Furthermore, maintaining awareness of the smell can paradoxically reduce fatigue, forcing the brain to pay more attention to odors instead of resting.
Some reports indicate that coffee can act as a 'cleansing' agent for the sense of smell, thanks to the compounds in caffeine, which aid in the 'reset' of nerve receptors that detect smells.
Other approaches have less scientific proof. Practicing vigorous physical exercise can help train the sense of smell. A study conducted in 2014 showed that elderly people who exercised regularly were less likely to suffer from olfactory impairment. Intense aerobic activities increase blood flow throughout the body, including the nasal area, which favors odor perception.
It is clear that the Universal Health System (SUS) needs increased resources, but the complexity of this topic goes beyond simple financing. Discussions during elections often focus on isolated aspects of SUS, starting or concentrating on the wrong issue—the lack of money. Although it is obvious that SUS requires more funds, the problem lies in the assumption that solving all of Brazil's health problems is merely a matter of increasing budgetary allocations, whereas the topic is much more multifaceted.
From a practical standpoint, in the coming years, there is unlikely to be a significant increase in funding. Based on this reality, the central question may be different: can the existing funding model meet the needs of the Brazilian healthcare system? The current model played an important role in the implementation and expansion of SUS, but it no longer meets the demands of an aging population living with chronic diseases and needing a coordinated care network. Today, a large part of the funds continues to be allocated to paying for procedures and hospitalizations, but expanding the range of services is one thing, and organizing the healthcare system is quite another; the network organizes management.
Consider the example of a small hospital. It solves some of the population's problems, but it does not perform cardiac surgeries, treat cancer, or carry out high-tech procedures. Nevertheless, it continues to consume resources because it is included in the fee-for-service funding model. If a mayor decides that it is more profitable to purchase these services elsewhere and close this hospital, a serious conflict arises. Another key question to ask is: in such cases, do the funds follow the patient or remain tied to the municipality's structure? Most often, they remain where they always were.
This is where the discussion often reaches a deadlock and does not move forward. Instead of discussing how to reorganize the network, only how much money should be invested in it is discussed. The question should be phrased differently: how to finance care for the population, not just existing services? To achieve this, regional health centers must be strengthened. Instead of scattering funds among thousands of municipalities, funding should follow the regional network capable of jointly deciding where it is appropriate to keep hospitals, expand outpatient clinics, hire specialized services, or invest in primary healthcare. The citizen already uses this regional network, but the management is organized as if each municipality can independently solve its population's problems.
Therefore, the mayor often states that certain care is the state's responsibility, while the state points to another manager. Strictly speaking, neither is wrong. The problem is that each manages only their part of the system. The citizen, however, goes through the entire network.
Queues follow the same logic. We often view them as a consequence of lack of money, but this is not always the main reason. They often arise in a system where each manager organizes only their part. The municipality creates one queue, and the State creates another. The patient enters both. If they receive care in one place, they continue to wait in another because the systems do not interact. It is easy to understand why this happens, but it is difficult to continue viewing this problem as solely a resource shortage.
One need only look at the São Paulo subway. There is an excellent state network and an excellent municipal network. The problem is not the quality of the services. The problem is that they function as two autonomous networks. Each regulates its patients, sets its own flows, and manages its own resources. The person who needs help does not see this division; they simply want to solve their problem. But the administrative logic is organized by boundaries that make sense to the managers, but not necessarily to those who use the system.
There is a discussion that, in my opinion, receives far less attention than it should: regionalization. A citizen does not get sick within one municipality. They go through a network of services. Today, they have an analysis in one city, consult a specialist in another, and if they need high-tech examinations and treatment, they will most likely be served in a third municipality. The system already works at the regional level. The management does not. Each body administers its part. The citizen goes through the entire system; the management remains fragmented.
The same logic appears in discussions about doctor shortages. It is always said that more specialists need to be trained. Of course, the country needs to expand its capacity for training personnel. But is it enough just to open vacancies? That is not enough. A doctor works where they find a functioning hospital, residency opportunities, structured teams, and prospects for professional development. This is true in Brazil and in any other country.
We also face deep demographic changes. The Brazilian population is aging rapidly, and this completely changes the demand for medical services. Care ceases to be a one-time service and turns into continuous monitoring of people with chronic diseases, multiple medications, and needs affecting various specialists. It is known that such care is not organized from municipality to municipality; it depends on an integrated network.
The introduction of new technologies will undoubtedly take a significant place in healthcare proposals. Artificial intelligence, telemedicine, electronic health records, and information systems can significantly improve the quality of care. But again, the question is different. What does technology solve? If it is implemented in a disorganized system, it will continue to yield limited results. I will give a simple example. A patient undergoes an examination at a facility in the Morumbi neighborhood, and a few days later seeks help in Ponte Pequena. The tests already exist, but the doctor cannot access them. Often, everything has to be repeated. It is not a lack of technology. It is that the systems were designed to interact within one organization, not between different services. Solving the interoperability problem may bring more benefit to the citizen than simply computerizing isolated medical facilities.
There is another discussion that gained momentum after the pandemic: the country's ability to produce medicines, vaccines, equipment, and other healthcare consumables. For a long time, we viewed this almost exclusively as industrial policy. The pandemic showed how necessary industrial policy in healthcare is. When all countries had to simultaneously purchase the same products, it became clear that having resources was not enough. Production capacity is needed. A universal system like SUS depends on this security.
The same principle applies to the relationship between SUS and supplementary health insurance. We often present these two as independent systems. This is not the case. The same citizen moves between them throughout life. The person with health insurance uses SUS for vaccination, transplantation, epidemiological surveillance, expensive drugs, and high-tech procedures. At the same time, SUS users turn to the private sector when they can afford a consultation or examination.
Perhaps the confusion is even greater than the belief that these systems operate separately. In fact, healthcare is much more than just access to a private service network. It depends on prevention, health promotion, continuous monitoring, primary healthcare, specialized care when necessary, and integration between all these levels of care. No system—state or private—works properly if these parts do not interact with each other.
The choice in elections should look not at isolated problems, but at how the system functions. Financing, queues, doctors, drug production, technological innovations, and supplementary health insurance are indispensable topics for discussion. However, none of them will be fully solved if we continue to manage a system where each manager is responsible only for their part, while the citizen depends on a network that must work as a whole.
SUS was created almost four decades ago. Since then, Brazil has been aging, the disease profile has changed, medicine has introduced new technologies, and the demand for care has become much more complex. The system must adapt to this transformation. Therefore, the discussion of healthcare during elections should not be limited to the question of how much to spend. The central question is different: how to reorganize the universal system to meet the needs of modern society. This, in my opinion, is a conversation the country still needs to have.
Women from South Africa have many reasons to be proud of their resilience. However, this resilience can become a burden if it requires constantly being the person everyone else relies on.
Mornings often begin with a list of tasks: preparing children, packing lunches, completing work assignments, responding to messages, and checking on parents. This can be compounded by long commutes to work, difficult conversations at the office, or the need to maintain order at home upon returning.
For many South African women, constant activity is an integral part of life, as is the expectation that they must cope with difficulties, whether directly or indirectly.
August is observed as Women's Month in South Africa, a time when the country celebrates the achievements and strength of women. Nevertheless, alongside these celebrations, it is necessary to discuss what happens when strength becomes an expectation rather than a choice. It is important to understand that exhaustion does not mean failure, and struggling with anxiety, sadness, or stress does not make a person 'too emotional.'
Mental health issues affect residents of South Africa across all age groups, social classes, and income levels. A study conducted on a representative national sample in South Africa showed that probable depression was observed in 25.7% of surveyed adults, with this figure being higher among women—26.7%.
This does not mean that every woman who feels down suffers from depression. However, these data underscore the need for open discussions about women's mental health. Sometimes anxious signs do not manifest dramatically: it can be constant fatigue, sleep problems, unusual irritability, loss of interest in favorite activities, or the feeling of merely going through the motions of one's duties.
Because women are often expected to maintain order at home and at work, it is easy for them to keep going without stopping to check if everything is alright.
South African women have many reasons to be proud of their resilience, but this resilience turns into a heavy burden when it implies constant support for others. A mother may care for her children while also assisting an elderly parent. A full-time working woman may still bear the primary responsibility for meals, appointments, school events, and household decisions.
Another woman might care for her family while facing unemployment, financial pressure, or an unsafe home environment. None of these pressures exist in isolation. Financial issues also play a role: access to private psychological help is unaffordable for many, while public mental health services face significant demand.
This means that recognizing the need for help and actually receiving that help are two completely different processes. Furthermore, some women face additional pressure related to pregnancy, motherhood, and menopause. Hormonal changes at different stages of life can affect mood and mental well-being, and pregnancy and the postpartum period can bring their own mental health challenges. These conditions are not signs of a woman's weakness; they are reasons why she needs support.
There is a long history of physical and psychological complaints from women being ignored as mere expressions of emotion. Although medicine has changed significantly, attitudes have not entirely disappeared. Women can still hesitate to talk about their symptoms, fearing judgment, misunderstanding, or being labeled as overreacting.
This is especially dangerous when emotional suffering is treated as something a woman should simply endure. Feeling anxious for several weeks is not something that needs justification. The same goes for persistent sadness, overwhelming exhaustion, or the feeling of being unable to handle daily responsibilities. Mental health deserves the same seriousness as physical health.
There is no single solution for the problems women face, and advising an exhausted woman to take a bubble bath is unlikely to help. However, there are small changes that can make a difference. Start by honestly acknowledging the load you are carrying. If you are doing all the housework, ask what can be shared.
If work becomes unbearable, talk to someone you trust about what is happening. Also, pay attention to your behavior: are you sleeping poorly? Have you stopped enjoying things? Are you constantly anxious or angry? Are you withdrawing from people you usually turn to? This could be a sign that it is time to seriously address your mental health. Sometimes the most important thing a woman can do is admit that she needs help. This help can start with a conversation with a trusted friend, family member, general practitioner, psychologist, or counselor.
There is nothing wrong with celebrating strong women during Women's Month. But perhaps we should broaden the definition of what strength looks like. Strength can be asking for help. It can be knowing how to say 'no'. It can be admitting tiredness. It can be scheduling an appointment with a mental health professional instead of waiting for a crisis point.
South African women have been told for generations to keep moving forward. Perhaps a more helpful message this Women's Month is that they do not have to carry everything alone.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. SADAG provides a suicide helpline: 0800 567 567. Cipla also offers a mental health helpline: 0800 456 789.
LifeLine South Africa has a national counseling line: 0861 322 322. If you are in immediate danger or believe someone may harm themselves, seek emergency medical help immediately.
Doctors in Delhi successfully treated a woman who was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of pregnancy. This pregnancy developed outside the uterus, deep in the abdominal cavity, near the kidneys.
The treatment was performed using minimally invasive surgery known as laparoscopy (keyhole surgery).
