Katrina Rosales
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people's sense of smell, with many experiencing anosmia, hyposmia, or parosmia. This has led to a loss of smell and taste, affecting people's ability to enjoy food, cooking, and fragrances. While some individuals have reported a complete loss of smell, others have experienced a partial return of their senses or distortions in their perception of smell. The impact of COVID-19 on olfaction has had emotional and psychological consequences, with fragrances playing a therapeutic role for some. The recovery of smell and taste after COVID-19 varies, with some regaining their senses promptly, while others experience prolonged periods of impairment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Loss of smell with Covid-19 | Common, but not universal |
| Duration of loss of smell | Variable: days, months, years, or permanent |
| Return of smell | Gradual, in "bits and waves" |
| Distortion of smell | Possible |
| Treatment for loss of smell | Smell training |
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What You'll Learn
- COVID-19 can cause a complete loss of smell, known as anosmia
- Loss of smell is one of the first symptoms of COVID-19
- The sense of smell usually returns after recovering from COVID-19, but it can take months
- Some people experience parosmia after COVID-19, where pleasant smells suddenly smell bad or rotten
- Smell training can help to retrain olfactory senses after COVID-19
COVID-19 can cause a complete loss of smell, known as anosmia
The impact of COVID-19 on the sense of smell can vary. Some individuals may experience a partial loss of smell, known as hyposmia, while others may suffer from parosmia, where pleasant-smelling items suddenly become repulsive. The "COVID smell" from parosmia is often described as a burnt chemical odour, but it can vary from person to person.
The recovery of the sense of smell after COVID-19 can take time. While some individuals regain their sense of smell promptly after recovery, others may experience a gradual return of smell over several months. For a small percentage of people, the loss of smell can persist for over a year.
The experience of anosmia can be disorienting and distressing, especially for those who find joy in fragrances and cooking. It can affect the perception of taste and trigger emotional responses due to the connection between smell and memory.
If you are experiencing anosmia after COVID-19, it is important to remain patient and seek professional advice if needed. There are smell training techniques that can help retrain the olfactory senses, using items like coffee grounds, citrus, cloves, mint, and eucalyptus.
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Loss of smell is one of the first symptoms of COVID-19
COVID-19 affects the supporting cells that surround the olfactory nerve, which is responsible for our sense of smell. When these support cells are not functioning properly, the olfactory nerve's signals are blocked from reaching the brain, resulting in a loss or change in our sense of smell. This disruption to our olfactory senses can also lead to a loss of taste, as about 80% of what we taste comes from what we smell.
The impact of COVID-19 on smell and taste can vary. Some people may experience hyposmia, where they can smell some things but not others. Others may develop parosmia, where things that normally smell pleasant now smell bad or rotten. The "COVID smell" from parosmia is often described as a burnt chemical odour, but it can vary from person to person.
Fortunately, the sense of smell usually returns after recovering from COVID-19. However, this recovery may take time, ranging from a few days to several months or even years. Some people may find that their sense of smell returns gradually or that things smell differently during the recovery process.
For those who have lost their sense of smell, the experience can be disconcerting and distressing, especially for those who find joy in fragrances and cooking. It can affect their perception and enjoyment of everyday activities and impact their mental health.
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The sense of smell usually returns after recovering from COVID-19, but it can take months
The loss of smell is one of the earliest signs of a COVID-19 infection. It occurs when the coronavirus affects the supporting cells that surround the olfactory nerve, blocking the olfactory nerve's signals from reaching the brain. This loss of smell often leads to a loss of taste as well, since about 80% of what we taste comes from what we smell.
Fortunately, the sense of smell usually returns after recovering from COVID-19. However, it may take some time, and for some people, it can even take months. In one study, about 25% of people who lost their sense of smell hadn't regained it within 60 days of getting sick. It is also common for people to experience parosmia after COVID-19, where things that normally smell pleasant suddenly smell bad or rotten. This "COVID smell" is generally described as a burnt chemical odor and can last for months.
There are treatments and smell training techniques that may help speed up the recovery of the sense of smell. For example, Dr. Nicole Aaronson recommends using coffee grounds, citrus, cloves, mint, eucalyptus, and other potent scents to retrain the olfactory senses. It is important to stay patient during the recovery process, as it may take some time for the sense of smell to return fully.
While the sense of smell usually returns after COVID-19, there have been some cases where individuals experienced a prolonged loss of smell, lasting for over a year or even several years. In these cases, the sense of smell may eventually return but may not be at 100%. It is important to seek medical advice if the loss of smell persists or if there are any other concerning symptoms.
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Some people experience parosmia after COVID-19, where pleasant smells suddenly smell bad or rotten
The loss of smell and taste is one of the earliest signs of a COVID-19 infection. While most patients recover from this, some report experiencing parosmia, a condition where normal smells are distorted and smell unpleasant, rotten, or disgusting. For example, coffee or fruit might smell like garbage, rotten meat, eggs, or ammonia to someone with parosmia. Parosmia can lead to a decreased appetite and an inability to properly identify food items.
Parosmia belongs to a group of smell disorders that impact the olfactory nerves, which line the inside of the nose and allow the brain to distinguish between different aromas. It is thought that COVID-19 affects the supporting cells that surround the olfactory nerve. When these support cells are not working correctly, it can block the olfactory nerve's signals from getting to the brain, causing a loss or change in the sense of smell.
While the exact way in which COVID-19 causes parosmia is still unknown, it is thought that the coronavirus damages the receptors and nerves involved with our sense of smell. The good news is that parosmia improves with time in most cases. People report a change to their sense of smell about three to four months after infection. Treatments such as smell training and Stellate Ganglion Blocks injections can also help speed up recovery.
Some people have reported that their sense of smell was a little off while they had COVID-19, but they were still able to smell their perfumes. Others have reported that their sense of smell did not return to normal for several years after their COVID-19 infection, and certain smells, such as perfumes, still smelled weird to them.
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Smell training can help to retrain olfactory senses after COVID-19
COVID-19 can cause a loss of smell, or anosmia, which is often one of the earliest signs of infection. This can last for weeks, months, or even years. While many people regain their sense of smell within a few weeks, for some, it can take much longer. In some cases, people's sense of smell has been altered, with familiar scents smelling "off" or "weird". This can be distressing, especially for those who take pleasure in fragrances and perfumes.
Olfactory training, or smell training, is a form of therapy that can help to treat anosmia. It involves daily exposure to common or familiar odours to help retrain the sense of smell. This can be done by inhaling certain scents twice a day for 10 to 20 seconds at a time, focusing on one scent at a time. Scents such as clove, lemon, eucalyptus, and rose are recommended for this purpose. This process can take a few months before improvements are noticed, but it is an effective way to help the nerves involved in smell heal and regrow.
Smell training can be an effective way to regain one's sense of smell after COVID-19. It is important to be consistent with the training and to give it time to work. For those who do not see improvements with smell training, it may be helpful to consult a healthcare provider, who can provide guidance on other treatments or refer to a specialist.
It is worth noting that while smell training can be beneficial, there is no guarantee that it will work for everyone. Each person's experience with COVID-19 is unique, and the loss of smell can vary in duration and severity. Some people may find that their sense of smell returns on its own over time, while others may need additional help.
If you are experiencing a loss of smell due to COVID-19, it is recommended to be patient and gentle with yourself. It can be a challenging and disorienting experience, but with time and the right interventions, such as smell training, improvement is possible.
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Frequently asked questions
COVID-19 can cause a loss of smell, which can affect your ability to smell perfume. However, some people with COVID-19 have reported still being able to smell their perfume, albeit with reduced sensitivity.
COVID-19 affects the supporting cells that surround the olfactory nerve. When these support cells are not working correctly, it can block the olfactory nerve's signals from reaching your brain, resulting in a loss or change in your sense of smell.
The duration of the loss of smell can vary. Some people recover their sense of smell promptly after recovery, while others may take months or even longer. Most people do regain their sense of smell, but it may return gradually or be distorted.
