I lost my sense of smell after having Corona Virus. Is there anything I can do?

I lost my sense of smell after having Corona Virus. Is there anything I can do to get my sense of smell back?

A decrease or complete loss of smell has been widely reported in patients with COVID-19 and experienced in early onset either with or without other symptoms. This is not the only virus that may alter smell as there are more than 200 different viruses that can cause loss of smell due to temporary and sometimes long-term injury to the neural structures.

There may be obstructions that will not allow for the olfactory fibers to sense smell, due to polyps, congestion or inflammation in the olfactory mucosa. But it is believed that the primary cause is due to the virus causing an inflammatory reaction inside the nose leads to the loss of olfactory neurons. These neurons can redevelop over time and in most cases so will your sense of smell. If it has been more than a few weeks, call your doctor.

When you lose your sense of smell it can affect your life in many ways. We use the sense of smell to know when there is danger such as smoke from a fire, a gas leak or spoiled food. It is best to have others around you who can sense such dangers in your home until your sense of smell returns.

For those who do not know if they have COVID-19 and have lost their sense of smell, testing for COVID-19 is available. Little is known about long-term outcomes of patients with these symptoms, but ongoing studies have provided some insights.

There are some supportive evidence that a budesonide rinse twice a day, typically an effective treatment for nasal polyps, along with olfactory re-training with essential oils may improve olfactory ability. Suggested oil scents exposure consists of floral, citrus, aromatic, and resinous. The recommendation is exposure to these scents every day, twice a day, for 12 weeks and introduced these in the same order each time.

Here are some great choices in essential oils for olfactory re-training; Rose, Wild Orange, Eucalyptus, or Cinnamon. After 12 weeks, this system can be repeated with different oils such as; Lavender, Lemon, Rosemary and Clove.

Always check with your doctor for a course of action. Some oils should be avoided due to other health conditions such as pregnancy, head traumas or rhinosinusitis.

~Julie Haufe, Massage Therapist, Reiki Master & Essential Oils Specialist