Sunday, 21 November 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
Most regain it months later, some may never: Study
Post-Covid infection. Don’t panic if you seem to have lost the sense of smell. You are not alone who is facing such medical issues.
More than a million people in the US may not have regained the sense of smell months after Covid-19 infection, a new study has said. The research published in journal JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, suggests that most individuals get better their sense of smell ultimately, however some may by no means regain it.
The study estimated that between 7,00,000 and 1.6 million people in the US who had Covid-19 have lost or had a change in their sense of smell that has lasted for more than six months.
According to the researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, this is likely an underestimate.
The authors consider this a concern because, by comparison, prior to the pandemic, only 13.3 million adults aged 40 and older had what scientists call olfactory dysfunction (OD) or chronic olfactory dysfunction (COD).
“These data suggest an emerging public health concern of OD and the urgent need for research that focuses on treating Covid-19 COD,” the study said.
A study last year found that 72 per cent of people with Covid-19 recovered their sense of smell after a month, but for some, it is a much slower process. It is also feared that those who have lost their sense of smell will be now categorised under the new set of disabilities.
Yet another study found that about 95 per cent of people recovered from Covid-related anosmia within six months.
However, the good news is that various studies have suggested that for people whose olfactory perception has been damaged after a viral infection, repeated short-term exposure to smells can help them to recover.
Smell loss charities recommend picking four scents that you enjoy or have a connection with, and actively sniffing them twice a day, spending around 20 seconds on each scent. Ideally, you should try and pick scents which represent the four categories of flowery, fruity, spicy and resinous — and you could either use essential oils or the actual substance they derive from.
For instance, if you chose lemon as one of your scents, you could use some grated lemon peel. While sniffing the substance, focus your thoughts on lemon and try to recall what your experience of lemon was.
It’s not an immediate fix, but over time this should help you to recover your lost sense of smell.
Scientists have been intrigued by various outcomes on this medical condition. A team of scientists who tracked the health of 2,428 individuals who claimed to have lost their sense of smell and/or taste as a result of Covid-19, found that 40 per cent of them had completely regained their sense of smell six months later, while only 2 per cent reported no improvement at all.
Health experts say that some patients with lingering coronavirus symptoms for weeks or months, otherwise known as long Covid, are experiencing debilitating symptoms that are sometimes ignored in what doctors are calling a public health crisis.
