‘Olfactory training’: 5% of COVID survivors have long-lasting smell and taste problems. Here’s what can help recover their senses

Without smell, you may not recognize the telltale signs of fires, natural gas leaks, poisonous chemicals or spoiled food and drink.

Such is the reality of some 5% of global Covid-19 survivors who have now developed long-lasting taste and smell problems, according to a 2022 study. More than two years into the pandemic, researchers found an estimated 15 million people may still have problems perceiving odors, while 12 million may struggle with taste.

Support and advocacy groups such as AbScent and Fifth Sense have mobilized to help, offering affirmation and hope, tips on smell training and even recipes to bolster appetite.

Smell or olfactory training encourages people to sniff essential oils twice a day, said rhinologist Dr. Zara Patel, a professor of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine.

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“The way I explain it to patients is if you had a stroke, and it made your arm not work, you would go to physical therapy, you would do rehab,” Patel said. “That’s exactly what olfactory training is for your sense of smell.”

As science learns more about how Covid-19 attacks and disrupts smell, “I think you’re going to see interventions that are more targeted,” said rhinologist Dr. Justin Turner.

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