People who have lost their sense of smell due to COVID-19, according to UK researchers, are better off using "smell training" at home rather than steroids to get their olfactory sense back in working condition.
Anosmia, or the loss of smell, is one of the most common COVID-19 complications, particularly in those with mild acute infections. Most people's COVID-related anosmia goes away on its own after a short time, even without assistance. However, some people are at risk of losing at least some of their sense of smell in the long run.
CHICHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 3: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex smells a flower as she greets well-wishers as she arrives for an engagement at Edes House during an official visit to Sussex on October 3, 2018 in Chichester, England.
Experts usually recommend several early treatments to help avoid lasting anosmia. But there are no specific guidelines on what works best.
Researchers of the current report published in the International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology examined the medical evidence available for treating covid-related anosmia to date.
The study, titled "Systemic Corticosteroids in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19)‐Related Smell Dysfunction: An International View," discovered that smell training, rather than steroids, is a safer first choice for people who are concerned about losing their sense of smell permanently after covid-19.
Viral infections can damage the olfactory nerves, which are responsible for processing smell, and the links leading up to the brain. These nerves may be restored or rewired to regain function over time. Smell preparation is expected to work by speeding up this phase - think of it as olfactory nerve physical therapy.
What is Smell Training?
Smell training comes in various forms, Fifth Sense said. But the basic exercise requires sufferers to gather four solid, distinct smells and sniff them once or twice a day for a short period. These smells can be anything that is noticeable enough. But emotionally significant or pleasant smells might be more powerful.
Rose, eucalyptus, lemon, and clove were the scents used in the initial smell training study known as the Hummel method. People who practice smell preparation for four to six months experience the most significant benefits.
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Study author Carl Philpott, a smell and taste researcher at the University of East Anglia, said in a statement published by EurekAlert and released by the university this week that smell training is a low-cost, easy-to-use, and side-effect-free treatment alternative for a variety of causes of odor loss, including COVID-19.
Corticosteroids, which function by reducing inflammation, are one of the few medications known to reduce the risk of death and worsening disease from extreme covid-19. Some physicians have questioned whether they could also help with covid-related anosmia. However, based on studies involving covid-19 and other viral infections known to cause anosmia, the researchers couldn't see a clear advantage from their use in the literature.
"What we found [is] that there is very little evidence that corticosteroids will help with smell loss," Philpott said. "And because they have well known potential adverse side effects, our advice is that they should not be prescribed as a treatment for post-viral smell loss."
According to Philpott and his colleagues, experts may still consider giving steroids as a treatment for covid-related anosmia in the form of comprehensive clinical trials. They may also be more effective in treating anosmia caused by non-viral inflammation, such as chronic sinusitis.
In this case, most people recover even if they don't seek help for their faulty smell detector.
Fortunately, Philpott said most people who lose their sense of smell due to COVID-19 recover it on their own. The study said 90 percent of people would have completely recovered their sense of smell after six months.
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