People suffering from Long COVID syndrome, specifically loss of taste and smell, have just found new hope in treating the post-coronavirus symptoms after the National Health Service issued guidelines on regaining the said senses.
According to a Swindon Advertiser report, a loss of the senses is linked to Long COVID as well, also called a post-COVID syndrome, which is used to explain the impacts of the disease that last for weeks or even months past the initial illness.
Recovery from COVID-19, responsible for the global health crisis, can frequently take weeks or even months, with approximately one in 10 cases leaving problems with smell and taste following COVID-19 infection.
Essentially, loss of smell will affect how an individual can detect flavors; when eating, the food flavor is the combined experience of taste and smell.
It's worthy to note that the loss of smell or anosmia, which affects the taste, is not typically serious and should improve after a few weeks or even months. Recovering from the loss of taste and smell as a post-COVID syndrome is detailed in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.
Meanwhile, cold or flu, allergies, sinusitis, and growths in the nose can all result from a loss of sense of smell, although, in the present climate, it can indicate that one has or has had COVID-19.
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NHS Recommendations
To clean the nose, based on the guidance from the NHS, rinsing the inside of it using saltwater solution helps, especially if an allergy or infection infects the sense of smell.
Sachets for a saltwater solution, as well as devices to help rinse out the nose, will be available at certain pharmacies throughout the United Kingdom although the NHS has offered guidance on how to make it at home.
To make one, the NHS suggests boiling a pint of water, then leaving it to cool. Mix one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of baking soda into the boiled water.
To clean the hands, the NHS suggests standing over the sink, cupping the palm of one hand, and pouring a small amount of the solution into it.
Inhale some of the solutions up to one side of the nostril at a time and allow it to run out of the nose. It might be helpful to hold the other nostril closed with the finger while inhaling. Repeat the entire procedure a few times to find out if it is helpful.
This doesn't mean that the entire solution needs to be used, although it is highly recommended that a fresh batch be made every day. The NHS discourages the reuse of any leftover from the previous day.
Treating Loss of Sense of Smell
The loss of smell may go back to normal in a few weeks or months, whether due to COVID-19 or any other causes previously mentioned.
The health agency said a treatment known as "smell training," as explained in AbScent Network, might be helpful. This approach is actively smelling the same four scents each day, spending roughly 20 seconds on every scent, really concentrating on what's being done.
According to the NHS, if the sense of smell or taste returns to normal within a couple of weeks, it is worthy of seeking medical advice from the general practitioner or GP. The GPs will check for evident reasons and may refer their patients to a specialist for tests.
Related information on Long COVID is shown on DW News's YouTube video below:
Check out more news and information on COVID-19 on Science Times.
