During the COVID pandemic, otolaryngologists and other medical practitioners began to see a lot of patients with hyposmia, or a significantly reduced ability to smell. This is a relatively common issue seen in ENT clinics. There are several possible causes, ranging from genetic disorders (Kallmann syndrome) to environmental allergies. One of the most common causes is a post-viral condition, when a severe upper respiratory virus damages the smell receptors within the nasal cavity. This is the reason behind the smell loss associated with COVID – the olfactory nerves become severely inflamed and never fully recover from the insult.
There are some important things to know when you have a diminished sense of smell: 1.) Make sure you have working smoke detectors in every room of your home – you may not be able to smell smoke if there’s a fire 2.) Check expiration dates on food/beverages and do not keep leftovers, as you may not be able to smell if they have spoiled and 3.) Avoid exposure to noxious chemicals, as you may not sense that they are bothersome as others would.
Some people recover their sense of smell with time. One thing you can do to help the recovery process along is to “re-train” your olfaction: use essential oils or other strong scents, such as rose, lemon, lavender, eucalyptus, and clove. While sniffing these, repeat to yourself what they are, and picture the source of the scent. Try this twice a day every day.
There are other causes of loss of sense of smell that need to be ruled out, such as brain tumors and masses in the nose. Anyone with a loss of sense of smell should see an otolaryngologist/ENT to get an accurate diagnosis.
