-1740653386.jpg "Henri Sannier: “I have a rare disease, but I wage war on a daily basis”")
Sniffing at least four aromas twice a day allows you to recover your sense of smell, the loss of which is one of the characteristic symptoms of Covid-19.
- The loss of smell would temporarily affect between 60% and 80% of infected people and 10% persistently.
- The four scents used are clove, rose, lemon and eucalyptus but it may be beneficial to focus on familiar scents and change them every 12 weeks.
- This training bases its effectiveness on the stimulation of neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to reorganize itself to compensate for a change or an injury.
It is one of the most emblematic symptoms of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Anosmia, or the loss of the sense of smell, would temporarily affect between 60% and 80% of infected people. While the majority of patients manage to recover naturally a few days or even weeks after infection, some never fully regain their olfactory abilities. It is estimated that approximately 10% of patients have symptoms that persist for several months.
The stimulation of neuroplasticity
Researchers may well have found the parade. In a study published on March 16 in theInternational Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, a cohort of international scientists proposes a simple and effective technique: smell at least four aromas twice a day. Traditionally, the four scents used are clove, rose, lemon, and eucalyptus, but it can be beneficial to focus on familiar scents like perfumes or spices that one is used to. use in cooking. For best results, it is recommended to change the four reference odors every 12 weeks. Olfactory rehabilitation can take a long time but it would allow you to recover your sense of smell more completely and without side effects. “As a group of experts, we strongly emphasize the initial consideration of olfactory trainingthey wrote. Scent training has no known side effects and is inexpensive. Plus, it’s the only available treatment backed by a strong evidence base..”
The scientists provided this evidence in their study, which involved 1,363 patients suffering from Covid-19 and presenting with olfactory dysfunction. This revealed that 95% of patients regained their sense of smell after six months after having smelled at least four aromas twice a day. This training bases its effectiveness on the stimulation of neuroplasticity. “It aims to promote recovery by relying on neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to reorganize to compensate for change or injury”, specifies Carl Philpott, researcher at the University of East Anglia, in the United Kingdom. This explains why older people, who have fewer olfactory receptor neurons, take longer to regain their sense of smell.
Steroids, a lack of data
Some opt for another technique: steroids. Their use, however, remains contested and is not without side effects. They can lead to water retention, high blood pressure or even mood swings. These drugs are commonly prescribed to treat nasal congestion and inflammation but this does not appear to be the cause of olfactory dysfunction in people with Covid-19. However, the researchers point out that they do not have enough evidence to rule out this treatment option with certainty. “Until randomized, placebo-controlled trials can be undertaken, we should start with scent training, not steroids.”, they concluded.
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