It might be one of the most peculiar symptoms of mild COVID infection: the loss of taste or smell, or both, that persists long after the virus has passed. The phenomenon has prompted some former COVID patients to make light of their situation on social media through videos where they munch into everything from raw onions to wasabi Oreos.
While the data is limited, a study of about COVID patients last year found that nearly half reported a loss of taste or smell. Doctors are still learning about COVIDrelated anosmia and possible treatments, and some have begun studying the benefits of steroids and olfactory implants. For now, however, Dr. Hakim Benkhatar, an ear, nose and throat specialist at the Centre Hospitalier de Versaille, says olfactory training is most likely to treat anosmia related to COVID It involves patients picking out a few scents and setting time aside at least twice a day to practice smelling them in hopes that it will reawaken their senses.
The technique, fine-tuned by neuropsychiatrist and biochemist Olga Alexandre, draws on neurology, psychology, emotional intelligence and the personal history of each patient, she says.
We do the same thing. Training your sense of smell means you can regain it. The training is crucial because losing one of the senses can lead to other health issues, Benkhatar says. Brossard has been training with Leguay once a week to recover his sense of smell. But up until now, we took it for granted. For the training, Leguay prepares a personalized scent with special meaning to each patient. During a recent session with Brossard, she prepared the smell of orange juice, which Brossard said he used to enjoy every morning with his family.
Brossard closed his eyes as he leaned toward the swab with the orange scent on it. He inhaled deeply through his nose and subsequently tried to guess which scent Leguay had offered him. At first, he suggested it could be something floral. But he quickly caught his error and identified a fruity scent, before narrowing it down to something citrusy. When Leguay asked him if he was able to recognize the orange scent, his face lit up.
