ANOSMIA - Loss of sense of smell
One of the early symptoms of COVID-19 is a loss of sense of smell (anosmia) or taste (hypogeusia) - and some people find this unfortunately persists. In the past, long before this pandemic, I treated some patients with anosmia, using no needle electroacupuncture with good outcomes.
A recent study (1) demonstrated that stimulating certain acupuncture areas with no needle electroacupuncture improved the sense of smell in a small group of subjects. Our GHET programme includes a protocol for this so you could find that this helps you recover your sense of smell and taste if you are suffering those symptoms longer term.
ENTUK (advice for patients from The Royal College of Surgeons) suggests that if your sense of smell doesn’t return within two weeks you should try ’smell training’ - smelling different pungent substances to stimulate the smell nerves.
Recovering from anosmia can be a slow process, taking perhaps more than 18 months to improve, but it is encouraging to note that the majority of patients do appear to recover spontaneously (although there is no long term experience of the recovery rates following COVID-19). In patients who have had COVID-19, loss of smell and taste occurs in between 34 and 68% of patients in Europe and North America. (2)
A recent study (1) demonstrated that stimulating certain acupuncture areas with no needle electroacupuncture improved the sense of smell in a small group of subjects. Our GHET programme includes a protocol for this so you could find that this helps you recover your sense of smell and taste if you are suffering those symptoms longer term.
ENTUK (advice for patients from The Royal College of Surgeons) suggests that if your sense of smell doesn’t return within two weeks you should try ’smell training’ - smelling different pungent substances to stimulate the smell nerves.
Recovering from anosmia can be a slow process, taking perhaps more than 18 months to improve, but it is encouraging to note that the majority of patients do appear to recover spontaneously (although there is no long term experience of the recovery rates following COVID-19). In patients who have had COVID-19, loss of smell and taste occurs in between 34 and 68% of patients in Europe and North America. (2)
Although losing your sense of smell is not life-threatening it does have a significant impact on quality of life, and could be dangerous. If you can’t smell, you may not be able to detect a gas leak or smoke from a fire starting. You wouldn’t be able to tell if food is ‘off’.
Anosmia can happen after head injury, but the second most common cause is after a viral infection, and coronaviruses, such as the common cold, probably account for 10-15% of cases.
In older people, anosmia may be an early symptom of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, so it should always be discussed with your GP.
‘No needle’ electroacupuncture and GHET tap into the body's own healing mechanisms and pathways. By careful selection of points and areas on the body we can stimulate anti-inflammatory pathways, boost pain-relieving substances such as endorphins and produce changes in other chemical signalling systems such as dopamine pathways which lead to changes and even remodelling in the brain itself.
There is a more detailed explanation about ‘no needle’ electroacupuncture and the broader field of Bioelectronic Medicine here.
Anosmia can happen after head injury, but the second most common cause is after a viral infection, and coronaviruses, such as the common cold, probably account for 10-15% of cases.
In older people, anosmia may be an early symptom of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, so it should always be discussed with your GP.
‘No needle’ electroacupuncture and GHET tap into the body's own healing mechanisms and pathways. By careful selection of points and areas on the body we can stimulate anti-inflammatory pathways, boost pain-relieving substances such as endorphins and produce changes in other chemical signalling systems such as dopamine pathways which lead to changes and even remodelling in the brain itself.
There is a more detailed explanation about ‘no needle’ electroacupuncture and the broader field of Bioelectronic Medicine here.
(1) Maharjan A, Wang E, Peng M, Cakmak YO. Improvement of Olfactory Function With High Frequency Non-invasive Auricular Electrostimulation in Healthy Humans. Front Neurosci. 2018;12:225. Published 2018 Apr 24. doi:10.3389/fnins.2018.00225
(2) Meng X, Deng Y, Dai Z, Meng Z. COVID-19 and anosmia: A review based on up-to-date knowledge. Am J Otolaryngol. 2020 Sep-Oct;41(5):102581. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102581. Epub 2020 Jun 2. PMID: 32563019; PMCID: PMC7265845.
(2) Meng X, Deng Y, Dai Z, Meng Z. COVID-19 and anosmia: A review based on up-to-date knowledge. Am J Otolaryngol. 2020 Sep-Oct;41(5):102581. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102581. Epub 2020 Jun 2. PMID: 32563019; PMCID: PMC7265845.