People infected by Covid could smell normally again. New procedure offers hope

In a recent breakthrough, doctors have found a potential solution for people experiencing long-term smell problems post-Covid infection — nerve-blocking injection.

While some treatments help with the loss of smell, there hasn’t been much success in treating the issue where smells are distorted, a condition called parosmia.

People with parosmia may perceive odors differently than they actually are, often experiencing unpleasant or distorted smells even when exposed to familiar scents. Meanwhile, Covid-19 also triggered Anosmia, which is the loss or absence of the sense of smell. Individuals with anosmia are unable to detect or perceive odors.

Anosmia can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life, affecting their ability to taste food and detect potential dangers, such as spoiled food or gas leaks, by smell.

The study, done with the help of Ear, Nose, and Throat specialists, focused on patients who still had smell issues six months after having Covid-19, despite trying different medicines.

The doctors presented their preliminary findings at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America and stated the use of a special technique called CT-guided stellate ganglion block (SGB).

This involves placing a small needle near the neck and injecting a numbing medicine into the bundle of nerves. This was done with the help of a CT scan to make sure the needle was in the right place. They also looked for any temporary side effects, like a condition affecting the eyes.

The results were promising. Out of 54 people in the study, 59% felt better just a week after the treatment. And for 82% of them, the improvement kept going up even a month later.

The report stated that after three months, people who got the treatment reported feeling 49% better on average. Some even got back 100% of their smell! They also found that doing the same treatment on the other side of the neck helped more for some people.

“SGB shows promise for patients with long term post-Covid parosmia, and CT provides ideal efficiency and guidance,” the paper read.

A temporary side effect called Horner’s syndrome happened in 95% of cases, but it went away within 30 minutes. This showed that the treatment was safe with very few risks.

This new treatment seems like a hopeful solution for people who still struggle with distorted smell after having Covid-19.