If you’re having trouble with your sense of smell and taste after having a COVID-19 infection, Vanderbilt has a resource to help. Vanderbilt’s Smell and Taste Center is geared toward those experiencing smell and taste dysfunction.
“What we’re seeing with COVID-19 is a sort of secondary pandemic: large numbers of people with … permanent smell dysfunction seeking care,“ said Justin Turner, MD, PhD, VUMC Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
Turner answered a few questions for MySouthern Health:
How many people have this issue? Assessments suggest that the number of COVID-19 patients who experience loss of smell and taste is around 70-80%. Of that number, around 80% patients will regain their sense of smell by about 6-8 weeks after an infection. “The bad news is that that leaves another 20% who will not recover—a whole new demographic who is going to be dealing this problem for the long term,” Turner said.
What treatments are available? There are no FDA-approved drugs for smell loss, so timing of treatment is important. “We like to see people early in the process, within a few weeks or months of losing their sense of smell,” Turner said. “[That’s because] …there is still potential for recovery or regeneration of that smell function.”
Steroids—either systemic or topical steroids delivered into the nose via spray or drops—are one treatment. Another option is smell training, or olfactory training, Turner explained. This is a process of exposing the patient to certain odorants on a repeated basis over a period to help bolster the connection between the nasal-cavity neurons and the central nervous system.
When should I call the center? Since most people will get their smell and taste back by around six weeks after COVID-19 infection, Turner recommends allowing some time for that spontaneous improvement. But after two months, if you still have significant smell loss, and it doesn’t seem to be improving, consider calling the center.
“If you can tell there’s a progressive change—maybe your smell isn’t what it was but is getting better—that’s a positive indicator,” Turner said. “But if it doesn’t appear to be getting better after 8 weeks, that’s when we’d like to get you into the clinic for evaluation.”