Can't Smell?

Smell is an under appreciated sense until you lose it!  When you lose vision or hearing, the pain is obvious to everyone, but the pain from loss of smell and then often taste is just as bad! If you have gotten to the point that you miss even the smell of poop, then we suggest you look into scent training. 

Temporary loss of smell, or anosmia, is the earliest and most common symptom reported in cases of SARS-CoV-2, but it is not the only cause of anosmia to date. Olfactory dysfunction occurs in 3-20% of the population (Boesveldt et al., 2017). There can be various causes of loss of smell, including the common cold or upper respiratory infection, chronic sinusitis, Covid, or neurodegenerative disease.

Using essential oils as a form of scent therapy in cases of temporary loss of smell has shown some promise. 

When it comes to the coronavirus, researchers have found that the olfactory system's support cells are the vulnerable ones, not the neurons themselves. The researchers at Harvard Medical School state that the loss of smell due to the Coronavirus is likely only a temporary phenomenon (Jiang, 2020).

With this in mind, some may lose their sense of smell for a few days or weeks, but many find themselves without their ability to smell for much longer than that. There is hope. Unlike in cases of anosmia with full nasal obstruction, in cases of anosmia due to CV, there is no nasal obstruction, so scent therapy is a viable option.

 The brain is very neuroplastic. By way of definition, the Medicine.net states that neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or changes in their environment. (Medicine.net, 2017). Therefore, while not a guaranteed cure, smell therapy or physiotherapy does show some promise for anosmia.

The theory of smell therapy utilizes five scents, including peppermint, rose, lemon, clove, and eucalyptus, and to inhale each aroma for up to 20 seconds, twice a day. The user should repeat the practice for a minimum of four months. We have created inhalers in these five essential oil aromas in a kit for purchase. Do not be discouraged if you do not see measurable results right away. Remember, even in severe anosmia cases, the therapeutics of essential oils are still hard at work for you.

You can find your kit of inhalers here. Slow and steady wins the race; make scent therapy a part of your everyday routine for the best results.

References

Boesveldt, S., Postma, E. M., Boak, D., Welge-Luessen, A., Schöpf, V., Mainland, J. D., . . . Duffy V. B. (2017). Anosmia—A clinical Review. Chemical Senses, 42(7), 513-523. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjx025

Jiang, K. (2020, July 24). How covid-19 causes loss of smell. Retrieved April 03, 2021, from https://hms.harvard.edu/news/how-covid-19-causes-loss-smell

William C. Shiel Jr., M. (2017, January 24). Definition of neuroplasticity. Retrieved April 03, 2021, from https://www.medicinenet.com/neuroplasticity/definition.htm