Lost sense of smell, the clearest sign of covid-19



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A decreased or impaired sense of smell is the most obvious symptom of COVID-19 according to a new study.
– Those with a positive test result are highlighted, says researcher Jonas Olofsson.

A diminished or impaired sense of smell is the most obvious symptom of COVID-19. Stock Photography.Image: ADAM IHSE / TT

Victims have described it as, for example, that coffee suddenly tastes nothing at all. Or it even starts to taste bad.

Now, a large international study shows that changes in the sense of smell are the clearest symptom of being infected with covid-19.

According to the study, those who rate their sense of smell at 0-2 on a ten-point scale are likely to be affected by the virus.

Those who rated their sense of smell as zero were ten times more likely to become infected than those who had no odor reduction.

Just having a normal sense of smell and taste is no guarantee that you’re healthy, says Jonas Olofsson, a professor in the Department of Psychology at Stockholm University.

-You can have covid even if you still have the sense of smell, no single symptom is one hundred percent, he tells TT.

– But it is not so common to wake up in the morning and suddenly the coffee tastes like hot water. So if it happens now during a covid pandemic, it is a strong sign that you need to isolate yourself.

The study, published in the journal Chemical Senses, is based on a survey of a total of just over 15,700 people and is part of a collaboration between more than 500 researchers from around the world.

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Corona and the sense of smell

Between 50 and 80 percent of those with COVID-19 have an impaired or completely eliminated sense of smell.

It’s not clear why, but there are two theories on how it can be done:

Attacks by the virus support the cells of the olfactory mucosa. These support cells are necessary for odor receptors to process odors.

Studies in mice have also shown that the coronavirus can enter the brain through the olfactory nerve and attack the first part of the brain’s olfactory system, called the olfactory bulb.

Most people regain their sense of smell after a few weeks, but some have long-term problems. If you have not regained the ability to smell after a month or two, you should see a doctor.

When the ability to smell begins to return, many people experience strange smells.

You can test your olfactory ability at www.lukttest.se.

The advice is to start training your smell one week after the other symptoms of covid have disappeared, if the ability to smell has not returned. The exercises involve testing different smells every day and trying to identify them. More tips and information can be found on lukttraning.se, which is supported by researchers from Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute.

Source: Lukttraning.se

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