Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, many individuals have suffered from both short-term and long-term effects of the disease, leading them to seek medical care to alleviate their lingering symptoms and get them back to feeling their best.

One of the most unusual side effects of a Covid-19 infection is a particular disorder called parosmia, which causes the sufferer to have disorientation of smell.

And despite not being a life-threatening condition, parosmia can wreak havoc on the daily lives of those who experience it, making it difficult to enjoy regular activities and impacting their overall appetite and nutrition.

So, if you’ve recently dealt with Covid-19 or other similar viral infections, there are a few important things you need to know about this often misunderstood condition.

What is Parosmia?

Parosmia belongs to a group of smell disorders that impact the olfactory nerves, which line the inside of your nose and allow your brain to distinguish between different aromas.

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Other smell disorders, such as anosmia, may cause the patient to lose their sense of smell, also known as olfactory loss, making it difficult to taste their food.

Parosmia, on the other hand, is slightly different.

Instead of removing the patient’s sense of smell completely, parosmia causes normal scents to smell foul, which can lead to a decreased appetite and an inability to properly identify food items.

How does Covid-19 cause Parosmia?

It’s not entirely clear why Covid-19 causes this type of olfactory dysfunction, but there are a few possibilities for why this phenomenon occurs.

Respiratory infections like Covid-19 have been shown to impact the ear, nose, and throat areas, which house the delicate olfactory nerves that we use to savor our morning cup of coffee or sniff our favorite candles.

When these nerves are damaged, they can lead to a loss of smell and taste, which can last anywhere from a few weeks to 6 months.

And while people with smell disorders like parosmia often regain their sense of smell on their own, there are a few steps you can take to speed up your recovery process.

What are Stellate Ganglion Blocks?

Thankfully, modern regenerative medicine has led to a fresh new solution in parosmia treatment and long Covid care.

Stellate Ganglion Blocks, a rare type of injection that helps connect the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, have proven to be extremely effective at restoring a normal sense of smell and taste in a fraction of the time as traditional “smell training.”

Since parosmia impairs the brain’s ability to properly identify certain smells, these injections act as a missing link between the body’s olfactory nerves, which line the nasal passageway and enable you to smell things around you, and the brain’s sensory processing system.

With this connection in place, you can effectively “reboot” your sense of smell in just a few short sessions, with no dangerous side effects or invasive procedures required.

Final Thoughts

If you’re recovering from a Covid-19 infection and have experienced symptoms of parosmia, you don’t have to settle for smelling foul odors. An increasing number of patients have turned to safe, regenerative methods like Stellate Ganglion Blocks to regain their senses, one sniff at a time.

Learn more about how our team of elite regenerative medicine specialists is helping parosmia suffers take back their freedom of smell today.