What Is Parosmia? Experts Explain Why COVID-19 Distorts Senses of Smell and Taste
A temporary loss of smell due to COVID-19 has received a lot of attention as experts have learned more about how the coronavirus impacts the entire body. Now, there’s a similar-but-equally-weird symptom that a growing number of people are struggling with: parosmia, a distorted sense of smell.
What is parosmia, exactly?
Parosmia is a change in the normal perception of odors, like when the smell of something familiar is distorted, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- It typically does not last forever, but some may deal with it for several months or more.
How is parosmia treated?
Olfactory training or scent training: inhaling a particular scent and thinking about what that scent should smell like
What should you do if you think you have parosmia?
See a doctor if you have any kind of smell loss or smell distortion
- It tells us that nerves are regenerating, and it’s one step toward recovering your sense of smell
- Always talk to your doctor for professional medical advice
What do you smell when you have parosmia?
Parosmia simply means that your sense of smell is altered in some way.
What causes parosmia?
The prevailing theory is that when the olfactory nerves (which connect your nose to your brain) are damaged by a virus, head injury, or other cause, the connection between your nose and brain is broken. When the nerves start to regrow, they may go to a different spot in the brain than before, resulting in a distorted sense of smell.
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