Lost your smell after Covid? Here’s how you can use olfactory training or smell training to restore your sense of smell. Most cases of anosmia (lack of smell) return after 2-3 weeks after a viral infection like Covid19. Most people regain their sense of smell and taste within 7 days, but don’t lose hope if you’ve been waiting for 2-3 weeks or more and still can’t smell. Smell therapy (like physical therapy for your sense of smell!) has shown to be an effective way to restore your sense of smell, even with long term cases of anosmia.
Based on the most commonly cited study by Dr. Thomas Hummel, olfactory training uses four unique scents designed to cover different fragrance categories using:
Lemon for fruity smells:
Rose for a flower fragrances:
Cloves for spicy or bitter smells:
And Eucalyptus for ethereal odors or resinous smells similar to fresh cleaning solutions:
How to Perform Smell Training:
Step 1: Find at least 4 familiar fragrances such as Lemon, Rose, Cloves, and Eucalyptus (see above). Place 5-6 drops of oil on a piece of absorbent paper like watercolor paper and place into an amber glass jar:
Step 2: Twice a day, smell each container for about 10 to 15 seconds, taking just take a couple small sniffs of the fragrance. Try to keep the smell at the top of your nasal cavity instead of taking a giant whiff of the jar.
Step 3: Track Your Progress
Keep track of your progress each day by rating how strong you find each smell with each attempt.
Research on Smell Training or Olfactory Training:
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