Q. How long does it take for the sense of smell to return after COVID-19?

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

It is perfectly normal as seventy percent of patients with COVID-19 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) positive have complaints of anosmia and altered sense of taste (dysgeusia). Loss of smell and taste occurs suddenly in eighty percent of patients while in the rest, it occurs gradually. The virus attacks the olfactory receptors in the base of the skull affecting smell processing and effective transmission to occur. Thus, this results in a loss of perception of a smell.

The processing areas of smell and taste are located closer in the brain and they work in synchronization. When smell processing gets affected, then taste perception comes down and so the affected person gets an altered perception of taste and then complete loss. Other immunocompromised patients can have other complaints such as headaches, weakness, fever associated with it and some patients can have a loss of taste and smell alone.

It takes approximately four months on average to get fifty percent of both smell and taste sensations back. This time duration can vary and there is nothing to be worried. There is no time-tested medication now to bring back the functions of taste and smell in a quick and effective manner. I am sure that both the perception of smell and taste will improve soon and you will be fine soon.

Same symptoms doesn’t mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Bhadragiri Vageesh Padiyar

Experience: 11 + Yrs

Otolaryngology (E.N.T)

---

Related Questions:
Coronavirus - Parenting In Quarantine

With school closed, parents working remotely, and physical distancing due to the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, family life has turned upside down around the world ...   Read full

Coronavirus: Strictly Avoid Self-Medication

The current Coronavirus (COVID-19) is declared as a pandemic of public health importance and many countries have been affected ... It is true that the whole world is affected and the cases with   Read full

For the past four days, I have chest congestion and mild chest pain. Is it due to COVID-19?

My symptoms are that for the past 4 day so or so I have had some congestion in my chest that comes and goes ... a few times (a total of about 3 hours in 4 days) very mild chest   Read full