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Hi! I Had Gotten Covid Back In Early November. I
Question: Hi! I had gotten covid back in early November. I did lose my taste and smell but around day 8 or 9 it came back and it was pretty good, up until the beginning of January. Almost everything I smell or try to eat is very unpleasant. Its hard to describe the smell and taste. It's almost like a burning smell and I dont know what to do. Or what it is. I cant get rid of it no matter how hard I try and it has put a damper on food.
Brief Answer:
Please see the detailed answer below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for the query. I can understand your concern. You had a history of covid-19 infection and loss of taste as well as smell that time. Loss of taste and smell is not common in patients of Covid-19 positive. Many of them, get back their power of smell and taste within 2 weeks like you.
But, many of the Covid-19 positive patients may not smell right in the near future. They no longer wake up and can't smell coffee; because of parosmia, their coffee smells like burning rubber or sewage. Parosmia is most often an unpleasant smell, a distortion of an actual odour, making many foods smell and taste revolting. Phantosmia is more random, occurring without a scent trigger, uninvited and unwanted. Phantosmias, that can be fleeting or linger, are also usually foul smells, often burning wood.
There are so many viruses that can cause smell loss, not only other coronaviruses, but also influenza viruses and rhinoviruses. Many of these viruses also will lead to a parosmia and phantosmia, either as part of the initial deficit or as the nerves try and recover, but make aberrant connections.
Hopefully, you will get back your power of smell and taste over the passing of time. But it will take time for few weeks up to few months.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Zubayer Alam, General And Family Physician,
Please see the detailed answer below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for the query. I can understand your concern. You had a history of covid-19 infection and loss of taste as well as smell that time. Loss of taste and smell is not common in patients of Covid-19 positive. Many of them, get back their power of smell and taste within 2 weeks like you.
But, many of the Covid-19 positive patients may not smell right in the near future. They no longer wake up and can't smell coffee; because of parosmia, their coffee smells like burning rubber or sewage. Parosmia is most often an unpleasant smell, a distortion of an actual odour, making many foods smell and taste revolting. Phantosmia is more random, occurring without a scent trigger, uninvited and unwanted. Phantosmias, that can be fleeting or linger, are also usually foul smells, often burning wood.
There are so many viruses that can cause smell loss, not only other coronaviruses, but also influenza viruses and rhinoviruses. Many of these viruses also will lead to a parosmia and phantosmia, either as part of the initial deficit or as the nerves try and recover, but make aberrant connections.
Hopefully, you will get back your power of smell and taste over the passing of time. But it will take time for few weeks up to few months.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Zubayer Alam, General And Family Physician,
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