Sudden Loss Of Smell?– Why It Is A Reason To Self-isolate

Sudden Loss Of Smell?– Why It Is A Reason To Self-isolate Mangostar/Shutterstock

Waking up and not being able to smell the coffee could be a sign of COVID-19. The World Health Organization recently announced that a sudden loss of sense of smell (anosmia) should be added to the symptoms of COVID-19. The UK government has just done that, stating: “From today, all individuals should self-isolate if they develop a new continuous cough or fever or anosmia.”

The inclusion of sudden anosmia is important as it may be an early – and sometimes the only – symptom of COVID-19 infection. It is also a symptom, like fever, that we can detect ourselves without a laboratory test. The indications are that if we were all to respond to this cue by self-isolating, we could reduce the spread of the virus.

An early clue that a loss of smell might be related to COVID-19 came in early March 2020 from a Facebook post about an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor who suddenly lost his sense of smell. What followed was a gradual accumulation of evidence linking anosmia to COVID-19.

Membership of closed Facebook groups dedicated to those experiencing smell loss grew exponentially, Google searches for “anosmia” increased, and high-profile cases were reported in the news. ENT doctors saw an increase in patients reporting anosmia and started to publish case studies based on the experience of their patients – many of them healthcare professionals. One, a neurosurgeon, reported anosmia with no other symptoms. Two days later he tested positive for COVID-19.


 Get The Latest By Email

Weekly Magazine Daily Inspiration

The sudden onset of anosmia was described as a new finding that may distinguish COVID-19 from the common cold or flu. An early statement was issued by ENT-UK and the British Rhinology Society calling for anosmia to be recognised as a marker of the virus. However, while the case studies and anecdotes are compelling, they lack the large datasets of a scientific study.

The first large dataset came from Iran. It was a home-based study of 10,000 people showing a correlation between anosmia and COVID-19. Results from the second large dataset were published by a team based at King’s College London. Their COVID Symptom Study app showed that 65% of those who tested positive for the disease also had a loss of smell and taste, and this symptom was by far the best predictor of COVID-19. And preliminary results from the first survey of the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research (GCCR) showed that those reporting COVID-19 symptoms had an average drop of 80% in their ability to smell.

These surveys add weight to the anecdotal evidence, but they have limitations. The main one being that they are based on people self-reporting symptoms – that is, their ability to smell was not clinically assessed.

On the other hand, studies based in hospitals and ENT clinics provide valuable evidence where the COVID-19 status and case histories can be determined with more certainty. The first came out of China, where researchers reported a modest 5% of patients had an impaired sense of smell. Studies in France (417 patients), in Italy (202) and in the US (102), on patients all testing positive for COVID-19, found a loss of smell in 86%, 64% and 68% of cases, respectively.

Results from clinical studies appear at the rate of one every few days and the conclusions overwhelmingly support the claim that anosmia is associated with COVID-19. The most revealing of these was another study from Iran that measured sense of smell using a recognised scratch and sniff test. In this case, 59 out of 60 COVID-19 patients had a decrease in their sense of smell. Three systematic reviews of the recent evidence have concluded that there is a strong link between COVID-19 and anosmia.

Early warning sign

It is important to understand the timings of smell loss in relation to other symptoms. Several studies report the onset of anosmia before other symptoms, or as the only symptom. Indeed, a US study found anosmia appearing as the first symptom in 27% of their responses. A Chinese group showed you can still be infectious, even if anosmia is your only symptom, but this is an area when more data is required fast. The relationship between anosmia and infectiousness is still unclear, but it is certainly an early warning sign that other symptoms may follow.

Considering the combined strength of all the above, there is little doubt that sudden loss of smell is related to COVID-19. But we still need a strict evidence-based approach involving objective smell testing and evidence of the mechanisms involved, some of which is emerging. In the meantime, we would all be well advised to treat a sudden loss of the sense of smell as an indication we should self-isolate.

More data is needed, and you can help. If you have experienced a sudden loss of smell or taste during the pandemic, fill in both the UK and global GCCR surveys. These simple online surveys take less than ten minutes each. Our focus is on understanding the mechanisms involved in both smell and taste disorders.The Conversation

About The Author

Jane Parker, Associate Professor, Flavour Chemistry, University of Reading; Carl Philpott, Professor of Rhinology and Olfactology, University of East Anglia, and Tristram Wyatt, Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

books_health

Monday, 24 July 2023 16:37

Uterine fibroids, or leiomyomas, are benign tumors commonly occurring in the uterus. They affect many women, particularly African Americans, and can lead to clinical symptoms such as abnormal...

Friday, 21 July 2023 15:37

During uncomfortably hot weather, people seek ways to cool down their homes. Air conditioners often become the default solution when temperatures rise as they provide fast and effective relief from...

Friday, 21 July 2023 14:28

  Brushing your teeth is essential for maintaining optimal oral health, but like most aspects of health, the full story is more complicated.

Friday, 21 July 2023 06:06

Are you seeking a gentle yet powerful practice that brings balance to your body and mind? Look no further than Tai Chi. 

Friday, 21 July 2023 05:40

  As the world grapples with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge of interest and concern regarding vaccines. Vaccines play a crucial role in preventing infectious diseases,...

Thursday, 20 July 2023 22:38

As the temperatures rise during the summer months, it's important to be aware of the risks associated with extreme heat.

Thursday, 20 July 2023 15:45

People who exercise only on the weekend have similar heart-health benefits as those who exercise throughout the week

Wednesday, 19 July 2023 17:42

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently reported that around one in six couples globally are affected by infertility. For many years people tended to blame women for a couple’s infertility –...

AVAILABLE LANGUAGES

English Afrikaans Arabic Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Danish Dutch Filipino Finnish French German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Indonesian Italian Japanese Korean Malay Norwegian Persian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Spanish Swahili Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Urdu Vietnamese

follow InnerSelf on

facebook icontwitter iconyoutube iconinstagram iconpintrest iconrss icon

 Get The Latest By Email

Weekly Magazine Daily Inspiration

Tuesday, 18 May 2021 16:15

In my blog posts, free resources, and courses, I talk a lot about the things that we can do to support and develop our inborn, natural interspecies communication abilities. In this post, I...

Sunday, 16 May 2021 14:24

The human body is an amazing thing, full of systems, organs, nerves, and vessels that work together in harmony. You’ve seen the body described as a machine, as a city, or even as a factory....

Wednesday, 19 May 2021 08:07

For many people, the thing they’ve missed most during the pandemic is being able to hug loved ones. Indeed, it wasn’t until we lost our ability to hug friends and family did many realise just how...

Wednesday, 26 May 2021 08:54

The term “exercise is medicine” is rightfully well publicised. It’s one of the best ways to stay healthy, yet medicine doesn’t work if you aren’t prepared to take it.

Wednesday, 26 July 2023 12:55

With the rising cost of living, gyms memberships and fitness classes are becoming increasingly unaffordable. But the good news is you can make just as much progress at home.

Tuesday, 20 April 2021 08:05

Wild bees are essential for sustaining the landscapes we love. A healthy community of wild pollinators ensures that most flowering plants have an A-team pollinator species and a reserve bench of...

New Attitudes - New Possibilities

InnerSelf.comClimateImpactNews.com | InnerPower.net
MightyNatural.com | WholisticPolitics.com | InnerSelf Market
Copyright ©1985 - 2021 InnerSelf Publications. All Rights Reserved.