Have you recently lost your sense of taste or smell? Then you may be infected with the coronavirus COVID-19, even if you don't display any other symptoms.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) posted on its web-site that loss of a sense of smell (anosmia) and loss of a sense of taste (dysgeusia) are both symptoms of COVID-19. Even if there are no other symptoms of COVID-19 - meaning it's a mild case, but it is still infectious and can be spread to others. Reports from South Korea are that about 30% of patients and from Germany that more than half of patients experience this.
It doesn't seem to matter how sick you are, or whether you are congested or not. Nothing seems to help - not nose drops or sprays. Persons regain their sense of smell and/or taste after a few days or weeks.
It is suggested that loss of sense of smell could be used as a COVID-19 screening tool. Excerpt from the UK ENT group statement posted on the AAO-HNS web-site:
There is already good evidence from South Korea, China and Italy that significant numbers of patients with proven COVID-19 infection have developed anosmia/hyposmia. In Germany it is reported that more than 2 in 3 confirmed cases have anosmia. In South Korea, where testing has been more widespread, 30% of patients testing positive have had anosmia as their major presenting symptom in otherwise mild cases.
In addition, there have been a rapidly growing number of reports of a significant increase in the number of patients presenting with anosmia in the absence of other symptoms – this has been widely shared on medical discussion boards by surgeons from all regions managing a high incidence of cases. Iran has reported a sudden increase in cases of isolated anosmia, and many colleagues from the US, France and Northern Italy have the same experience.
Excerpt from NY Times article on this issue: Lost Sense of Smell May Be Peculiar Clue to Coronavirus Infection
On Friday, British ear, nose and throat doctors, citing reports from colleagues around the world, called on adults who lose their senses of smell to isolate themselves for seven days, even if they have no other symptoms, to slow the disease’s spread. The published data is limited, but doctors are concerned enough to raise warnings.
I have what is called SIGMD. I have low to non-existent IGM levels. I have lived with a poor ability to fight off upper respiratory infection all of my more than 3/4 of a century on this planet. Sinus infections that spread to the bronchial tubes and lungs have been a bane to my existence as far back as I can remember. Unfortunately, I did not know I had this condition until six years ago. Low and behold, my new allergist did a complete blood workup because I seemed to resist all treatment for my chronic condition. After looking at my issue, he looked at me and said that I was wasting my time with the kind of treatments he and others had been giving me for my entire adult life. He handed me a Nasaline syringe and sent me on my way, saying that my next step would probably be prophylactic antibiotics and that I should seek out a blood specialist. Now, there are many questions I have for all of the experts that have treated me over the years, but none would change what has been.
All of these years of allergy tests, antibiotics, Prednisone, etc, etc. Now, antibiotics daily for the rest of my life? I was not ready for that, but understood that my condition could be life threatening at my age, as each year was becoming more problematic.
On to the internet I went to absorb everything I could learn about my condition and upper respiratory issues. I looked at everything, including this website. I have now been without antibiotics for over 3 years, have not had a sinus infection, unheard off for me, in the same amount of time. What do I attribute this too. Well, here it is:
1. I nasal irrigate two to three times a day.
2. I have done Bactroban nasal rinse twice.
3.. I have done Baby shampoo rinse a few times. (Baylor University of Medicine)
4 . I wear BreathRite Nasal strips when sleeping, every night.
5. I use L. Sakei in my nostrils per the comments of this website and others.
6. I elevate my bed three inches to lessen the effects on the sinus from acid reflux while sleeping and take an anti acid daily a few hours before dinner.
7. I take one Allertec (Costco) per day for allergy.
8. I refuse to take antibiotics after having been on them for many, many years, sometimes 6 months at a time.
My smell is back after 30 years. I have not had a sinus infection in more than three years after suffering mightily for my entire life. What do I attribute this to? All of the above. I have not felt this good in over 50 years. Good luck to all of you.
Glad to hear that you're now doing so well!
By the way, people contacting me typically report that using baby shampoo has not helped them.