It’s been more than two years since the highly spreading COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and life as we know it has completely changed since then. Although we are maintaining safety protocols to evade the infectious strain yet again in the recent times to continue with normal life, there’s something else that hasn't returned to normal in people who had contracted Covid earlier or have been diagnosed recently - their ability to smell!

Our sense of smell or fragrance comprise a wide part of our daily lives and losing it can be a life-changing experience affecting your taste, appetite, memory, and emotions. When you lose the ability to smell, you may often find that foods that had a strong characteristic taste and fragrance do not taste the same anymore. You might also experience the usual smell of things differently than other people, making it extremely difficult for your olfactory nerves in the brain to identify certain smells at all. 

While anosmia (complete loss of smell) and hyposmia (partial loss of smell) are relatively common in case of respiratory infections due to congestion of the nose and throat and nasal inflammation, it returns to normal quickly. However, it is still unclear as to why this symptom is so prevalent in COVID-19 patients. Some studies indicate that it might occur due to damage to the olfactory neurons, which results in jumbled messages being sent from the smell receptors in the nose to the brain.

Although this can be quite frustrating and inconvenient in daily life, there are ways to help retain your sense of smell, to avoid living life in a distorted bubble. One such incredible way to get back the ability to smell is Olfactory Rehabilitation.

Also Checkout: Respiratory Health: Keep Lung Problems At Bay With These Essential Oils-  Infographics

What Is Olfactory Rehabilitation?

Olfactory Rehabilitation, also known as smell training, is a natural rehabilitative therapy that helps an individual to regain their sense of smell after an illness or injury. It involves smelling four different stimulating fragrances like aromatic, fruity, floral, and resinous twice daily and is useful for those suffering from long-term loss of smell due to COVID-19. 

Scientific studies suggest that Olfactory Rehabilitation helps strengthen the connection between olfactory nerves and the brain and treat conditions like smell loss (anosmia), reduced smell (hyposmia), or distorted smell (phantosmia).

Also Read: Anosmia: 5 Incredible Ayurvedic Remedies To Treat Loss Of Smell

How Do Essential Oils Help With Olfactory Training?

Essential oils are natural concentrated extracts obtained from several botanicals via the cold compression or steam distillation method. They have powerful, stimulating aromas and tend to have one dominant scent unlike perfumes that makes it ideal tools for olfactory training.

Smell therapy is quite easy and safe and can be conducted in the comfort of your own home. All you need are four of five essential oils that portray each of the following scents: floral, fruity, spicy, and herbal. Smell each fragrance for 20 seconds with a 30-second pause in between.

We bring you five essential oils that are sure to train your olfactory neurons and bring back the lost sense of smell.