Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, additional symptoms have been added to the list in the past few months. However, a symptom affecting a large number of SARS-CoV-2 patients has surprised many people. We speak in particular of anosmia also known as loss of smell which is indeed very common in respiratory infections. But in the case of COVID-19, the situation is more complicated and scientists were finally able to explain it.
Loss of smell in coronavirus patients finally explained
As has already been suggested, loss of smell is a very common symptom in respiratory illnesses such as flu and colds. For your information, it can be caused by non-lethal coronaviruses. But most often, anosmia is simply caused by the congestion of the nasal passages, which does not allow the aromas to reach the olfactory receptors. In other words, you lose your sense of smell because your nose is blocked. Once the subject heals and the symptoms disappear, the sense of smell reappears but sometimes its loss can persist.
But what is more special in patients with coronavirus? So, they complain of anosmia without necessarily having a stuffy nose. The latter is therefore more different than other respiratory infections. A condition which has been examined several times without success but the scientists were finally able to come up with an explanation!
In patients with coronaviruses, anosmia tends to appear quickly and unexpectedly and also disappear suddenly within two weeks. However, some people claim not to have recovered all of their sense of smell even weeks after complete recovery.
Nasal and sinus scans of patients with coronavirus and anosmia were performed to determine the cause of the bizarre loss of smell. Doctors therefore noted swelling of the tissues and an effusion of mucus in the olfactory slit. As for the sinuses, these were intact.
The results also revealed that to bind, COVID-19 uses the ACE 2 receptor as well as another protein called TMPRSS2. The first hypothesis of doctors states that SARS-CoV-2 can infect olfactory neurons, which causes strong inflammation and therefore – anosmia. But specialists have good news for those affected by this unpleasant condition: damaged olfactory neurons are renewed but a little training and appropriate therapy will be necessary to bring back the smell.
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