KONTAN.CO.ID – Jakarta. One of the symptoms of Covid-19 is a loss of your sense of smell. However, people who have the flu or colds also experience a loss of their sense of smell. How to distinguish the loss of the sense of smell between the symptoms of corona and influenza or a cold?
A new study shows that anosmia or loss of the sense of smell is the most common symptom experienced by coronavirus patients. Findings compiled by researchers in the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also indicate that anosmia not only occurs in symptomatic patients, but also in the asymptomatic group.
“The number of people who tested positive for Covid-19 with symptoms of loss of taste or smell (anosmia) increased the most across all age groups,” the research team wrote in its summary report.
Ear nose and throat specialist (ENT) Hospital Columbia Asia Hospital (RSCA) Prof. Dr. Dr. Delfitri Munir, Sp.THTKL (K) explained the difference in the loss of the sense of smell between symptoms of corona virus infection and influenza.
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He said the nasal cavity was the most favorite entry point for the corona virus. This is because the virus is transmitted through droplets and airbones. “In this nose, more than 75 percent of the air flow is directed to the roof of the nose. There are the endings of the olfactory or smell nerves,” Delfitri said to Kompas.com, Tuesday (12/1/2020).
“Because the roof of our nose is curved, the particles that are carried away will bump and anchor there,” he continued.
This condition causes the olfactory nerve to be exposed to the corona virus. Due to the nature of the virus damaging cells, causing inflammation, this irritates the olfactory nerves and results in loss of the sense of smell. “This can be temporary or permanent. If the nerve is dead, it can’t be healed again,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the loss of the sense of smell due to colds or influenza is caused by inflammation of the mucous membrane throughout the nose. This makes the nose clogged and unable to breathe air. “Due to inflammation, the air we breathe does not reach the roof of the nasal cavity where the nerve is located, so it closes it,” he said.
“So the airborne particles that carry the odor cannot enter, because they are blocked by the nostrils. If the clogging is gone, they can smell again because the nerves are not disturbed,” he continued.
This condition of the nerves in the nose is what distinguishes the loss of the sense of smell due to the corona virus and the cold. This means that a Covid-19 patient will experience a loss of his sense of smell, but can still breathe air normally.
Meanwhile, the loss of the sense of smell experienced by sufferers of colds or influenza is usually accompanied by disturbances in breathing air.
Studies on the difference between anosmia in the symptoms of corona and colds
In early November, as reported by Kompas.com, European researchers found that there is a difference between losing the sense of smell in a patient infected with the corona virus, and someone who has the flu or a bad cold.
The researchers say, in corona virus patients, loss of the sense of smell tends to occur suddenly and severely. Apart from that, their noses are also usually not stuffy, or runny.
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Most patients infected with the corona virus can still breathe easily. Covid-19 patients who experience anosmia are less able to recognize smells, and they cannot tell the difference between bitter or sweet tastes.
Meanwhile, the reason why someone loses the ability to smell when he has a cold or flu is blockage.
This article has been published on Kompas.com with the title “This is the difference between losing your smell due to the Corona Virus and colds“,
Author: Ahmad Naufal Dzulfaroh
Editor: Inggried Dwi Wedhaswary
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