Parosmia

Context:

Loss of smell and taste is a common symptom of Covid-19 but a large section of people have been experiencing parosmia.

Background

Parosmia is one of a condition in which an individual is unable to experience perception of odours.

Details

• Parosmia is a medical term used to explain a condition in which an affected individual experience “distortions of the sense of smell”.

• An individual suffering from parosmia will be able to detect certain odours but they may experience the smell of certain things different and unpleasant.

• Study says that smells described by patients of parosmia are similar to chemicals, burning, faeces, rotting flesh and mould.

Cause of parosmia

• The condition is faced by those people who are recovering their sense of smell after a virus infection or an injury.

• Parosmia is not a permanent condition and it may continue for several weeks. The affected individual will have to change their eating patterns, diets and avoid foods that trigger the certain odours.

• Foods like roasted, grilled foods, onions, chocolate, coffee, garlic and eggs trigger parosmia attacks and one may have to be careful.

• Study of Covid-19 patients says that parosmia is a positive condition and shows the recovery of the olfactory sensory neurons.

Other conditions

Similar unusual symptoms of Covid-19 include diseases such as Covid toe, Covid tongue, which appears on various parts of body.