Q I am worried that the smell disorder caused by COVID-19 might never come back. What is the prognosis?
A About 85% of post-COVID smell disorders recover naturally within a few months. Recovery within one month is most common, and most improve within 3 to 6 months. Cases lasting more than a year account for about 5 to 10%, and the earlier olfactory training and treatment are started, the better the prognosis.
Detailed Answer
The prognosis for post-COVID smell disorder is generally positive. According to large cohort studies, about 60% showed meaningful recovery within 1 month of onset, about 75% within 3 months, and about 85% within 6 months. However, symptoms persist for more than a year in 5 to 10% of cases, in which the neural damage to the olfactory epithelium is considered to have deepened.
Factors favorable to recovery: starting olfactory training from the early stage, being a non-smoker, younger age, and no underlying rhinitis or sinusitis. Starting treatment within two weeks of onset gives the fastest recovery.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we give realistic guidance about how long recovery takes. Combining Korean medicine treatment with olfactory training can speed up the rate of natural recovery, and even when the prognosis is uncertain, we induce the maximum possible recovery by improving the mucosal environment. If even slight improvement is detected within 4 weeks, it is a good sign.
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