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Some coronavirus patients haven't gotten their senses of smell or taste back yet

wsj.com

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Re: Some coronavirus patients haven't gotten their senses of smell or taste back yet

#11

Post by SpicyLemonZest »

HarryHirsch wrote: post #7
marcell wrote: post #6

Taste is highly related to smell, and smell is related to congestion symptoms that are typical for respiratory diseases. Taste and smell loss happens with cold and flu as well, since they are also respiratory diseases: [1] > The exact mechanism behind post-viral anosmia [smell/taste loss] isn’t yet understood, but it is clear that the various viruses that cause the common cold, including flu, somehow damage and inter…

Let's not get carried away with the Covid fear hysteria You know that the olfactory nerve is a cranial nerve, it's actually part of the brain. Anything neurotropic should be cause for extreme caution.

The world is already being extremely cautious about the coronavirus, and I'm sure it will continue to do so.

Re: Some coronavirus patients haven't gotten their senses of smell or taste back yet

#12

Post by sroussey »

HarryHirsch wrote: post #7
marcell wrote: post #6

Taste is highly related to smell, and smell is related to congestion symptoms that are typical for respiratory diseases. Taste and smell loss happens with cold and flu as well, since they are also respiratory diseases: [1] > The exact mechanism behind post-viral anosmia [smell/taste loss] isn’t yet understood, but it is clear that the various viruses that cause the common cold, including flu, somehow damage and inter…

Let's not get carried away with the Covid fear hysteria You know that the olfactory nerve is a cranial nerve, it's actually part of the brain. Anything neurotropic should be cause for extreme caution.

SARS2 causing problems with blood vessels is super scary.

Re: Some coronavirus patients haven't gotten their senses of smell or taste back yet

#13

Post by SpicyLemonZest »

theonemind wrote: post #4

Interestingly, not exactly COVID-19 related, people that lose their sense of taste return to eating normally, but people that lose a sense of feel in their mouth never seem to fully recover their appetite. I mean, not to say I want to lose my sense of taste, just that losing feel in your mouth seems probably worse.

Yeah, texture is a surprisingly large part of what people enjoy about food. It's honestly weird that we consider it a separate thing from taste, since you take it into account almost as much as flavor when you cook.

Re: Some coronavirus patients haven't gotten their senses of smell or taste back yet

#14

Post by zelphirkalt »

bashinator wrote: post #9

I lost my sense of taste a few years ago, from a combination of extreme stress and the flu. Lasted about a week, and it was utterly terrifying. I first noticed it when I tried to eat, iirc scrambled eggs, and couldn't stop gagging on the texture. Once I figured out what was going on, it took a couple days to figure out what I could eat without retching. I ended up being entirely vegetarian - meat without taste is a h…

Thanks for that first hand account of what it is like. Good to know.

Re: Some coronavirus patients haven't gotten their senses of smell or taste back yet

#16

Post by zelphirkalt »

snazz wrote: post #8
chadcmulligan wrote: post #5

A friend of mine lost his sense of smell some years ago from the flu

Are there any published statistics on how common that is? I wonder what it inflames or irritates that can't come back after the body recovers from the virus.

That's also what I am wondering about. Could it also have a psychological component? (Not making it any less terrifying.)

Re: Some coronavirus patients haven't gotten their senses of smell or taste back yet

#17

Post by throwanem »

pmiller2 wrote: post #10
marcell wrote: post #6

Taste is highly related to smell, and smell is related to congestion symptoms that are typical for respiratory diseases. Taste and smell loss happens with cold and flu as well, since they are also respiratory diseases: [1] > The exact mechanism behind post-viral anosmia [smell/taste loss] isn’t yet understood, but it is clear that the various viruses that cause the common cold, including flu, somehow damage and inter…

The article is literally talking about how loss of taste and smell can profoundly affect someone. It's the exact opposite of "fear hysteria." From the article: > Out of 417 patients who suffered mild to moderate forms of Covid-19 in Europe, 88% and 86% reported taste and smell dysfunctions, respectively, according to a study published in April in the European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. > Most patients said th…

Those are much higher rates than I've seen quoted anywhere else. Intuitively, it seems surprising that with almost nine in ten people so affected, I should have been lucky enough not to have any loss of taste or smell at all among my own symptoms, or those of anyone I know who's also had the disease.

I don't doubt for a second the suffering of those affected by anosmia, or that it can be an effect of COVID-19. But I do doubt that the anosmia rate, and especially the rate of anosmia persisting long after other symptoms subside, is as high worldwide as it was in this one quite small cohort.

Re: Some coronavirus patients haven't gotten their senses of smell or taste back yet

#19

Post by claudeganon »

SpicyLemonZest wrote: post #11
HarryHirsch wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's not get carried away with the Covid fear hysteria You know that the olfactory nerve is a cranial nerve, it's actually part of the brain. Anything neurotropic should be cause for extreme caution.

The world is already being extremely cautious about the coronavirus, and I'm sure it will continue to do so.

Citation needed for the US. The two sides seem to be “workers and grandma need to die for the economy” and “workers and grandma need to die for the economy, in phases, as described by this PowerPoint.”

Re: Some coronavirus patients haven't gotten their senses of smell or taste back yet

#20

Post by troutwine »

zelphirkalt wrote: post #14
bashinator wrote: post #9

I lost my sense of taste a few years ago, from a combination of extreme stress and the flu. Lasted about a week, and it was utterly terrifying. I first noticed it when I tried to eat, iirc scrambled eggs, and couldn't stop gagging on the texture. Once I figured out what was going on, it took a couple days to figure out what I could eat without retching. I ended up being entirely vegetarian - meat without taste is a h…

Thanks for that first hand account of what it is like. Good to know.

Fun fact, I was born without a sense of smell. Texture is a huge part of my enjoyment of food -- probably obviously -- and what caused the OP revulsion are things I enjoy, as another first-hand anecdote.
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