Russian doctors develop method to restore sense of smell in people with post-COVID syndrome

Otorhinolaryngologists at the I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University) have developed an olfactory training programme for people with post-COVID syndrome. This was reported by the university’s press service, according to TV BRICS.

“Today, there are neither medicinal nor surgical treatment methods for patients with post-COVID loss of smell. Olfactory training is the only way to begin perceiving smells again and to return to experiencing their rich palette. Preliminary data indicate the effectiveness of the olfactory training being studied at our clinic. From the seventh session onwards, patients show an improvement in their sense of smell – this is much faster than with the classical approach,” said Valery Svistushkin, Director of the Clinic of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases at Sechenov University.

Olfactory training involves having the patient smell four scents for ten seconds each, several times a day. Doctors at Sechenov University have improved this method. They use an automated software and hardware system that delivers scents in a specific sequence. Over the course of 45 minutes, the patient performs several exercises – both recognising and differentiating smells. At the same time, doctors conduct electroencephalography (EEG), which helps to objectively assess the changes occurring in the brain during the training.

“When we test a patient and ask whether they can smell a scent or not, this is still a subjective assessment of effectiveness. EEG makes it possible to identify various patterns. For example, changes in rhythms are responsible for engagement in the training process, which subsequently affects the treatment outcome,” noted otorhinolaryngologist and assistant at the Department of Ear, Throat and Nose Diseases at Sechenov University, Gaya Lebedeva.

It is noted that thanks to the software capabilities, the training is conducted in a game-like format, allowing the patient to become more easily immersed in the process. The previously used classical training was carried out by the patient independently at home, which, according to doctors, did not always guarantee adherence to the correct algorithm.