Parosmia: The long COVID-19 symptom that distorts smell and taste

Parosmia is a post-COVID condition that distorts people's sense of smell, like for third-grade teacher Christine Chipinuck, who has been unable to eat in the staff cafeteria since her diagnosis.

It started a few months after recovering from COVID-19, when her toothpaste suddenly tasted rancid and her favourite drink coffee smelled like gasoline. Sometimes she smells hairspray or vomit all day. There are very few things she can eat.

There's still a lot to learn about this condition and how long it lasts, but the working theory is COVID-19 affects the receptors in the nose.

Su-Ling Goh reports.

#GlobalNews

[Cb]

I feel like the worst thing about this, is forgetting what those foods used to taste like.

[taratee]

I've been miserable with this for over ten months now. It's unfair how powerful and debilitating this disorder is, and how little help we have with it.

[rojy_z]

I had covid in oct 2021.. My senses went away completely for 40 days then they came back normal for a month and a half. Parosmia started in January 2022 chicken, eggs smell rotten to the point u want to throw up.. This condition lasted about 7 months and then things went back to normal.. Thank God!

[Dazzlings_memories]

Healing is not impossible! I was fortunate to recover from parosmia in 3 months, and will continue to pray for everyone else suffering with this condition.. it is very difficult, but it will get better!

[BrandonB]

I've found out. If I eat healthy, non processed food, everything kinda tastes fine. Junk food taste bad, but hey. Its making me eat healthy now.

[johnnopeyy]

The only thing I want to hear about COVID is criminal investigations.

[johnforesythe]

For anybody who is going through this, I have found that using a tongue scraper and a neti pot right before meals has made it much better. While it is not a permanent fix, I was able to enjoy a Chinese buffet last night despite the distorted tastes.

[proinseasnihanluain]

I've had this for over 6 years now. I saw specialists who said it could have been triggered by a virus. I've got anti-sickness medications and migraine medications now- I get overwhelmed by the smells till the point I puke. I've been living in a bubble as I also got hyperosmia. I had the tests on nose and brain. I've tried various things over the past years trying to get my life back. The worst thing about having this isn't everything smelling disgusting it's how people treat you like it's all in your head. The good news is the ENT specialist said it might go away. I wish you all a speedy recovery. If you haven't already get to a dentist to rule out any infection and ask your doctor for blood tests in case there's any underlying deficiency. I'm really hopeful since it's now a side effect of covid that more research and support could become available. Good luck everyone and remember you're not alone in this even though it is isolating.

[sapphavoc]

Onions, meat and eggs taste and smell absolutely freaking rancid. :(

[wacey]

And we can thank China and the scientists at the WIV for all this.

[Pepesplants]

My wife is on year number two and it has been very rough for her. For those needing help on this, research the use of nicotine. She is starting nicotine patches today. Good luck.

[annisegomez]

Reading the comments scare the crap out of me, people talking about how they’ve been having it for 2 years now. I’m on my 6 month and I could bearly stand it, literally don’t know what the eat anymore 😭

[Dragonfly]

I think I have this! My smell and taste have been messed up since I had covid. Its been 3 months since I had it and Ive been complaining about normal things smelling rancid… such as fresh laundry smelling 🤮 my favourite coffee often smells and tastes off.. everything tastes off to me now.

[blacklabel]

I haven’t been able to smell in over two years since covid. I had to leave my profession because of it. My doctor literally won’t bring me in to get it looked at until I’m “fully vaccinated” cause that will magically fix it apparently. tired. The smell of shampoo makes me vomit and toothpaste will give me a stomach ache all day now. It’s completely wrecked my life. I went from healthy and thriving and growing quickly fresh out of college, to out of a job and depressed beyond anything I’ve ever felt.

[almostclintnewton]

It's been well over a year now and the only things that i can "accurately" smell are bananas, oranges, cloves and "berries". I put accurately in quotes because I know they dont quite smell like how they register in my brain these days but they're still a lot closer than other things like meat or even rancid smells. Does anyone else register rancid smells like poop or sewage as "sweet"? I cant think of another word for that sensation other than "sweet". I laugh every time i walk into a recently used bathroom now.

[CornishPixie]

I genuinely thought I'd gone mad, I caught covid back in November 2020 and still really struggling with this daily 😫

[iliya_ivanov]

I have this. In January 2022 I got COVID and lost my sense of smell. Few weeks later my sense of smell returned but then after 4-5 months all body odor (urine, sweat, etc.) all of a sudden started smelling exceptionally bad. Initially I thought there was something wrong with me - liver or kidney disease. I came across a Reddit page where many people reported the exact same thing post covid.

Also, some foods, especially meat, can smell like that (onions and sugar)... Super weird, but as far as I know it's just people with parosmia who smell things differently

[putinelvladi]

Relax, it goes away, I had it for 6 months, now I'm back to normal, I let God do His thing and I had patience, you just have to wait and have faith, that worked for me, hopefully it works for you as well.

[DominiqueDeMann]

Some things smell like rotten corpses or like a dumpster. I find myself over seasoning my foods as well, My Laundry smells like something slightly burnt or cooked even though I used Tide detergent and or Arm and hammer. Its been 2 years now

[lisawright]

It will be 9 months since I lost my normal taste and smell. Done smell training for 3 months didn't seem to help. I just want to drink a cup of coffee and wash what little hair I have left without vomiting.