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How can aromatherapy help with smell loss (Anosmia)

Yasmine ElGhamrawy

Click to download a PDF on aromatherapy and how it can help with smell disorders. Including a guide to making your own smell training kit and a list of further reading with links to UK and USA based charities specialising in smell disorders.

Taste is 80% smell:

We can smell through our mouths (Retronasal olfaction) when the volatile molecules of the food we chew get picked up through our nasal passage at the back of the throat. Loss of taste is one of the senses often confused with anosmia; a person can think they no longer taste anything, but when tested, show that their sense of smell is compromised.

Paranosmia: a distortion of smell usually triggered by specific chemical components. It can signify that the sense of smell is coming back as it’s how the brain is trying to make sense of smell signals. Since each neurone of the olfactory system detects just one scent that can sometimes confuse the brain when interpreting, it can also show the progress that you are starting to detect certain odours and recognise them again.

Covid-19 and Anosmia

A typical infection with a temporary loss of smell is usually due to an inflammation that happens to ensure the expulsion of a virus that causes a temporary loss of olfactory epithelium cells. There could also be a simple reason where the olfactory nerves and region are fine and working normally, but a blockage stops them from detecting odours.

In the case of Covid-19 infections, however, there is evidence that now shows it might be affecting the olfactory system's supporting structure, which might explain the sudden onset of symptoms and the relatively rapid recovery from it once the virus dies down. Data shows that the loss of smell is disproportionate in women and the younger age range, more so than normal sinus infections. It also shows that the symptoms are short-lived in general and only affect long-term patients around 10% of the time.

A smell is a combination of volatile gaseous molecules that are released into the air and picked up by our nose (the olfactory system) and transported to the brain for interpretation and then action.We experience a sense when cells transmit a chemical, electromagnetic and mechanical stimuli into an action potential that our nervous system can interpret.This process is called “transduction” and each sense works slightly differently.

Our sense of smell and taste, the two most primitive and the first to develop in us are chemical senses.This means they send out chemoreceptors to detect molecules that will trigger an action that can either be unconscious, through the emotional side of the brain, or conscience through the more logical analytical side.It is a highly specialized system, where each receptor can detect just one kind of smell, so it is like a library that can be expanded and learned and can be personalised to each individual.

Part of that reaction takes place unconsciously in the limbic system, which governs memories, which is why certain smells can trigger emotions instantly and without our control. The other part is interpreted by the more logical part of the brain that takes action based on stored information, and that is crucial for survival. So if we smell smoke, we look for the source and get ready to take action to avoid danger.

When scent molecules are released in the air, they can travel at different speeds and have different weights. That means some are picked up quickly and some will take more time to reach the olfactory bulb. Combined with the alternating airflow cycle of the nostrils that can have an effect on how we perceive and enjoy a scent. This also means you get to experience more scents around you. This is why oils are usually given the designation of top, middle and base, which is taken from the world of perfumery where the rate of evaporation can make a huge difference in how a perfume is blended.

Smell Training

In a small jar that can fit over your nose area, drop some of the suggested essential oil on a tissue or cotton wool and let it circulate in the jar so that the volatile components are more intense. Smell each jar for 30 seconds and give yourself a break of a few minutes between each one.

Some of the smells that are good, depending on personal preference and experience, are represented in the original study carried out in 2009 by Prof Thomas Hummel in Dresden University

Rose:Floral - Clove:Spicy - Lemon:Fruity - Eucalyptus:Resinous

It is commonly known that scent is largely personal and associative, which can explain why the same aroma can affect people diffrently and also why choosing scents that are familiar to you and have an association with your own personal experiences and background can help greatly with smell training. Picking up more familiar and personal scents after the initial 12 weeks of smell training can improve the chances of recovery. The degree with which smell training can be successful is dependent on the severity and cause of anosmia.

You can make your own smell training kit but following the instructions in the PDF download available on this page, or buy a ready made kit here

Click to download a PDF on aromatherapy and how it can help with smell disorders. Including a guide to making your own smell training kit and a list of further reading with links to UK and USA based charities specialising in smell disorders.

Smell Disorder Charties

www.abscent.org

UK registered charity supporting people who are experiencing the distressing effects of smell loss.

www.fifthsense.org.uk

UK  charity supporting smell and taste disorder sufferers, providing a signpost to potential diagnosis and treatment, and playing a leading role in educating society on the huge role that the sense of smell plays in our lives.

www.anosmiaawareness.org

Committed to the mission of spreading awareness, encouraging research and serving as a central hub, where anosmia resources are pooled and organized for the anosmia community, their supporters, researchers and anyone wishing to learn more.

Further Research reading