February 27 is World Anosmia Day. This learned word designates the loss of smell. A disability that we were talking about shortly before the arrival of Covid-19, of which it is one of the main symptoms. Since then, research has (slowly) progressed.
Considered a perception disorder, anosmia affects millions of people around the world every year. Before the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in 2020, it was thought that it could only result from a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu, which can damage the olfactory nerves in the nose.
In other cases, it may also be the consequence of a neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis, which affects the olfactory pathways in the brain. Side effects of certain medications, such as antibiotics and cancer drugs, can also cause loss of smell.
More than 30,000 people affected in Luxembourg
If anosmia was little known until 2020, the arrival of Covid-19 at least had the merit of giving a serious boost to research carried out around this disorder. In the Grand Duchy, scientists estimated, a year after the appearance of the pandemic, that more than 30,000 people suffered or had suffered from a partial or total loss of smell.
Several studies also indicating that the first variants of Covid led to the loss of the sense of smell in a little more than half of the cases, one can imagine that this number of 30,000 could in reality be largely underestimated.
In Francewe estimated at 5% the rate of patients who have retained an absence of smell more than six months after the Covid, whilein Belgium, “28% of patients have a long-term sense of smell deficiti.e. a chronic deficiency, two years after infection », says Professor Jérôme Lechien, professor at UMONS and ENT surgeon at the hospital Epicurus of Mons.
Between danger and inconvenience
If no longer smelling odors may seem like a relative constraint, daily however, this disability may lead to many complications in many situations. This is the case, for example, in a couple when one of the two partners can no longer realize whether they have bad breath or not, or even the repeated frustrations of no longer being able to smell and appreciate food during meals.
More seriously, the loss of smell can also be the cause ofa real danger to the person by being a victim, such as not smelling the smell of fire when a fire starts, or even the smell of gas or even spoiled food (even if visually intact).
No treatment but progressing research
Unfortunately to date, there is no treatment found to be fully effective against anosmia. However, this World Day of February 27 is an opportunity to remember that medical research has made great progressespecially since the outbreak of Covid-19.
For people with long-term anosmia (the symptom disappearing on average after four weeks for coronavirus positives), olfactory rehabilitation can be considered. It consists of repeatedly having anosmic patients smell known and fairly strong odors, such as cloves, citrus fruits, roses in order to stimulate the olfactory sensors/receptors… An often long rehabilitation (about three to six months) and which requires the greatest assiduity.
However, a new treatment, recently unveiled by Professor Jérôme Lechien, is attracting the attention of people affected by anosmia. called PRP (pour « Platelet Rich Plasma)the specialist technique (initially developed in the United States) consists of “ draw blood from the patient’s veins. After having centrifuged it, we then keep its platelets. The platelet concentrate is then reinjected via a syringe into the upper part of the nose, where the receptors that are struggling to regenerate are located. “, Details Professor Lechien to our colleagues at RTBF. ” By injecting this concentrate, regeneration is promoted and people recover their sense of smell more quickly. »
Effective in 80% of cases, PRP is therefore a serious hope for many anosmic impatient to regain their sense of smell. In the meantime, the latter have the possibility of approaching l’association anosmie.org which is dedicated to them. In France, Belgium or Luxembourg, several referents are available for them.