After having coronavirus (COVID-19), you may still have a loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste. It can take time for your sense of smell or taste to recover. You may find that foods smell or taste differently after having coronavirus. Food may taste bland, salty, sweet or metallic. These changes don’t usually last long, but they can affect your appetite and how much you eat. For a very small number of people, your change of sense of smell or taste may be more long-term.
It’s important not to compare yourself to others. Everyone’s recovery is different.
You may only be able to smell or taste a little, or you may find certain smells or tastes unpleasant. You may experience a bad smell all the time – for example smelling smoke or petrol.
Read about the recommended daily intake of sugar and salt
Smell training means regularly smelling different things to relearn them. It can help some people get their sense of smell back. If you can smell the difference between 2 different things, smell training may help you. This includes if you can only smell a faint difference. The earlier you start smell training, the more it may be able to help.
Start with items you have at home like coffee, perfumes, citrus, or different types of essential oils. Learn to identify these with practice and then move on to a new scent.
Losing smell may have practical safety concerns – for example gas, smoke, out of date food and poor ventilation. If you don’t have a sense of smell, it’s important to be aware of these. You might want to:
Last updated:
23 November 2022