The spread of the coronavirus is at such a high rate that many cases are reported every day. The doctors have already spoken about the symptoms caused when got infected by covid-19. Often the symptoms and the effect of the symptoms can vary from person to person. Some of the symptoms include cough, fever, and shortness of breath. One of the most common symptoms of covid-19 is the loss of smell and loss of taste. The sense of taste and smell are closely linked with each other. So automatically while experiencing the loss of smell it will result in the loss of taste too.
Remember that the symptoms of covid-19 may occur even if you don’t have a runny or a stuffy nose. It’s not necessary that the symptoms only cause the loss of taste and smell; it may also include the changes in taste and smell of anything. Loss of smell may also be an indicator of a mild case of covid-19.
Why do you face the loss of smell and taste after getting infected by coronavirus?
There are some reasons because of which these symptoms are caused. Usually, the SARS-CoV-2 virus can cause inflammation inside the nose. This leads to the loss of olfactory neurons that is also known as the loss of smell neurons. Also, the expression of human cell receptors to which SARS-CoV-2 virus b together is higher in the nasal cavity and olfactory tissue cells.
Viruses such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus can rupture the nerves that are related to smell sense. Also, this type of virus can affect the tissues present in the nose. Most of the time it is due to the inflammation caused in the inner lining of the nose that kinda disturbs the function of the sense of smell. So, when the smell is lost, often one faces the loss of taste, too. Usually the flavors we taste often come from the smell we sense. So if the olfactory nerves related to the smell are not working then this results in loss of taste too.
This type of damage caused to the nerves related to smell or taste due to the virus can cause the loss of smell and also the loss of taste.
If you experience this type of loss of smell and taste then you should self isolate yourself or get tested for covid-19 as these are the first symptoms and the most common ones experienced by people after getting infected by covid-19 infection. Most of the time it is unlikely to lose the smell without losing the taste as the sense of smell and taste are closely linked with each other. It is really rare but sometimes some people can experience unusual tastes and smells which are really unpleasant. To recover from the loss of the senses, olfactory training is recommended.
Usually, the loss of smell and the loss of taste can be recovered within 4 weeks but unfortunately, for some people, it can also take months to recover.
