The sympathetic nervous system goes into overdrive, causing a long COVID symptom that has affected tens of thousands of lives. One such case is Dade Cook, who experienced a loss of smell and taste before giving birth to her third child. She is convinced that COVID-19 was the cause of this symptom, despite testing negative for the virus at the time.
After initially losing her senses, Mrs. Cook’s condition took a turn for the worse when her senses returned with a vengeance. Everything smelled and tasted bad, making her food taste like floral lotion or garbage. This condition, known as parosmia, has affected many individuals like Mrs. Cook and Kathleen Dow, who are part of a support group for post-COVID symptoms.
Parosmia has made daily activities like cooking and socializing difficult for those affected. Some have resorted to extreme measures, such as cooking in a separate space to avoid smells, or meeting family in places without food odors. The condition has also led to weight loss, depression, and anxiety in many individuals.
The symptoms of parosmia are just one part of the larger long COVID syndrome, which includes insomnia, stress, fatigue, and other issues. David Gaskin, a nurse specializing in pain therapy, emphasizes the importance of recognizing the connection between various symptoms and treating them holistically.
He explains that long COVID disrupts the autonomic nervous system, particularly the sympathetic nervous system, causing a persistent hyperactive response. This dysregulation can lead to a range of symptoms, including parosmia. Treatment options such as stellate ganglion block therapy have shown promise in managing these symptoms and restoring balance to the autonomic nervous system.
Overall, the lives of many individuals have been turned upside down by the lingering effects of COVID-19, highlighting the need for comprehensive treatment approaches that address the underlying physiological disruptions caused by the virus. Stellate Ganglion Block
The stellate ganglion block is the administration of a local anesthetic into the stellate ganglion, a cluster of sympathetic nerves found anterior to the neck of the first rib. According to “Neuroanatomy, Stellate Ganglion,” a book in the National Library of Medicine, the SGB targets the master switch of the sympathetic nervous system, as explained by Mr. Gaskin, who has performed thousands of these treatments.
In a study conducted in 2022 with 195 patients who underwent the treatment, 81.5 percent of participants were happy with the results of the therapy. Some patients experience changes to their condition immediately after the injection, while improvements can be seen up to four weeks later.
Mr. Gaskin has seen patients who have tried other therapies with lower success rates, such as smell training, vagus nerve stimulation, nicotine gum, neurofeedback treatments, acupuncture, and fasting.
Olfactory Training
A 2022 double-blind randomized pilot study investigated olfactory training as a treatment option. Patients exposed themselves to different odors for 12 weeks, rotating exposure of each odor for 10 seconds with 10-second rest intervals. The scents used for training included floral notes, fruity and aromatic smells, and resinous scents like rose, orange, clove, and eucalyptus.
Hyperbaric Oxygen
A 2023 case report featured a parosmia patient who found significant improvement after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. While some studies have shown connections between improved neurocognitive functions and post-COVID symptoms through hyperbaric therapy, others have found no influence on taste and smell performance in barometric conditions.
Supplements and Other Care
A 2023 article published in BMJ Med discussed parosmia and outlined various treatment options, including supplements like omega-3s, vitamin A, and calcium buffers. Olfactory training and traditional Chinese medicine were recommended by researchers in a 2022 review of 22 publications on the subject.
Overall, patients with parosmia often try a combination of these treatment options. One such patient, Mrs. Cook, has explored various therapies, including SGB and chiropractic care, to cope with her condition during pregnancy.
Parosmia is more common in women, according to a Russian clinical study and self-reported surveys conducted by European researchers. Studies estimate that 1-4% of the population suffers from parosmia, with varying results based on geographical location and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In conclusion, the stellate ganglion block and other treatment options offer hope for patients dealing with parosmia, a condition that can significantly impact quality of life. It is essential to explore various therapies and approaches to find what works best for each individual. Can you please rewrite this paragraph?
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