A new treatment using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections has shown promising results in helping people recover their sense of smell after head injuries, according to a preliminary study published in the November issue of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.
The study, led by Dr. Jerome R. Lechien from the University of Mons in Belgium, included 33 patients who had lost their sense of smell following head trauma.
After receiving PRP injections into the nasal area, two-thirds of patients reported improved ability to smell. Objective testing also confirmed significant improvements in smell scores after three months.
“This groundbreaking study is the first worldwide to demonstrate that platelet-rich plasma injection into the olfactory clefts can significantly improve smell recovery in post-traumatic patients—sometimes several years after the trauma,” said Dr. Lechien.
The PRP treatment offers new hope to people who have lost their sense of smell due to head trauma—a condition that affects safety, emotional well-being, and quality of life. It could help patients detect smells like gas leaks or smoke again.
Of the patients treated with PRP, 67% reported subjective improvement after a single injection. On average, patients began to detect their first recovered odors within 5.4 weeks of treatment. This is especially promising considering the average length of smell loss in the study group was nearly five years.
The treatment also outperformed traditional olfactory training methods, which help only around 10% of patients recover some sense of smell.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy uses a patient’s own blood plasma, which is rich in healing growth factors. The PRP is injected into the olfactory cleft, the area of the upper nasal cavity responsible for detecting smells.
These growth factors help regenerate tissue and promote healing. The study is the first to investigate PRP specifically for smell loss caused by head trauma.
Although this early study involved a small number of participants, the results are encouraging. Dr. Lechien emphasized the need for larger, randomized controlled trials to confirm PRP’s effectiveness in treating post-traumatic smell loss.
If future research supports these findings, PRP therapy could become a much-needed treatment option for the many people who suffer long-term smell loss after head injuries.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about root cause of Alzheimer’s disease and new treatment and Scientists find the link between eye disease glaucoma and Alzheimer’s disease.
For more health information, please read studies about new way to treat Alzheimer’s disease and Fluctuating cholesterol and triglyceride levels are linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
The study is published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
