We all know about COVID-19, the disease caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. It started spreading in 2020 and made many people very sick.
Some of the most common signs of this disease are fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing. But there is another symptom that may surprise you – loss of taste and smell!
Losing the Senses: A COVID-19 Aftermath
The taste of your favorite pizza or the smell of fresh flowers – we often take these simple pleasures for granted.
However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some people started noticing that they could no longer taste their food or smell things.
They had caught the virus and it had affected their sense of taste and smell. This was very strange and scary for many.
The Study: A Look into Lost Senses
Researchers at a place called Massachusetts Eye and Ear decided to study this strange symptom.
They wanted to see how many people lost their taste and smell because of COVID-19 and how many got these senses back. They shared their findings in a publication called The Laryngoscope.
They used information from a big survey done by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2021. This survey collected data from almost 30,000 adults.
The people were asked about their COVID-19 symptoms and whether they had lost their sense of taste or smell.
The Findings: Facts and Figures
The researchers found out that about 60% of the people who got COVID-19 lost their sense of smell. About 58% lost their sense of taste.
The sad part was that not everyone got these senses back even after they recovered from the disease.
About 72% got their smell back, but 24% only partially got it back and 3% didn’t get it back at all. The numbers were similar for the sense of taste.
This meant that almost 28 million people in America may have a weakened sense of smell after catching COVID-19. That’s a lot of people missing out on the taste of their favorite ice cream or the smell of fresh popcorn!
The Impact: More Than Just Senses
Losing your sense of smell or taste can affect your life in big ways. One of the patients in the study lost 50 pounds because he stopped eating due to loss of smell.
He got very sick and very sad because he could not enjoy his food anymore.
The study also found out that people with severe COVID-19 symptoms were more likely to lose their sense of smell or taste. And they had a lower chance of getting these senses back.
The Limitations: What Wasn’t Covered
The researchers said that their study had some limits. It only included data from 2021. So, people who got sick before or after this year were not part of the study.
Plus, people who got their taste or smell back after 2021 were also not counted.
There’s also the fact that the virus that causes COVID-19 keeps changing.
New versions of the virus, called variants, could cause different symptoms. So, the numbers in the study might not apply to people who caught these new variants.
The Value: Why This Study Matters
This study is very important because it tells us about a group of people who lost their sense of taste and smell because of COVID-19.
Doctors can now help these people understand what’s happening and give them hope that they might get these senses back.
This study also shows us that losing your sense of smell or taste can be a big deal. It can affect how much you eat and how happy you feel.
So, if you or someone you know has lost these senses due to COVID-19, remember – it’s okay to ask for help!
If you care about Covid-19, please read studies about new ways to prevent the common cold (and maybe COVID-19), and common diabetes drugs linked to less severe COVID-19.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about COVID infection and vaccination linked to heart disease, and results showing extracts from two wild plants can inhibit the COVID-19 virus.
The study was published in The Laryngoscope.
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