COVID can make long distance travelers have a distorted sense of smell

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Although COVID is well known for causing a number of common symptoms in people recently infected with the virus, from shortness of breath to headaches and loss of smell, even those who have recovered widely from COVID can experience some seriously strange symptoms – and unpleasant – effects of your illness. COVID long-haulers – individuals who continue to experience COVID-related illnesses weeks or months after their initial diagnosis – are looking for doctors with a shocking new side effect of the virus that experts are calling “very strange”. Read on to find out what symptoms some long-haulers are coping with well after being diagnosed with COVID. And if you’re not feeling well, if you have one of these COVID symptoms, the CDC says to call 911.

A new Sky News reveals that some COVID long-haulers who lost their sense of smell during a fight with their virus discover that their olfactory organs begin to work overtime later. Specifically, some individuals find themselves experiencing extremely unpleasant odors, such as strong fish, burnt and “sweet” odors where such aromas do not exist. According Nirmal Kumar, MD, an ear, nose and throat surgeon who serves as president of ENT UK, COVID’s olfactory distortion of long-haulers, also known as parosmia, is “very strange and unique” even for medical experts.

While it may seem relatively minor compared to some of the other complications associated with COVID, Kumar said Sky News that the effects of parosmia are “really upsetting to patients and their quality of life is greatly affected.”

Although Kumar admits that the exact means by which the sense of smell is affected in long-haul trucks has not been definitively established, he says it is probably due to the fact that the virus often affects the nerves in the head associated with a person’s sense of smell, both in the early stages of the virus and, in the case of long distance, weeks or months later. In terms of restoring normal olfactory function, although there is no foolproof cure for this unpleasant phenomenon, Kumar says that “smell training”, in which those affected by a loss of smell or parosmia smell essential oils with strong aromas, like lemon and eucalyptus oil, at intervals of 20 seconds, can potentially help patients’ smells to return to normal. Although a distorted sense of smell may be among the most baffling symptoms in COVID long-haulers, it is far from the only one. Read on to find out which COVID symptoms long-haulers say are most commonly affected. And if you’re concerned about being exposed to the coronavirus, check for the first signs that you have COVID, according to Johns Hopkins.

Read the original article at Better life.

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According to Survivor Corps, a Facebook group for long-distance COVID, among a group of 1,567 individuals with long-standing COVID symptoms surveyed by Natalie Lambert, MD, 56.56 percent said they had difficulty in returning to post-diagnostic pre-COVID activity levels. And if you’re eager to protect your health, the most popular mask may also be the least effective, the study concludes.

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Difficulty concentrating or focusing was the main source of distress for many COVID long-haulers, with 58.97 percent of Survivor Corps respondents saying they experienced this symptom. And for more surprising indications that you have the virus, this strange symptom may be the only sign that you have COVID, says the study.

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Although shortness of breath is one of the best known symptoms of an active COVID infection, it is also one of the most common diseases in long-distance vehicles. Among Survivor Corps members surveyed, 65.10 percent said they still struggle with shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. And to receive the latest news from COVID in your inbox, subscribe to our daily newsletter.

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Among the members of Survivor Corps surveyed by Lambert, an impressive 65.75 percent said they were still experiencing muscle or body aches weeks or months after being diagnosed with COVID.

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By far, the most common side effect on COVID long-haulers was fatigue. In the Survivor Corps group, 100 percent of Lambert’s respondents said they were still experiencing fatigue for a significant period of time after diagnosis. And if you want to be vigilant about your health, this is one of COVID’s most “easily overlooked” symptoms, experts warn.

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