Lack of taste and smell of food items is one of the major symptoms of the coronavirus, but people with long-term COVID-19 symptoms are being repulsive of the strong smell of fish, sulfur, etc. because of the unusual side effect, called Parosmia, which happens when the ability to smell is impaired. These symptoms are found especially in younger people and health workers. Doctor Kumar is one of the teams of doctors who in the month of March identified Anosmia as a major symptom of coronavirus. An acute loss of smell or taste is a "highly reliable" coronavirus indicator and should now be considered globally as a criterion for self-isolation, testing, and contact tracing, according to research by UK scientists.

The coronavirus epidemic is causing havoc around the world and it has been clear from the reports and studies so far, that the SARS-CoV-2 virus affects every patient differently. Initially, there was little information about the COVID-19 infection originating in Wuhan, China, after which medical experts and scientists identified one of major symptoms in research, including lack of smell and no taste. Initially, fever, dry cough, breathless and tiredness were considered to be the main symptoms of COVID-19, but then it was found that many people are also feeling the lack of smell. COVID-19 Symptoms of Loss of Smell and Taste in Patients Improve Within 4 Weeks, Finds New Study.

According to BBC, Many people with COVID-19 temporarily lose their sense of smell. As they recover, it usually returns but for some people, things smell different, and things that should smell nice, such as food, soap, and their loved ones, smell repulsive. The numbers with this condition, known as parosmia, are constantly growing, but scientists are not sure why it happens, or how to cure it.

What Is Parosmia?

Parosmia is a term used to describe health conditions that distort your sense of smell. If you have parosmia, you may experience a loss of scent intensity, meaning you can't detect the full range of the scents around you. The olfactory bulbs underneath the front of your brain receive signals from these neurons and give your brain a signal about the scent: whether it’s pleasing, enticing, appetizing, or foul. These olfactory bulbs can be damaged, which can cause parosmia. Anosmia is the absence of smell sensation; dysosmia or parosmia is a distorted smell perception, either with or without an odorant stimulus present.

According to another recent study, eye pain can also be a major symptom of Coronavirus. This study has been done under the leadership of Professor Shaheena Pradhan of Indian origin of the UK. Usually, watery eyes or pain seems to be a common problem due to more screentime. A recent study has now explained how smell loss associated with COVID-19 infection differs from what you typically might experience with a bad cold or flu. The research from a European group of smell disorder experts, including Professor Philpott, was conducted at the University of East Anglia.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2021 01:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).