Post-COVID anosmia and parosmia have affected millions of people worldwide. If you lost your sense of smell after a COVID-19 infection — or if familiar smells now seem distorted, rotten, or chemical — you are not alone. The good news is that there is a clinically proven method to help your recovery: olfactory training.
Why Does COVID-19 Cause Smell Loss?
SARS-CoV-2 infects and damages the support cells (sustentacular cells) in the olfactory epithelium — the specialized tissue at the top of the nasal cavity responsible for detecting scent molecules. This damage disrupts the function of the olfactory receptor neurons, leading to anosmia. In some cases, as the nerve regenerates, the signals become "scrambled," resulting in parosmia.
The Role of Olfactory Training in COVID Recovery
Multiple studies have now specifically examined olfactory training in post-COVID patients. A 2021 study in the Journal of Internal Medicine found that patients who performed structured smell training recovered significantly faster than those who did not. The training appears to accelerate the regeneration of olfactory receptor neurons and help the brain correctly re-map the incoming scent signals.
The Step-by-Step Protocol
- Perform training twice daily — once in the morning and once in the evening.
- In a quiet, calm environment, open one bottle at a time.
- Hold the bottle approximately 1-2 cm from your nose.
- Take short, gentle sniffs for 15-20 seconds.
- While sniffing, actively visualize the source of the scent. For lemon, picture a fresh, bright yellow lemon. For rose, visualize a garden rose in full bloom.
- Wait 10 seconds, then move to the next scent.
- Complete all four scents (Rose, Lemon, Clove, Eucalyptus).
Managing Parosmia
If you have parosmia, some scents may smell terrible or "wrong" during training. This is normal and actually a sign that your olfactory nerve is regenerating. Persist with the training — the distorted signals typically resolve as the nerve continues to heal and the brain learns to correctly interpret the incoming signals.
Start Your Recovery Journey
Ready to begin? The Olfactory Training Kit provides everything you need to follow the clinically proven Hummel Protocol. Formulated with 100% pure medical-grade essential oils.