Japanese university researchers report two cases of successful acupuncture treatment of post-covid loss of sense of smell. In diverse countries, the incidence of olfactory dysfunction is similar: 16% of patients in Japan two months after covid, and 13% of patients in Italy 110 days after covid. The problem has the potential to be life-threatening if people are unable to detect gas leaks or smoke from building fires.
The first case was that of a 53 year old woman, treated 5 months after covid. After 9 sessions, the acupuncture point Yingxiang (LI20) was added and progress accelerated. The second case was a 38 year old man, treated 7 months after covid. His treatments included the point Yingxiang from the outset, and he also improved.
The team states “The mechanism by which the reduction in olfactory dysfunction was achieved in this case is unknown, but previous reports showed that acupuncture may have had an effect that included anti-inflammatory effects and nerve activation. Moreover, a previous study of olfactory abnormalities after upper respiratory tract infection considered that acupuncture with LI20 may have a positive effect on the cognitive processing of odours….Our experiences show that acupuncture treatment can be an adjunct to modern medical treatment as it is effective within a short period for treating residual olfactory dysfunction after healing from COVID-19 infection. The application of acupuncture treatment may be a new option for patients who are resistant to modern medical treatments or who are unable to continue treatment because of strong side effects.”
(Case Report: Acupuncture is an effective treatment for olfactory dysfunction in the post COVID-19 condition. Frontiers in Neurology, 23 August 2022.)