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Review
. 2022 Mar;22(3):21-28.
doi: 10.1007/s11882-022-01028-z. Epub 2022 Jan 24.

Therapies for Olfactory Dysfunction - an Update

Aria Jafari  1 , Eric H Holbrook  2
Affiliations
Review

Therapies for Olfactory Dysfunction - an Update

Aria Jafari et al. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Olfactory dysfunction is a prevalent condition affecting 5-15% of the general population, with significant impact on quality of life. This review summarizes the most recent and relevant literature in the treatment of olfactory dysfunction.

Recent findings: Current evidence supports the short-term use of topical corticosteroids and systemic therapy. These treatments may occur in conjunction with olfactory training, which is well supported by the literature. While there are several additional treatments currently under investigation, meaningful conclusions are not yet able to be made regarding their efficacy. The treatment of olfactory dysfunction is targeted at the suspected etiology when possible. After normal aging, chronic rhinosinusitis, post-infectious sequelae including as a result SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19), and head trauma are the most common causes. Current evidence supports the short-term use of topical corticosteroids and systemic therapy. Several additional treatments are under investigation but recommendations for their use cannot currently be made.

Keywords: Anosmia; Olfaction; Olfaction disorder; Olfactory impairment; Smell disorder; Smell loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Olfactory Training Paradigm, adopted by the authors (adapted from Altundag et al. [30]) Caption: A set of four odorants as described below are selected every three months for olfactory training. Each odorant is smelled for 15 seconds, with a 10 second rest between odorants. The set of odorants are smelled twice daily
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Summary of common causes of olfactory loss and relevant treatments. Caption: Photo Credit: Creative Commons, attribution by unknown authors, CC-BY
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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