Does long covid cause loss of smell?

Smells may become faint, disappear, or seem distorted. This can change appetite and make familiar foods taste different because much of flavour comes from smell. Nasal congestion, sinus problems, allergies, some medicines, and other conditions can also affect smell. Loss of smell does not by itself establish the cause, particularly when it begins without a recent infection.

Check smoke and gas alarms are working, and use date labels and visual checks rather than smell alone when deciding whether food is spoiled. Choose meals with varied texture, colour, and temperature if food feels less appealing. Keep notes about whether smell is absent, reduced, or distorted and whether blocked-nose symptoms are present.

See a clinician if loss of smell persists, affects eating, or is accompanied by ongoing nasal blockage, facial pain, or nosebleeds. Get urgent help for sudden neurological symptoms such as facial drooping, trouble speaking, new weakness, severe sudden headache, or confusion. Those symptoms require prompt assessment regardless of a history of COVID.

Ask whether your nose and sinuses need examination, whether any medicines could contribute, and what follow-up is appropriate. Explain how the change affects appetite, food safety, work, and enjoyment of daily activities.