How long does smell take to return after COVID?

COVID-19 can temporarily affect the smell-sensing lining high inside the nose and the way the brain processes odours. Recovery is not always a straight line: familiar smells may return first, while faint, distorted, or unpleasant smells can appear as your sense changes. A blocked or inflamed nose can also reduce smell, so congestion may make recovery seem slower. Loss of smell can occur with COVID-19, but it can have other causes too.

Keep track of small changes, such as noticing soap, coffee, or cooking aromas again. Smell training may be suitable: with advice from a clinician, gently and repeatedly smelling a small set of distinct familiar scents can help you notice differences over time. Do not place oils, chemicals, or objects inside your nose. Check food carefully because reduced smell can make spoiled food harder to detect, and use working smoke and gas alarms.

Arrange a medical assessment if your smell remains absent, becomes distorted, or interferes with eating, safety, or daily life. Seek urgent help for trouble breathing, sudden weakness, confusion, or a severe headache. A clinician can examine your nose, review medicines and other symptoms, and decide whether an ear, nose, and throat referral is appropriate. Ongoing fatigue, low mood, or difficulty concentrating after COVID-19 also deserves discussion.

Could congestion, a medicine, or another nasal problem be affecting my smell? Would smell training suit me, and how should I do it safely? Do my ongoing symptoms fit with Long COVID?