Recently, on major social media platforms, some netizens have reported symptoms of reduced sense of taste and smell after recovering from infection. A young man born after 1995 in Jiading, Shanghai, who was infected with the new coronavirus, lost his sense of smell and taste. In

Recently, on major social media platforms, some netizens reported that they experienced symptoms of reduced taste and smell after recovering from the infection.

A young man born after 1995 in Jiading, Shanghai, who was infected with the new coronavirus, lost his sense of smell and taste. In just 5 minutes, he chewed lemons, swallowed mustard, and drank soy sauce in an attempt to awaken his sense of smell and taste.

This young man born in 1995 is not an exception. The reporter noticed that on social media platforms, some netizens used canned herring and other foods to stimulate their olfactory and taste systems.

Is the awakening method of "fighting fire with fire" advisable?

Zhang Hui, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases and chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology at Jiading District Central Hospital, said: The awakening method of "fighting poison with poison" is not advisable. During the recovery period, you should still pay attention to a light diet ↓

Some patients with new coronavirus infection will experience a loss of taste and smell. There is no special treatment for this loss of taste and smell.

It is actually not advisable to use irritating foods such as vinegar to restore the sense of taste. Because this kind of irritating food can damage the local oral mucosa and even the mucosa of the digestive tract, causing stomach discomfort.

Is the loss of taste and smell a sequelae? How long does it take to recover?

According to the People's Daily Health Client, on December 21, Zhao Yu, chief physician of the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, said, "Sequelae generally refers to symptoms that persist after the disease is completely recovered, and the upper respiratory tract infection symptoms that remain in some people after the acute phase of the new coronavirus infection, such as nasal congestion, coughing, and loss of smell and taste, are not In terms of sequelae, it can only be said to be one of the symptoms of the new coronavirus infection. "

Lin Jiangtao, chief physician of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, also pointed out that loss of smell and taste is a "transient" symptom of the new coronavirus infection, especially the infection of the Omicron virus strain. As the disease progresses and the symptoms gradually reduce, most people can return to normal on their own.

The symptoms of decreased sense of smell and taste usually improve on their own within two weeks to one month, so there is no need to worry too much. "However, if the loss of taste and smell does not improve for more than a month, it is recommended to go to the otolaryngology department of a nearby hospital in time." Zhao Yu emphasized.