A groundbreaking new treatment is giving hope to people suffering from anosmia, the loss of smell, caused by Covid-19 or other viral infections. This new therapy, which uses platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, could help patients regain their sense of smell even years after losing it.
UK Patient Becomes First to Try Innovative Smell Therapy
Chrissi Kelly, the first person in the UK to undergo this pioneering treatment, has been living with anosmia since 2012. The procedure uses PRP, a substance created from the patient’s own blood. A centrifuge is used to separate platelets from red and white blood cells, and these platelets are then injected to help regenerate nerves.
“For years, there was nothing available,” said Kelly. “Now, to be the first to try this is amazing.”
Kelly first lost her sense of smell after a sinus infection. She later developed phantosmia, which causes hallucinations of smells, and parosmia, which distorts scents. She describes the experience as feeling like a loss of an essential part of life. In response, she founded AbScent, a charity that helped thousands train their sense of smell using scent kits containing items like coffee and lavender.
The Covid-19 pandemic brought anosmia into the spotlight, as millions of people experienced smell loss. Celebrities like comedian Katherine Ryan openly spoke about their struggles, describing how the condition left them feeling helpless. During the pandemic, AbScent’s online support group grew from 1,500 members to an incredible 95,000. However, due to financial issues, the charity had to close last year.
Research Advances in Anosmia Treatment
While Covid-19 led to a surge in anosmia cases, it also accelerated medical research. Prof. Zara Patel of Stanford University, a leading expert on anosmia, found that PRP injections could help regenerate the olfactory nerve. Unlike other cranial nerves, the olfactory nerve has a unique ability to repair itself. Patel conducted clinical trials and discovered that PRP was far more effective than placebo treatments. Some patients even recovered their sense of smell decades after losing it.
Prof. Claire Hopkins, a top UK rhinologist and former president of the British Rhinological Society, was impressed by Patel’s research. Hopkins, who works at Guy’s Hospital in London, has been studying anosmia treatments for years.
“I’ve been cautious in the past because desperate patients often try unproven remedies, like burning oranges,” Hopkins explained. “But the evidence for PRP is strong. The procedure is minimally invasive, has very low risks, and I now feel confident recommending it.”
Hopkins believes PRP therapy could soon be available across the NHS. Since the procedure uses standard hospital centrifuges and the patient’s own blood, it avoids many of the usual regulatory hurdles. If hospital boards approve it, ear, nose, and throat specialists could begin offering the treatment widely.
Early Results Give Hope to Anosmia Patients
Kelly will receive two more PRP injections over the next three months. Although it is still too early to determine the full effectiveness, she has already noticed small changes.
“I’ve spent years training my sense of smell, so I’m very tuned in to any differences,” she said. “I still struggle with some scents like onions, but coffee smells great again, and some foods are becoming more enjoyable.”
She has also noticed improvements in her ability to recognize environmental smells. “I walked outside recently and thought, ‘That smells nice.’ Then I realized it was winter-flowering jasmine—and I hadn’t noticed that in years.”
If this treatment continues to show positive results, it could change the lives of thousands of people suffering from anosmia or parosmia. Regaining the ability to smell can restore not only a person’s enjoyment of food and fragrance but also their emotional connection to the world around them, significantly improving their overall health and well-being.
For more updates on groundbreaking medical treatments, visit Euro News 24.