First Patient in the UK Tests New Treatment for Smell Loss
Chrissi Kelly, the first person in the UK to undergo a groundbreaking treatment for anosmia, a condition involving the loss of the sense of smell, is trialing an innovative procedure that offers hope to many who lost their sense of smell, particularly following viral infections like Covid-19.For many, the loss of smell was a devastating symptom of Covid, with some never regaining it. While most people regain their sense of smell as they recover from the infection, others experience persistent anosmia, leaving them unable to detect everyday smells like spoiled food, or the fragrance of a newborn baby.
Kelly, who lost her sense of smell in 2012 after a sinus infection, has described anosmia as “like a bereavement.” She later developed parosmia, where common smells become distorted, such as the scent of food turning into the stench of rotting flesh. For years, her only relief came from retraining her sense of smell through inhaling familiar scents like coffee. However, a breakthrough has now emerged in medical research.
The treatment Kelly is receiving involves platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections derived from her own blood. PRP has been found to potentially help regenerate the olfactory nerve, the part of the brain that controls our sense of smell. This development stems from research by Prof Zara Patel, who discovered that PRP could help rebuild the damaged olfactory nerve, offering a viable treatment for anosmia, even years after the initial loss.
The first clinical trials have shown promising results. Patients have experienced significant improvement, and the treatment has already helped individuals recover their sense of smell long after losing it, including a case where a man regained his sense of smell 45 years after losing it.
Although the treatment is still in its early stages, experts like Prof Claire Hopkins are optimistic about its potential. It is hoped that the procedure could soon be offered more widely, particularly within the NHS, due to its minimally invasive nature and the use of the patient's own blood, which simplifies the approval process.
While Kelly has only received the initial injection, she is cautiously optimistic. She has started to notice subtle improvements, such as being able to recognize certain scents in her environment that she could not previously detect.
This new treatment represents a ray of hope for those suffering from anosmia and its severe form, parosmia, potentially offering a way to restore a vital sense many thought lost forever.
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