logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2022
34m 7s

Sniffing Out the Cause of Smell Loss

CNN
About this episode

Imagine if your morning cup of coffee one day smelled like rotting garbage. Or, if your favorite comfort food had no taste at all. For some COVID long haulers, this is their new reality. What causes these distortions in smell and taste in the first place? And, what treatment options are available for these patients? On this episode, we’ll speak to Stanford University smell expert Dr. Zara Patel, who says olfactory training – or “smell training” -- can help some people re-gain a lost sense of smell and taste. Plus, long COVID patients share their stories, and the resources that have helped them cope with their diagnosis. 

To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Jul 8
Do We All Have a ‘Cancer Gene’?
After losing both parents to bone cancer, one listener wants to know what that means for their own risk. Dr. Sanjay Gupta breaks it down—then tackles another question millions wonder about: Is taking a sleep pill every night worse than waking up over and over again? Learn more ab ... Show More
18m 16s
Jul 4
How Surgeons Balance Hope with Honesty
Every day, in hospitals across the country, surgeons make countless life-or-death decisions. For those who operate on children, those stakes can feel even higher. Dr. David Sandberg, author of “Brain and Heart: The Triumphs and Struggles of a Pediatric Neurosurgeon,” sits down wi ... Show More
33m 19s
Jul 1
A Doctor-Approved Guide to the Sun This Summer
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is here with your summer sunlight guide — exactly when it’s safe to soak up some unfiltered sun, how to truly protect your eyes, and sunscreen mistakes you might be making. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
16m 42s
Recommended Episodes
May 2022
The unexpected link between taste and smell
Sniffing a fragrant flower, inhaling the aroma of a good cup of coffee, breathing in your loved one’s signature scent–these are just a few of the joys you might feel deprived of when you lose your sense of smell. But smell is a surprisingly underrated sense and many of us don’t k ... Show More
34m 14s
Mar 2021
What COVID-19 is teaching us about the importance of smell, with Pamela Dalton, PhD
Many people around the world have lost their sense of smell this past year due to COVID-19. Before the pandemic, scientists had already begun to gain a deeper understanding of how sophisticated our sense of smell is and how it is intertwined with our mental and physical health. N ... Show More
34m 1s
Jun 2021
How Smell, Taste & Pheromone-Like Chemicals Control You
This episode explains how we sense chemicals through smell, taste, and pheromones. How things smell and taste and chemicals in the tears, breath, and on the skin of others have a profound effect on how we feel, what we do, and our hormones. I explain the 3 types of responses to s ... Show More
1h 55m
Oct 2022
The suspicious smell
Why are some smells so nasty and others so pleasant? Rutherford and Fry inhale the science of scent in this stinker of an episode.Our sleuths kick off with a guided tour of the airborne molecules and chemical receptors that power the sense of smell. Armed with a stack of pungent ... Show More
28m 17s
Jul 2020
Losing your taste to coronavirus
Taste and smell loss are thought to be two of the most common symptoms of coronavirus, but some of the least understood, persisting long after the virus has gone. Scientists all over the world are racing to find out why Covid-19 is attacking these senses, and what this might teac ... Show More
29m 15s
Apr 2020
A Covid Early Warning Sign
Losing the ability to smell is one of the strangest clues that someone may have COVID-19. Experts around the world are still trying to understand why this symptom pops up, and what it means for patients. Some are calling on people who have lost their sense of smell to get tested ... Show More
11m 56s
Feb 2024
The Sweet Smell of Happiness
Does happiness have a scent? Dr Laurie has been trying to remove the bad smells in her life and bring in more fragrances that enhance her wellbeing. But she's noticed that some of the smells that bring her joy can be a little weird - like musty books and rotting seaweed.  So what ... Show More
51m 54s