Acupuncture May Help Restore Lost Sense of Smell

Reprinted from Yahoo News:

Acupuncture may help people who lose their sense of smell after a viral infection, researchers say.

In a new study, 15 patients with post-viral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD) had 10 weekly, 30-minute sessions of traditional Chinese acupuncture. These patients were compared with PVOD patients treated with vitamin B complex.

Smell function improved in eight patients in the acupuncture group and in two patients in the vitamin B group. The findings suggest that acupuncture may be a new treatment option for patients with PVOD, the researchers reported in the April issue of the journal Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has more about smell disorders.