# A tasteless thread (Covid symptom) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [December 15, 2021, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tasteless-thread-covid-symptom/956081 "2021-12-15T02:07:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tasteless-thread-covid-symptom/956081/21 "2021-12-17T02:47:58Z")
I can barely smell some things that are very strong. I test myself on hot sauce, a strong candle, highly scented hand lotion… if I take a very deep sniff I can barely detect a scent. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tasteless-thread-covid-symptom/956081/22 "2021-12-17T02:56:34Z")
Wish I had better advice. Hope things are back to normal soon. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2022, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tasteless-thread-covid-symptom/956081/23 "2022-01-01T23:53:23Z")
So, I recently came down with Covid, as in, starting to get moderately bad cold-like symptoms Thursday. Haven’t been formally tested yet but another family member who got sick before me tested positive. At first I could smell just fine, even with the cold-like symptoms. Then yesterday I gradually began to lose it throughout the day— by dinnertime it was gone. Today I get occasional faint “smell glimpses” but food, apart from the basic taste bud sour, sweet, salty and bitter, may as well be eating cardboard. Since my Covid symptoms are relatively minor, I really hope I get it back soon. I’m one of those people, whenever I get hiccups, I worry that they won’t go away like you occasionally hear happening, and whenever I’ve lost my sense of smell during a bad cold in the past I worried I’d never get it back. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2022, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tasteless-thread-covid-symptom/956081/24 "2022-01-02T00:12:57Z")
The only thing I’ve heard of is something called “olfactory retraining.” > **[Relearning to smell after COVID-19](https://www.bcm.edu/news/relearning-to-smell-after-covid-19)** > > Many people recovering from COVID-19 have reported prolonged loss of smell. For some, the symptom may last several months after other symptoms resolve.... It’s the same thing done with people who lose smell (and taste) for other reasons. It’s recommended if you lose it for over 2 weeks. It’s actually retraining your brain to adapt to your modified senses. I also wish to note that lack of smell and taste are less likely with omicron, and that longterm loss is less likely with both omicron and delta. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2022, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tasteless-thread-covid-symptom/956081/25 "2022-01-02T00:21:47Z")
My sister has been without most of her sense of smell and taste for nearly 18 months. It’s gotten better slightly over time, but nothing has really helped. Pretty tough when you’re a winemaker who relies on her senses. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tasteless-thread-covid-symptom/956081.md?page=1)