The study will be a randomized controlled trial, involving patients with hyposmia/anosmia of onset immediately after an upper respiratory viral illness, assigned to three distinct study arms. Nasal irrigations will be prescribed to all three groups (BID). In addition, one arm will receive a paper hand-out about post-viral anosmia with instructions to smell common household items (current care) and act as a control group. The second group will receive an essential oil retraining kit, whereas the third group will receive the same olfactory training kit and a prescription to use budesonide with the nasal irrigations. Olfactory scores will be tested at the enrollment, 3 months and at 6 months.
Other: Olfactory retraining
Olfactory retraining Olfactory training is performed by exposing patients twice daily to essential oils with four specific odors, present in glass jars with soaked cotton pads: phenyl ethyl alcohol, rose; eucalyptol, eucalyptus; citronellal, lemon; eugenol, cloves.
Other Name: Array
Drug: corticosteroid nasal irrigation
Nasal irrigation with corticosteroid (budesonide) consists of 240-mL nasal irrigation with Pulmicort Respules (0.5mg) across both nose sides via NeilMed Sinus Rinse bottle (Santa Rosa, California, USA).
Other Name: Budesonide nasal irrigation
Other: smell household Items
Participants will receive a paper hand-out about post-viral anosmia with instructions to smell common household items
Other: Nasal Irrigation
Participants from all three groups will use nasal rinse (NeilMed Sinus Rinse) two times a day.
Other Name: Nasal Rinse
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults 18 years of age or older
- Hyposmia/anosmia of onset immediately after an upper respiratory viral illness
confirmed on Snap n' Sniff threshold testing,
- Capable, in the opinion of the primary investigator, of providing informed consent to
participate in the study. Participants are required to sign an informed consent form
indicating they understand the purpose and nature of the study, and that they are
willing to participate.
Exclusion Criteria:
- active cigarette smoker
- chronic rhinosinusitis
- head trauma with loss of consciousness
- inability to read/understand English
- previous hyposmia/anosmia complaint
- pregnancy
- previous sinus
- skull base or brain surgery
- current participation in another clinical trial at the time of initial visit
St. Joseph's Health Care
London, Ontario, Canada
Leigh Sowerby, MD, FRCSC, Principal Investigator
Western University