Smell Training
“Smell training is an at-home technique that is recommended as an addition to medical treatment,” says Dr. Aaronson. Smell training is a mainstay of treatment. This at-home technique involves patients smelling odors that can be found in the home or in the form of essential oils. You are to sniff each scent for 20 seconds and try to catch it. This process is repeated three times daily for 6 weeks. It is important for you to stay committed to the long term process to see improvement.
Smell training is said to be most effective if you work on the same four odors each day, rather than alternating. It is also best that you fully concentrate on the scent, giving it your full attention, for the whole 20 seconds.
Some highly recommended scents for smell training include:
- Rose
- Ground coffee
- Vanilla
- Citrus
- Mint
- Eucalyptus
- Clove
During smell training, you may experience odd aromas that don’t jive with what you should be smelling. This includes bodily waste or burning taste. This is known as parosmia. Parosmia is usually temporary, although it can last for several weeks.