Olfactory Training

Olfactory training is performed by smelling specific strong-smelling substances regularly for a 3-4 month period. It has been shown to improve recovery in people who have lost their sense of smell due to injury or viral infection.

• Odourants - 4 essential oils
• Phenylethyl alcohol (rose)
• Eucalyptol (eucalyptus)
• Citronella (lemon)
• Eugenol (cloves)

Take a deep sniff of each twice a day for 12-16 weeks while thinking about or visualising the odourant. Other odourants can also be used, particularly those that have some meaning to you or are very familiar – e.g. coffee, a favourite perfume. If there is some recovery in the sense of smell, if you wish, you can change to a different set of odourants each 12-16 weeks.