If you’ve experienced smell loss after a head injury, you’ll know how isolating and frustrating it can be. Unlike smell loss after COVID or other infections, which has received more attention recently, post-traumatic smell loss has often been overlooked. But a new study has looked into treatment options.
What the study found
Researchers in Belgium followed 33 people who had smell loss after head injury. On average, they had been living with it for more than four years. The treatment tested was platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection. This involves taking a small sample of the person’s own blood, concentrating the platelets, and injecting them into the part of the nose where smell signals begin.
The results were promising:
- Around two-thirds of those treated with PRP reported improvements in their smell.
- Standard smell tests showed improvements that made a real difference in daily life.
- People began to notice smells returning about five weeks after treatment.
Smell training still matters
The study compared PRP treatment with smell training alone (regularly sniffing a set of scents to help the nose and brain reconnect). Everyone in the study continued smell training, and it did help – but those who had PRP injections made greater progress after three months.
This suggests that while smell training remains important, PRP might add an extra boost for some people with smell loss after head injury.
Why this matters
Most research into PRP has focused on people who lost their smell after infections such as COVID. Head injuries damage the sense of smell in different ways, often affecting more nerve fibres. The fact that PRP still showed benefit, even years after the original injury, is encouraging for people struggling with smell loss after head injury.
A cautious step forward
It’s important to remember that this was a small, early study. PRP treatment is still experimental, and more research is needed to understand who it helps most and how long the benefits last.
If you’re living with smell loss after head injury, this research highlights the possibility of new treatments in the future. For now, smell training remains the recommended first step – but PRP may be an option to discuss with specialists as the evidence develops.
Key Takeaway
This study found that PRP injections improved smell for about two-thirds of people with long-term smell loss after head injury, with better results than smell training alone. While more research is needed, it’s a hopeful sign that recovery may be possible even years after trauma – and a reminder that post-traumatic smell loss deserves more attention and care.
Want to dive deeper?
This blog is based on findings from a recent review:
Platelet-Rich Plasma for Posttraumatic Olfactory Dysfunction: Preliminary Report of 33 Patients
– Jerome R Lechien
