8 Essential Oils to Support Olfactory Recovery
Introduction
“Long COVID” has become a growing reality in France, presenting with a wide range of symptoms. One of the most frequent is anosmia (loss of smell), often associated with ageusia (loss of taste).
The impact of this sensory disorder on overall health is often underestimated. Yet those affected frequently describe a distressing and disabling mental fog that significantly alters their quality of life.
It is not always easy to distinguish between the long-term effects of the virus itself and the consequences of prolonged sensory deprivation.
What are the real effects of anosmia on daily life?
How can essential oils be used as tools for olfactory rehabilitation to help speed up recovery?
Which essential oils should be preferred, and how should they be used?
Loss of smell can sometimes be an early warning sign of SARS-CoV-2 infection, but more often it occurs during or after the acute viral phase. In all cases, its onset is sudden and sometimes severe. Women appear to be more frequently affected, and anosmia may occasionally present as an isolated symptom, without without any particular change in general health.
Our nose not only allows us to breathe in oxygen, but also connects us continuously to the olfactory environment around us.
Smell, the Brain and Health
Smell is an ancient sense that has gradually fallen into disuse in modern societies, which primarily communicate through sight and hearing: screens, signs, fluorescent lights, decibels, headphones…
More than a year after the beginning of the pandemic, we now know that SARS-CoV-2 exposes our areas of vulnerability — both in our bodies and on our planet: asthma and pollution, diabetes and ultra-processed foods, weakened immunity and chemical overload.
The virus also deprives us of our least valued yet most intimate sense: smell.
When olfactory information is no longer properly perceived, the brain loses numerous neural connections. Over time, this deprivation may contribute to cerebral atrophy and degeneration. Anosmic individuals are also cut off from essential information that helps them detect potential dangers or experience sensory pleasures that support well-being.
Smells keep us alert, stimulate us, and generate desire. They are closely linked to digestion and the gut, help trigger appetite, and support digestive processes. Deprived of smell, people often become more anxious, sad, and sensitive to perceived threats. Without necessarily realizing it, anosmic individuals may gradually withdraw, lose vitality, and experience a slow emotional and physical decline.
COVID-19–Related Anosmia: A Daily Handicap
George Sand once wrote that “memory is the perfume of the soul.”
Each human being builds a personal library of olfactory memories throughout life — a true map of intimacy stored in the nose. When this sense is lost over the long term, that thread is broken.
People suffering from anosmia often describe a range of intimate and difficult-to-express symptoms: loss of interest, chronic fatigue, attention difficulties, anxiety, palpitations, digestive disturbances, low mood, and even depression. Anosmia has a real negative impact on daily life, emotional well-being, and memory.
The olfactory brain plays a specific role in memory processes, which take place in the hippocampus — a structure within the limbic system, the center of emotions and the integration of inhaled odors.
Notably, one of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease is loss of smell. Living in an odor-deprived environment therefore appears to be correlated with cognitive disturbances and dysregulation of essential autonomic functions. Clinicians frequently observe that anosmic patients complain of palpitations, as if the body were losing its ability to regulate autonomic systems.
Two Types of COVID-19–Related Anosmia: Short and Long
Most respiratory viruses — adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, influenza — cause congestion of the respiratory mucosa, particularly in the ENT sphere. Temporary loss of smell during a blocked nose or sinus congestion is common.
SARS-CoV-2, however, often causes a sudden loss of smell without ENT congestion, suggesting a different pathophysiological mechanism.
Although this mechanism is still not fully understood, current hypotheses suggest that viral particles present on olfactory neurons may trigger an immune response capable of damaging the neuro-olfactory epithelium and even central olfactory processing areas in the brain.
Immune responses vary greatly between individuals. In some, inflammation is quickly controlled; in others, it spreads and may take on worrying neurodegenerative features, responsible for long-term anosmia.
Olfactory Training to Restore the Sense of Smell
Scientific studies show that repeated exposure to odors promotes neural plasticity, meaning the multiplication of neurons and the strengthening of connections between them.
This phenomenon may help modulate regeneration of the olfactory mucosa in post-infectious anosmia and support the maintenance of cerebral tissue — especially when olfactory training is initiated early.
Clinical experience since the beginning of the pandemic confirms these findings, and various olfactory training protocols and kits have emerged for good reason. Currently, there is no specific pharmacological treatment for this neurological disorder, and patients are often encouraged to follow a personal and demanding rehabilitation approach.
The protocol is long (at least four months), requires daily sessions morning and evening, but significant improvements are commonly observed after several weeks of consistent practice.
Which Essential Oils to Choose for Olfactory Rehabilitation?
Traditional protocols are based on earlier studies involving the daily inhalation of four odors, each for no more than one minute: rose, lemon, clove, and eucalyptus (without specifying species).
Combining these scientific data with knowledge of the intrinsic therapeutic properties of essential oils allows for more targeted and relevant choices.
Selecting essential oils that are anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, anti-degenerative, decongestant, and potentially supportive of cellular regeneration may provide an additional lever to support nervous tissue and local immune activity.
Eucalyptus Radiata or Laurel Leaf Essential Oil
Eucalyptus radata or Laurus nobilis
These essential oils are well known for their ENT affinity. They help decongest nasal passages, cleanse respiratory surfaces, and support renewal of the mucous layer essential for ciliated cells to capture odorant molecules.
They are also among the oils documented for their potential relevance against SARS-CoV-2. Both eucalyptus radiata and laurel leaf (bay laurel) contain 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol), a molecule with documented antiviral properties. Either oil may therefore be chosen.
Lemon or Lemongrass Essential Oil
Citrus limonum or Cymbopogon flexuosus
Studies have shown lemon essential oil to be of interest for viral attenuation, possibly through interaction with viral receptors.
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Lemongrass, which shares a zesty, citrus-like olfactory profile, offers a more intense aromatic bouquet and possesses both anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious properties, making it a particularly interesting option.
Clove Bud Essential Oil
Syzygium aromaticum (also called Eugenia caryophyllata)
Clove Bud essential oil is strongly anti-infectious and has anesthetic properties, with a notable neurological affinity. It is a powerful antimicrobial oil and a classic choice in olfactory training protocols.
Damask Rose or Helichrysum (Immortella) Essential Oil
Rosa damascena or Helichrysum italicum
Rose essential oil is well known for its powerful anti-inflammatory and cell-regenerating properties, frequently used in dermo-cosmetics.
Alternatively, Helichrysum (Immortella) may be considered. It is gentle, nerve-calming, and also supports cellular regeneration. Although not included in classical studies, its tissue-repairing and reconstructive properties make it highly relevant for supporting the olfactory epithelium.
Helichrysum essential oil is traditionally used to aid tissue repair following trauma, from ligament sprains to muscle tears, vascular fragility, or sensory loss after surgery.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Mentha x piperita
Peppermint essential oil is another highly interesting option, especially for those with severe or total anosmia. It has one of the strongest sensory impacts among essential oils.
Menthol is known for its vasoconstrictive properties, and peppermint effectively decongests ENT mucosa. Its anti-inflammatory action on the respiratory tract is well documented, and its intensity can be particularly helpful in re-stimulating lost olfactory perception.
Olfactory Training Protocol at Home
At home, it is possible to support and potentially accelerate olfactory recovery through a simple daily 5-minutes-practice.
Morning and evening, inhale four essential oils selected from those listed above (approx. 5 seconds each), and record your sensations using the following categories:
- Odor perceived and identified
- Odor partially perceived but not identified
- Odor partially or not perceived and not identified
After inhaling the four oils, if an odor is not recognized, read its name, say it out loud, and look at a visual representation of the plant. This helps reconnect multiple brain areas: language, sight, reading, and smell.
Preparation and Practical Use
To improve tolerance of the respiratory mucosa, each essential oil should be diluted beforehand in grapeseed oil, which has a neutral scent.
- Use four 10 ml amber glass bottles
- Add 8 - 12 drops of essential oil* to each bottle. Use one essential oil per bottle so that you'll have 4 bottles, each with the scent of a different essential oil.
- Fill the four bottles to the top with grapeseed oil (5% dilution)
*) Drop sizes vary internationally. A total of approx. 0.4 ml per essential oil should be used. A measuring / graduated cylinder (size: 10 ml) is suitable for measuring.
Place a cotton ball impregnated with a few drops of one dilution into a small glass jar (jam jar or yogurt jar with lid) and close the lid.
Recharge the cotton every 10–15 days.
Label each jar with the plant name and print visual images of the corresponding plants (eucalyptus or laurel leaves, lemongrass or lemon, helichrysum flowers or rose, clove buds or peppermint leaves).
Inhalations should be brief — no more than 5 seconds per jar.
The protocol should be continued for as long as necessary, typically 4 to 12 months. Always use the same oils to accurately track progress.
When an odor becomes clearly perceived, it may be replaced with another more difficult one. Keeping a daily tracking chart is essential to assess progress and maintain motivation.
Also note your general state each day (fatigue, low mood, nasal congestion, discharge), as these factors may influence results.
Safety Recommendations and Additional Advice
Smelling your own skin between inhalations can help “reset” the nose.
This protocol is not recommended for individuals with severe asthma.
Short inhalations are generally well tolerated during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Do not keep your nose over the jar for more than 5 seconds; the ritual should remain pleasant and not restrictive.
Allow at least 10 seconds of neutral breathing between each jar.
Bibliography
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- Arun Dev Sharma et al., Eucalyptol (1,8 cineole) from Eucalyptus Essential Oil a Potential Inhibitor of COVID 19 Corona Virus Infection by Molecular Docking Studies, 2020, DOI:10.20944/preprints202003.0455.v1
- Loizzo MR, et al., Phytochemical analysis and in vitro antiviral activities of the essential oils of seven Lebanon species. Chem Biodivers. 2008 Mar;5(3):461-70. doi: 10.1002/cbdv.200890045. PMID: 18357554; PMCID: PMC7161995.
- Senthil Kumar KJ, et al., Geranium and Lemon Essential Oils and Their Active Compounds Downregulate Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), a SARS-CoV-2 Spike Receptor-Binding Domain, in Epithelial Cells. Plants (Basel). 2020 Jun 19;9(6):770. doi: 10.3390/plants9060770. PMID: 32575476; PMCID: PMC7355681.
