Olfactory Training for Olfactory Dysfunction

Abstract

Olfactory dysfunction is a difficult clinical problem affecting 3%-20% of the general population. In particular, from 2019, there has been an increase in the number of patients with olfactory dysfunction due to coronavirus disease. The etiologies of olfactory dysfunction are virus-induced upper respiratory tract infection, head trauma, neurodegenerative disease, sinus disease and aging, and there are few proven treatment options yet. For treatment, surgical procedure can be considered when there are correctable lesions, and systemic steroids can be tried first. However, recently there has been a growing interest in relatively safe and sustainable olfactory training. This review summarizes recent studies reporting the effects and outcomes of olfactory training in patients with olfactory dysfunction.