Taste and smell disorders suspected to be post-COVID-19 symptoms
symptom
My grandfather contracted COVID-19, then it spread to his child, and it seems I became infected about a week ago. For the first few days, I suffered from a sore throat and high fever (39-40°C), which I managed with over-the-counter medication and gradually improved. Then my fever returned to normal and I started feeling better, but two days ago I began experiencing loss of taste and smell, headaches, dizziness, nasal congestion, and stiff shoulders. I researched online and have been taking Chinese herbal medicine, but I contacted your clinic seeking immediate relief.
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Visitors
Female
30's
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Period
February 2023 - March 2023
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Visit Frequency per week
1
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Number of Visits
1
Treatment and progress
As I inquired about the symptoms, I realized that most of them were located in the upper back. Upon palpation, I found coldness in the thighs and below, leading me to hypothesize that heat was accumulating in the upper body, causing a flushed state and resulting in the symptoms. To restore this heat balance, I considered relieving tension in the posterior neck, back, and abdomen. I then applied acupuncture to related points on the hands, feet, shins, and knees.
Next, focusing on tension in the upper shoulder and lateral neck, acupuncture was performed on acupoints in the feet and buttocks. At this point, the legs became warmer and the nasal passages cleared up.
When I asked about the symptoms, she said she had a "scratchy feeling" mainly in her throat, so I used acupressure points on her feet that were related to that.
Then, they said, "My vision has become brighter, and it's easier to breathe."
Three days later, I received an email saying, "I have a slight runny nose and some nasal congestion with phlegm. My sense of taste and smell seems to have improved. The headache, dizziness, and fatigue are gone."
A week later, I received a follow-up report from the family saying, "My sense of taste, smell, and nasal congestion have all cleared up. I've returned to my normal life," and I concluded the treatment.
Acupressure points used
Summary
Since the symptoms were concentrated in the upper body, we focused on restoring the body's temperature balance. We considered the stiffness in the neck and back as obstructing blood circulation, and aimed to eliminate these areas. When considering the body as a whole in a state of overheating, these areas of stiffness are the ones that require attention.
Staff in charge
Kazuhiro Suzaki
Acupuncture clinic for the case:Sunosaki Acupuncture and Osteopathy Clinic
