Acupuncture can help restore the sense of smell in people suffering from post-viral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD). Researchers from China studied 50 patients who presented to the outpatient clinic with PVOD and were refractory to standardised treatment. Half the patients were treated with acupuncture at bilateral points Yingxiang L.I.-20, Bitong (Shangyingxiang) M-HN-14, and Biqiu (located inside the nose anterior to the middle turbinate), while the other half were simply observed. Acupuncture was administered three times a week for a total of 10 times per course. After each course, the patients rested for three to five days. Treatment continued for three months. At the end of three months, 44% of patients suffering from PVOD showed improved olfactory function after acupuncture, compared with only 16% in the observation group. Hyposmic patients were found to recover at a higher rate than anosmic patients.
Recovery of Olfactory Function in Postviral Olfactory Dysfunction Patients after Acupuncture Treatment. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:4986034.Epub 2016 Feb 29
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