For people dealing with loss of smell - an occasional complication of upper respiratory tract infections - acupuncture may offer relief. That's the key finding of a recently published study, which included 15 people with post-viral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD).
PVOD is one of the most common causes of loss of smell. While PVOD-related smell loss is usually partial and reversible, some patients may suffer permanent damage to their olfactory system.
For the recent study, all 15 patients received ten weekly 30-minute acupuncture sessions. At the end of the treatment period, researchers compared the patients' olfactory function with that of another group of PVOD patients (all of whom had been treated with vitamin B complex for 12 weeks). Study results showed that eight of the acupuncture-receiving patients had improvements in olfactory function, compared with just two members of the study group treated with vitamin B complex.
Acupuncture may also help treat migraines, back pain, arthritis, and various forms of chronic pain, according to past research.
