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Pain block treatment may help long COVID patients regain smell

Cleveland Clinic ReCOVer Clinic testing century old treatment with some success.

CLEVELAND — Thousands of people lost their senses of smell and taste after a COVID infection.  Most of them gained it back a few weeks later, but some are still suffering two years after infection.  

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Cleveland Clinic is trying a new, yet old, approach that appears to work in half of the cases they've tried so far.  It involves injecting an anesthetic into the Stellate Ganglion, a bunch of nerves on either side of the neck. 

They're not sure how it works, and Cleveland Clinic anesthesiologist, Dr. Christine Shin, plans to start clinical trials on the treatment soon. 

They've treated about thirty patients so far and fifty percent had success in regaining smell and taste.  It's unclear how long it lasts. 

Those interested need to be seen at the Clinic's ReCOVer Clinic for long Covid.  

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