Long COVID Hyposmia/Parosmia and subluxation: A case report

A 58-year-old woman with long COVID manifestations is described. Her symptoms included hyposmia, parosmia, brain fog, fatigue, and dry mouth. On examination, Weber’s test was positive, with lateralization to the right ear. Reverse digit span was 5. On the Gupta et al olfactory scale of “0” (unable to smell anything) to “5” (completely normal sense of smell), she rated her ability to smell as “1”. She was generally able to smell most aromas for one to two “sniffs” only. At various times, with no apparent pattern or external cause, she would experience a “house on fire” odor. Palpation augmented by Applied Kinesiology challenge revealed upper cervical, right first rib, right sacroiliac, and sphenoid subluxation. Ten adjustments were administered over a six-week period, consisting of high velocity low amplitude maneuvers, and various minimal force adjustments and reflex therapies. The levels of intervention varied according to the treating doctor’s findings on a visit-to-visit basis. The patient was also advised to take coenzyme Q-10 and B-complex supplements to compensate for the effect of her statin prescription on coenzyme Q-10 biosynthesis. By her tenth visit, Weber’s test was negative, her brain fog was gone, reverse digit span was 6, she rated her sense of smell between 2 and 3 out of a possible 5, she was able to detect aromas for as many as 4 “sniffs” in a row. The “house on fire” odor had transformed into a “burnt popcorn” odor. The patient’s experience of dry mouth and fatigue were no longer more pronounced than they had been before COVID-19 infection. Possible mechanisms of the patient’s recovery are discussed, with hypotheses relevant to future long COVID research.