Narrative: In a departure from the usual phoenix-like ability of olfaction to recover after trauma or infection, long COVID victims frequently suffer such disturbances as anosmia, hyposmia, and parosmia long after acute infection has abated. Recent research has implicated dysautonomia leading to a hyperinflammatory state of the nasal mucosa as a likely causative or aggravating factor.
This paper proposes the following hypothesis: Long COVID olfactory dysfunction can be exacerbated by dysautonomia generated by vertebral subluxation.
Evidence is presented from autonomic neuroanatomy, subluxation neurobiology, and case reports in preliminary support of the hypothesis. Methods to further test the hypothesis and implications for inter-professional cooperation are discussed.
Author Keywords: Chiropractic; subluxation; olfaction; olfactory dysfunction; long COVID; anosmia; dysautonomia; rhinitis.
Author Affiliation: Northern Virginia Community College
Corresponding Author: Charles S. Masarsky—viennachiropractic@verizon.net
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