The Smell of Shampoo, Coffee, and Healing

Dominyka turned to Acupuncture after she lost her sense of smell.

How acupuncture can help restore smell after COVID 

The coronavirus robbed Dominyka of one of life’s most important senses: her smell. This meant that for more than two years, she missed the simple pleasures in life that most of us take for granted. Smelling coffee first thing in the morning, her perfume and shampoo, a scented candle burning in her home – Dominyka couldn’t smell anything and feared her sense of smell may never return.  

“Not being able to smell is awful; it is a very unpleasant feeling,” recalls Dominyka. “I always thought it could be worse, but I missed the smell of my coffee in the morning the most, and I couldn’t smell my food. I also thought about if something was burning in the house and I couldn’t tell. That was scary.” 

Having always preferred a more holistic and natural approach to medicine, a friend suggested Dominyka give acupuncture a try. “I was desperate and wanted to try it because at that time I thought, ‘what do I have to lose?’ I always trusted the natural side of medicine, and I prefer acupuncture rather than a pill.” 

Acupuncture actively works to decrease brain fog and stimulate function.

After researching acupuncture in Jacksonville, Dominyka found Dr. Jann at Riverplace Acupuncture Integrative Health and scheduled a consultation. Within just one visit, she says she finally had hope and a doctor who listened to her. Dr. Jann developed a personalized treatment plan that included acupuncture sessions, Chinese herbal medicine, targeted supplements, ozone therapy, and coaching techniques designed to help stimulate and retrain Dominyka’s sense of smell. 

“I regained some smell after 5 sessions with Dr. Jann, but it wasn’t just the acupuncture,” says Dominyka. “It was everything Dr. Jann did; she offered me real solutions because she listened to what was going on. I could finally smell my coffee again, which was the smell I missed the most.”  

“It took some weeks and months to get the inflammation down and get the communication network activated again, but the treatments are working. We help boost her energy with these treatments, clear the brain fog associated with what is happening, and encourage her to invigorate her sense of smell," explains Dr. Jann Turpin. "Smelling potent natural scents like mint, basil, and rosemary, for example, encourages those channels to start working.” 

At Riverplace Acupuncture Integrative Health, Dr. Jann customizes every treatment to suit the patient's needs.

Then, one morning, something Dominyka hoped for but didn’t expect actually happened.  

“My shampoo was the first thing I could smell. I was in the shower washing my hair, and all of a sudden the smell of my shampoo just hit me. I smelled it for the first time in a few years,” says Dominyka. “Acupuncture is a natural solution to help your body. It doesn’t do any harm; it helps. It fixes the problem naturally, without all the extra side effects. It’s not just for one specific problem; acupuncture puts you on a healthy balance and a path for healing.” 

What began as a last resort became the solution that helped her regain something she feared was lost forever. Now, every cup of coffee, every fresh herb, and of course, the scent of shampoo, serves as a reminder that healing can happen even when hope feels distant. 

If you are experiencing long COVID symptoms, loss of smell, or other chronic health concerns, Riverplace Acupuncture Integrative Health may help you explore natural recovery options. Schedule a consult with Dr. Jann and start your journey today.