A TikTok video had recently gone viral due to its unfortunate but informative content. The clip is about a teen that had acquired a condition following the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Natalia Cano, who owns the social media account, was the influencer that presented the damaging illness on the platform. Based on her updates, Cano experienced a rare and severe post symptom after being diagnosed with coronavirus in the first few months of 2021.
Post-COVID Symptom: Change in Smell and Taste
The influencer agonizes over her unwanted medical situation due to the inability to properly taste and smell any food she needs for sustenance. Although the symptom does not totally block the sense, the taste and smell of foods are off and disoriented to the point that it is somewhat similar to literal garbage and sewage.
The post-COVID symptom is a condition known as parosmia. The illness could be a resulting impact of many various diseases. Today, parosmia has also been correlated with SARS-CoV-2 along with a wide variety of symptoms. In a recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE, titled "Altered smell and taste: Anosmia, parosmia and the impact of long Covid-19," it was confirmed that the change in senses such as smell and taste could possibly manifest in patients that were diagnosed or have already recovered from the coronavirus.
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Parosmia and Its Long-Term Effect
Cano utilized the social media platform to describe the significant impacts of parosmia that had affected her health and lifestyle. In a video posted last November 14, Cano recorded her reaction as she discovers that her condition actually exists and has a medical name labeled to it. The TikTok video from Cano was a response from another user who has a confirmed diagnosis of parosmia. Because of the shifts and challenges inflicted by the condition, Cano emphasized in her platform that wearing a mask is absolutely important to prevent any long-term symptoms, including parosmia, that the coronavirus could bring to anyone unknowingly.
Cano's TikTok video on parosmia had already reached 13 million views and over 70,000 comments from various users that included supportive messages, opinions, and other medical notes. The video was then followed with segments of other clips such as trying foods and smell training processes to prove that Cano is not faking the illness because some of the people on the platform doubt the incident.
The video has been an outlet for other social media users to give their thoughts and share their experiences with parosmia after being affected and surviving the coronavirus.
Parosmia is an effect of other medical conditions, targetting the sense of smell and taste. According to a report by Mashable, parosmia may manifest if an individual was diagnosed with viral infections, neurological conditions, or those who are treated with modern solutions for cancer. According to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women are most likely affected by the long-term and post-COVID symptoms upon recovery. Although parosmia is present in those symptoms, researchers are still conducting a series of investigations to define the cause of the illness and how long it can manifest in patients.
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