This is one of the most striking symptoms of Covid-19: loss of smell, scientifically called anosmia. Some have lost it for over a year to the virus. In Reims, researchers may have found the solution to this loss of meaning: cryotherapy.
It’s a discovery that we owe to chance. At the very beginning of the summer, two doctors went to a Cryotera center in Valence (Drôme) to test what the co-founder of the Reims-based company, Bastien Bouchet, defined as “a way to relieve, but not to cure“. The two doctors have been suffering from anosmia for some time now because of the virus. Less than a week after their session, surprise for the two men: their sense of smell has returned. Immediately, the parent company of Cryotera in Reims is notified. and the machine starts.
A pilot study just waiting to be confirmed
“Research is a bit of an identity for usexplains Bastien Bouchet. We therefore very quickly launched experiments.” The CHU and the University of Reims join the project and create a pilot project : out of 45 patients suffering from anosmia for 1 month to 1 year and a half, 15 will not have a cryotherapy session, 15 others will have two sessions spread over two days and the last 15 will have 5 sessions spread over 5 days. Of the 15 people without a session, none will regain their sense of smell. Of the 30 others, 28 will totally or partially recover their sense of smell. “With, it should be noted, more convincing results on those who benefited from 5 sessions.” explains Bastien Bouchet.
Faced with such results, the team of scientists decided to publish their study in a specialized journal “The Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine”. Their objective, to highlight these results and hope to reach more people.
“I would like to be able to call you back in two or three months and tell you that we have reached 200 or 300 people” confides Bastien Boucher. To achieve his objectives, he intends to rely on two things: the Cryotera network (present in eight French cities) and the cost of the sessions. If usually, 5 sessions cost 195 euros, for people with anosmia, it will be 150 euros.
The Reims study is continuing with the desire to draw the attention of health insurance for a possible reimbursement.