Neck injection may restore smell in long COVID patients

NCT ID NCT05445921

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This pilot study tested whether a stellate ganglion block—a numbing injection near a nerve cluster in the neck—can help people who lost their sense of smell after COVID-19. Twenty adults with smell problems lasting at least a year received the injection. Researchers measured changes in smell function and overall improvement. The goal was to gather early safety and effectiveness data.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: mepivacaine (a numbing medicine injected near a nerve cluster in the neck)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a treatment for smell loss and other long COVID symptoms like fatigue and brain fog.
What could go wrong: This is a very small pilot study with only 20 people and no placebo group, so results may not be reliable or apply to everyone. The injection carries risks like bleeding, infection, or nerve damage.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anosmia COVID-19 olfactory nerve disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ANOSMIA HYPOSMIA OLFACTORY DISORDER PAROSMIA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Washington University School of Medicine/Barnes Jewish Hospital

St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States

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