Recently, I received inquiries from patients who lost smell and taste after COVID 19. Looking at prior studies, a controlled clinical trial published in the Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery finds acupuncture are effective for restoring olfaction in patients with dysosmia (sense of smell dysfunction) due to viral infections. Notably, patients that recovered with the use of acupuncture were non-responders to conventional pharmacologic therapy. Acupuncture points used in the investigation included LI20 (Yingxiang) and M-HN-14 (Bitong).
In Chinese medicine theory, the sense of taste is related to the digestive system and the earth element (in terms of the Five Elements). The sense of smell is related to the lung and the Metal Element). I am sure that acupuncture may not be so effective for everyone, but it has great potential if the loss of smell and taste are not congenital or a result of major trauma. Also, as I will need to treat the whole person, you are likely to feel other changes, such as improved sleeping quality, better digestion, less anxiety and more energy, etc.