Dysgeusia Treatment in India

Aarav Malhotra, a 58-year-old restaurant owner...

Aarav Malhotra, a 58-year-old restaurant owner from Mumbai, has always defined his life through food and flavor. For the past six months, a persistent metallic and bitter taste has distorted everything he eats and drinks, making his beloved family recipes taste like 'rusted metal'. It began after a severe bout of COVID-19. His passion for his work has turned to dread, and he's lost significant weight. His ENT, Dr. Sharma, diagnosed post-viral dysgeusia. She recommended a multi-pronged approach: zinc and alpha-lipoic acid supplements, a 'taste retraining' protocol involving daily exposure to strong, basic flavors (sour lemon, sweet sugar, salty broth, bitter dark chocolate), and switching to a plastic cutlery set to reduce metallic interaction. For Aarav, the daily taste exercises felt strange and frustratingly slow. The emotional low point was when his young granddaughter's birthday cake tasted foul. However, after eight weeks of diligent effort, the metallic overlay began to recede. At three months, he could enjoy his wife's biryani again, recognizing the complex spice notes. While not 100% perfect, the recovery has been profound. He moved from a state of deep depression and identity crisis, 'If I can't taste, who am I?', to one of cautious joy and immense gratitude. He's back in his kitchen, tweaking recipes and cherishing each recovered flavor.