Long COVID has so many possible symptoms that you – and your healthcare provider – may miss it entirely.
Long COVID, symptoms that linger or show up at least four weeks after infection with the COVID-19 virus, can include a wide range of health problems. People can have just one of them, a couple, or even nearly all of these symptoms. It can happen to men and women, children and adults, people who were hospitalized with COVID or those who didn’t realize they had the virus. Because of this, it can only be diagnosed after other causes are eliminated.
Who’s at More Risk for Long COVID
We do know that Long COVID happens more often in women (6.6% of those with COVID) than men (4%), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It also occurs more frequently in people with severe COVID illness, and those with underlying health conditions. It’s also more prevalent in people who didn’t get vaccinated for COVID.
RECOVER: Understand, Treat and Prevent Long COVIDResearching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) is an initiative of the National Institutes of Health that is involved in research to help people with Long COVID. The RECOVER website is an excellent resource for the latest scientific information regarding the disease. You’ll also find the results of their research, and directions on how to join research studies. You can also learn more about the science behind the CDC’s information on Long COVID here. |
Although new research points to a marked reduction in the risk of Long COVID to those who have been vaccinated, it is currently understood that getting treated with Paxlovid does not protect against Long COVID.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Long COVID can last weeks, months or years after the initial infection. They may even disappear and then return at a later time. Different types and combinations of problems can emerge, disappear and reappear over time. Most patients gradually get better, but it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider to make a diagnosis.
"There are more than 200 reported symptoms associated with long COVID, writes neuroscientist and physical therapist David Putrino, director of rehabilitation innovation at the Mount Sinai Health System, in The Lancet, “affecting virtually every organ system."
The following is not a complete list, but these are the most common symptoms of the illness:
General
- Tiredness
- Symptoms that worsen after physical or mental effort
- Fever
Respiratory and Heart
- Difficulty breathing
- Cough
- Chest pain
- Heart palpitations (fast-beating heart)
Neurological
- Difficulty concentrating (“brain fog”)
- Headache
- Sleep issues
- Pins-and-needles sensation
- Changes in smell or taste
- Depression or anxiety
Digestive
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
Other
- Pain in joints or muscles
- Rash
- Changes to menstrual cycles
You may have symptoms that are difficult to pinpoint. Blood tests, electrocardiograms and chest X-rays may come back normal. It’s easy for your healthcare provider to have difficulty with a diagnosis. Review these suggestions for how to prepare for an appointment with your healthcare provider.
Treatment involves managing symptoms. You may require specialists in the fields of neurology, cardiology, psychiatry, immunology, pulmonology, and physical therapy, depending on your symptoms.
Why Does Long COVID Occur?
Although researchers haven’t arrived at a comprehensive conclusion as to the cause of Long COVID, there are several theories. Some studies show that pieces of the SARS-CoV-2 virus stay in the body a long time after the initial infection. They may cause inflammation and cause some symptoms.
Other scientists are researching Long COVID as an autoimmune disease, where the virus stimulates the body to attack its own tissues. Another study looks at the role of monocytes, immune cells that tell white blood cells when infection is present. COVID can harm the structure of these immune cells, so that their behavior is changed. There’s even evidence that COVID can awaken dormant viruses, possibly including Epstein-Barr virus. Each of these possibilities points to a different treatment.
The CDC estimates that three out of four people in the US have had COVID at some point. If you are experiencing symptoms that you can’t account for, it may be worth seeing your healthcare provider to determine if they may be due to Long COVID.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/long-covid-post-covid-conditions-pcc
https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-02-22/scientists-may-have-spotted-a-key-to-long-covid
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/long-covid-affects-each-person-differently
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/long-covid-affects-each-person-differently
Blog posting provided by Society of Certified Senior Advisors
