Almost a year has passed since the new coronavirus first began to circulate in Spain. Although the majority (about 8 in 10) of people diagnosed with COVID-19 experience only mild symptoms, others are much more affected by the disease.
Some people who have been infected have symptoms that persist well beyond the standard recovery time of two weeks (or three to six weeks for those with a more serious illness). These so-called " long-term sufferers " have experienced COVID-19 symptoms for months, even though the disease has disappeared.
What is long-term COVID?
Long-term sickness syndrome is nothing new. In fact, it has been seen with other viral diseases, including SARS-CoV , which was first identified in 2003, according to a report from Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Although there are no firm statistics on long-term COVID-19 sufferers, a small July 2020 study in JAMA looked at 179 people with severe COVID-19 who required hospitalization and found that more than 87 percent experienced persistent symptoms that are went on for at least two months . Another August 2020 study, published in The BMJ, found that approximately 10 percent of all coronavirus patients experience symptoms that persist after infection.
Symptoms of COVID vary, but many long-term sufferers report extreme fatigue, chest tightness, "mental confusion" and dizziness.
Most of these patients complain of the inability to improve to their previous level of activity and feel frustrated and depressed at their slow progress. Their ongoing symptoms have profound effects on their families, their livelihood, and their ability to feel normal.
Long-term COVID effects
At the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, we thought that COVID-19 was a respiratory illness that causes pneumonia, sepsis and, in the worst case, death, and that those infected would recover in two to three weeks. Many months later, it is now clear that there are thousands of people who have symptoms months after becoming infected, which is puzzling.
Although most young people recover quickly, there are children and adolescents who suffer from persistent fatigue and other chronic difficulties, such as lung disease. And other people, of various ages, have reported symptoms such as coughs, chronic fatigue, joint and body pain, prolonged loss of taste and smell, shortness of breath, and headaches and mental confusion .
Although there are no "typical" disease expectations in coronavirus, research, including a September 2020 study in Life Sciences, shows that a patient's immune response has an effect on symptoms.
Middle-aged women may be more prone
While it is true that older adults suffer greater health consequences from COVID-19, an October 2020 preprint on medRxiv found that middle-aged people who identify as female may have worse long-term outcomes.
The study analyzed data from nearly 5,000 people who tested positive for the virus and found that women ages 50 to 60 may have a more significant risk of developing "prolonged COVID." However, it should be noted that the study has not yet been peer-reviewed.
In general, older age and the appearance of multiple symptoms in the first week are associated with an increased risk of remaining health problems. However, other research, including an April 2020 study published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, showed that women are twice as likely to have COVID symptoms lasting more than 30 days compared to men.
Long-term patients may not have lung damage
An EClinicalMedicine study conducted in July 2020 in China found that about 70 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had abnormal lung scans three months after leaving the hospital. But there is reason to be optimistic, as research published by the European Lung Foundation in September 2020 suggests that lung tissue can be cured after COVID.
Also, much of the shortness of breath can come from chronic fatigue syndrome or even anxiety, both of which cause shortness of breath despite normal lung function.
If you have difficulty sleeping, despite excessive fatigue, for three months or more, especially if it is not resolved with prolonged self-care, such as a vacation, it may be due to chronic fatigue syndrome.
Viruses are a common trigger that triggers the hypothalamic breaker, leading to chronic fatigue syndrome, so it's no wonder we're seeing post-viral CFS from COVID-19. Investing in a pulse oximeter is recommended to check your oxygen level when you're short of breath.
Brain fog does not reflect a brain injury
One of the persistent symptoms of COVID-19 that many long-term sufferers report is "brain fog," which manifests as difficulty finding words, word substitution, and poor short-term memory.
At the onset of the pandemic, many health professionals were concerned about possible long-term brain effects, but an August 2020 report in The Clinical Neuropsychologist found that brain fog associated with COVID-19 may actually be an indication of traumatic stress disorder . This is especially common in people who have been hospitalized in the intensive care unit.
If you have been through severe physical or emotional trauma and you find yourself emotionally detached but also hyper-vigilant, you may be experiencing this disorder.
Symptoms can also include intrusive memories (flashbacks), negative thoughts and moods with a feeling of hopelessness, and easily frightened or frightened. Post-traumatic stress disorder can also be associated with secondary fibromyalgia , and the combination can be part of long-term sickness syndrome.
Treatment for long-term COVID
As with any new disease, only time and a coordinated effort can give us a better understanding of COVID-19 and its long-term effects. It is recommended to monitor your symptoms and try to describe what you are feeling as best you can.
Bring your concerns to your doctor's office and remember that this is a new disease, which means that we still don't have all the answers.
