There are several symptoms of long COVID which often get overlooked
From what we have learned so far, is that COVID lingers for a longer duration in some people. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) prefers calling it post COVID condition, health experts have named this long COVID condition. Long COVID is a reason to worry about. There are several symptoms of long COVID which often get overlooked. However, with proper diagnosis and treatment the long COVID condition can be alleviated to a large extent.
"I had mild COVID symptoms. Can I get long COVID"
Yes you might. There is absolutely no link between COVID symptoms, its severity and long COVID.
The WHO says: Anyone who becomes ill with COVID-19 can develop post COVID-19 conditions. Current research shows that approximately 10%-20% of COVID-19 patients go on to develop prolonged symptoms that may be post COVID-19 condition. There does not appear to be a relationship between the initial severity of COVID-19 infection and the likelihood of developing post COVID-19 condition.
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What are long COVID symptoms?
The common long COVID symptoms are:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Memory, concentration or sleep problems
- Persistent cough
- Chest pain
- Trouble speaking
- Muscle aches
- Loss of smell or taste
- Depression or anxiety
- Fever
- Dizziness
- Fast or pounding heartbeat
Why do we need to identify long COVID?
"Long COVID is a term used to describe the presence of various symptoms persisting weeks or months after infection with SARS-CoV-2, irrespective of the viral strain. The fact that long COVID can considerably reduce the quality of life of infected patients emphasizes the urgent need to identify their effects," says a study.
"I am fatigued with even minimal physical work. Is it long COVID?"
Yes it can be. As per a survey done by the Office for National Statistics in Britain, one in five COVID survivors experience long COVID symptoms after five weeks and people also experience it till 12 weeks.
In December 2021, the WHO said that post COVID-19 conditions are usually diagnosed three months after COVID-19 and the symptoms and effects last for at least two months.
What causes long COVID?
Though there is no exact reason behind this, researchers are studying blood clots including micro-clotting, disturbed immune system and impaired metabolism to understand the reason behind the occurrence of long COVID.
How long can long COVID last?
While many COVID survivors have noticed it going away within 2-3 months, many others experience these conditions for a longer duration.
In a recent news article, some people have said that they have been experiencing it for the last two years.