Long COVID: 5 symptoms that can determine your risk of developing post-COVID syndrome

As COVID cases continue to surge across the world, COVID long haulers, as they are being called are right now the biggest sufferers of the viral infection.

Patients are still reporting symptoms and their effects, months after battling the disease. What exactly causes long COVID, or makes one vulnerable to the ills of the post-COVID-syndrome is yet unclear. However, with evidence from many case studies, researchers have been able to establish a marker of some symptoms which can be common with all long haulers.

According to a recent peer-reviewed study published in the journal, Nature Medicine, COVID patients who end up being long haulers suffer from FIVE specific symptoms of the infection in the initial weeks of infection.

For a condition that is known to impact over 10% of COVID patients globally, the knowledge of symptoms can help people prepare for the eventuality and manage their health better.

Some researchers have also observed that patients suffering from post-COVID syndrome can experience symptoms that come up in regular intervals, say about a week or 10 days, or in some cases, follow up a good two months after making a recovery from the infection, throwing patients into a tizzy. The timeline can be so delayed, some patients might not know the signs they are suffering from are categorized as symptoms of long COVID either.

Broadly, these are the symptoms to check for:

Excruciating fatigue, exhaustion and tiredness are all symptoms associated with a viral disease of magnitude as big as COVID-19.

Unfortunately, symptoms of dreariness and energy loss are also the symptoms of degradation which can take the longest to resolve, and linger on for a months-long time.

Tiredness and fatigue is a natural bodily reaction of the system getting exhausted of fighting a heavy viral disease for a long time. It can also happen that the immune system mistakenly unloads dangerous cytokines, which forces the body to attack itself and cause symptoms like fatigue.

Therefore, the value of rest, hydration and recovery cannot be repeated during the infection days. Eat well, drink plenty of replenishing fluids, and most importantly, take your time to recover instead of forcing your body to exert itself.

Hoarse voice, along with sore throat and cough are some of the symptoms seen in the very early stage of infection and considered to be the means by which the virus attacks the body.

Having a hoarse or changed voice could also mean that you are vulnerable to developing long COVID.

A hoarse voice happens when the virus starts to rapidly attack the throat and the respiratory channels, causing inflammation. COVID patients can also experience long bouts of coughing which can push vocal cords forcefully together, pushing mucus out and make one experience a difference in their voice.

Headache is one of the common signs of coronavirus infection. People who suffer from COVID headaches report it as an unusual, excruciating, sometimes one-sided headache which can make it difficult to function. It can also be a sign of severe infection if it persists for longer.

If you have a persisting headache that lasts longer than 72 hours, do not get relief even after popping in painkillers, experience unusual neuro and gastrointestinal symptoms and experience throbbing, pulsating pain, get help as soon as possible.

Breathing difficulties right now are one of the most feared consequences of COVID. In some cases, acute breathing problems can result in oxygen deprivation, shortness of breath and impair vital functioning. It can also be a sign of severe infection if it persists for longer.

Experiencing respiratory problems or chronic issues can also damage sensitive air sacs present in the lung, which can be bad for the body. Hence, it is not a sign to be taken lightly. Breathing difficulties are also the prime reason a lot of long COVID patients require the usage of oxygen support machines and respirators for prolonged weeks.

Muscle and body aches are another way the virus tears down crucial muscle fibres, causes widespread inflammation in the body. It can also be symptom patients can feel for a long, long while.

In the case of severe COVID-19, terrible backaches, body aches, muscle pain, soreness and joint inflammation can be experienced for months at a stretch. While there's no one remedy to resolve the problems, long-term care and exercises which improve the body's agility may be required.