What we know about COVID’s long term and duration of symptoms

With COVID-19 affecting so many people around the world, we are analyzing large datasets to understand the impact of the virus in short- and long-term settings.

For most people, most upper respiratory tract symptoms tend to go away in the first two weeks after initial infection, but for some people, additional symptoms persist weeks or even years later. These are new physical and psychological symptoms that did not exist before COVID-19.

There is no specific set of symptoms associated with long-term COVID, but some of the more common physical symptoms include increased fatigue, brain fog, persistent cough, more frequent chest pains, and trouble sleeping. increase.

Some patients experience functional impairment and difficulty completing activities of daily living.

and study Of the 219 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Italy, about 53% had an element of disability 4 months after being infected with COVID-19.

Dr. Sarah Martinsaid Assistant Professor and Medical Director of the Adult Post-Acute COVID Clinic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Symptoms presenting at the Vanderbilt Adult Post-Acute COVID Clinic are shortness of breath, fatigue, GERD, cognitive impairment, and anxiety.

Health professionals are also beginning to see psychological and cognitive grievances related to COVID-19. Many of these symptoms include cognitive fog, dementia, epilepsy, and seizures.

Research published in Journal of Medical Virology showed that 24% of patients discharged with COVID-19 reported PTSD, 18% reported worsening memory status, and 16% also had complications related to concentration.

according to World Health Organization (WHO)the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide has increased by 25% since the pandemic began.

In a recently published study lancet psychiatryScientists looked at 1.25 million patients two years after they had COVID-19 and compared them with the same number of patients with other upper respiratory tract infections to better understand COVID-19.

according to studypeople infected with COVID-19 also had a higher risk of anxiety and depression after getting sick, but the risk of these conditions returned to baseline within two months.

However, researchers have found that risks such as dementia, seizures and brain fog are still present two years after the initial diagnosis of COVID-19.

There is currently no clear reason why people have symptoms for as long as they have symptoms.

“It’s really variable, and we see a wide spectrum of recovery times. Some people recover within months after acute COVID infection, while others have symptoms that last for a year or more,” says Martin. tells Healthline.

Anyone can experience prolonged symptoms of COVID-19, CDC Long-term conditions are reported to be more common not only among those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, but also among those who have had severe COVID-19 illness.

“There is a well-recognized link that more severe illness is likely to cause longer COVID symptoms,” he said. Dr. Nathaniel ErdmannAssistant Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

“Overall, there appears to be a trend towards a lower long-term burden of COVID for people infected with the current strain due to the virus or pre-existing immunity, but despite this improvement, long-term new cases continue to emerge. COVID,” Erdmann told Healthline.

“The simplest explanation for this,” he explained, is that long-term COVID is not a single entity, and after being infected with the virus, multiple processes are involved in the body, leading to persistent viral infections. It can cause post-syndrome.

It’s difficult to predict who will get COVID and why, but Erdmann and Martin say the best way to prevent COVID from lasting too long is to get vaccinated.

of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognizes that this condition can cause disability and is currently providing resources and protections to individuals under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Many hospital systems are beginning post-COVID-19 development Clinic Helps treat people with immediate complications. These facilities are designed to help people who develop new symptoms after their initial exposure to COVID-19, including physical and psychological symptoms after becoming ill.

Dr. Rajiv Bahl is an emergency medicine physician, director of the Florida College of Emergency Physicians, and health writer.you can find him Rajiv BahlMD.com.