Long COVID remains serious and persistent; more than 200 symptoms identified – 102.3 KRMG

“Long Covid can impact people across the lifespan, from children to older adults, as well as across all sexes, genders, races, ethnicities, and other demographic groups,” the group said in the study , adding that “long Covid is associated with a wide range of new or worsening health problems and encompasses more than 200 symptoms involving almost every organ system.

While there is no standard way to diagnose long COVID, the report cites 2022 data that suggests nearly 18 million adults and nearly a million children in the United States have had long COVID at some point since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.

The effects are so varied that there is no single treatment for the disease, the report said.

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to rehabilitation, and each individual will need a program tailored to their complex needs,” the study says.

Long COVID appears to be a chronic illness, the report notes. Few patients “will achieve complete remission,” the report says.

Some symptoms are similar to other conditions people experience after having serious infections.

The cause of the symptoms is unclear, although some believe inflammation, leftover virus fragments or immune system dysregulation are the source, the Times reported.

Children are less likely than adults to develop long COVID, and women are about twice as likely to develop it as men.

Other risk factors for developing long COVID, according to the study, include not being adequately vaccinated against the coronavirus, smoking and having pre-existing health conditions or disabilities.

The more seriously ill a person is with a COVID-19 infection, the more likely they are to have long COVID, the study showed, although “even people with a mild initial course of illness can develop long COVID with serious health effects.

Last year, the National Institutes of Health launched a handful of studies to test possible treatments for long COVID, the Associated Press reported.

“It's a year or two late and smaller in scope than one might hope, but it's nonetheless a step in the right direction,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly of Washington University. of St. Louis, which is not involved in the NIH project. but whose own research has highlighted the long toll of COVID. Getting answers is critical, he added, because “many people are exploiting patients' vulnerabilities” with unproven therapies.

Symptoms

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who suffer from Long COVID most often report (list not complete):

General symptoms

• Fatigue or tiredness that interferes with daily life.
• Symptoms that worsen after physical or mental exertion (also called “post-exertion malaise”).
• Fever.

Respiratory and cardiac symptoms

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
• Cough.
• Chest pain.
• Heart that beats quickly or beats very hard (also known as heart palpitations).

Neurological symptoms

• Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes called “brain fog”).
• Headache.
• Sleep problems.
• Dizziness when you get up (dizziness).
• Pins and needles sensations.
• Change in smell or taste.
• Depression or anxiety.

Digestive symptoms

Other symptoms

• Joint or muscle pain.
• Rash.
• Changes in menstrual cycles.

Symptoms that are difficult to explain and manage

Some people with long COVID have symptoms that are not explained by tests or are not easy to manage.

“People with Long COVID may develop or continue to have symptoms that are difficult to explain and manage,” the CDC wrote. “Clinical assessments and results of routine blood tests, chest x-rays and electrocardiograms may be normal.

“People experiencing these unexplained symptoms may be misunderstood by their healthcare providers, which can lead to a delay in diagnosis and receiving appropriate care or treatment. »