What is Long COVID or Post covid ailments ?

   In some people affected with COVID-19, there can be long-term effects of the infection such as cough, muscle pain and weakness, asthma, lung ailments etc. This state is known as Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions.

  “ Long COVID” is broadly defined by Centre for disease control and prevention[CDC] as signs, symptoms, and conditions that continue or develop after acute COVID-19 infection. The term post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC) is also used to refer to a subset of Long COVID.

  Long COVID can include a wide range health issues that can last weeks, months, or years. It occurs more often in people who had severe COVID-19 illness, but long covid symptoms are probable in any person with less severe covid infection also  and various covid variants produce different symptoms post infection.

  It is proposed in the beginning of covid that people who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 and become infected may have a higher risk of developing Long COVID compared to people who have been vaccinated. However, of late post covid allergies are seen in majority of the populations who includes vaccinated as well as non- vaccinated. Further extensive research is needed to study the new variants and their impacts on vaccination.

  People can be re-infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, multiple times. Each time a person is infected or reinfected with SARS-CoV-2, they have a risk of developing Long COVID.

Long COVID includes a wide spectrum of health problems that people experience after being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.

The acute infection resolves within a few days to weeks. Mostly after 4 weeks of covid infection long COVID symptoms begin to manifest. It may present with various symptoms. There is no test that determines if your symptoms or condition is due to COVID-19.

  Your healthcare provider considers a diagnosis of Long COVID based on your medical history of contracting covid and by physical examination which can help to rule out other probable diseases.

 What are the symptoms of long covid?

 Long COVID can manifest with a wide range of symptoms that can last weeks, months, or even years after infection. Recurrence of infection is common. Sometimes the symptoms can even go away and come back again.  Another complication is that Long COVID can last weeks, months, or years causing physical disability of various types. The symptoms and grades of disability vary from person to person.

 It is probable that combinations of symptoms that may emerge, persist, resolve, and reemerge over time in long covid

 Symptoms of long covid slowly improve with time after proper treatment. Your healthcare provider may help you in this regard.

Symptoms of long covid mostly include:

·        Fatigue  or weakness

You may feel extreme weakness after least physical or mental activities. It is also known as “post-exertional malaise”. This is the dominant post covid issue in many people.

·       Fever

Fever recurring at short intervals.

·       Respiratory and heart symptoms

Difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, Cough, Chest pain, Palpitations ,increased fast heart.

·       Neurological symptoms

Difficulty in thinking or concentrating or brain fog

Headache

Sleep disturbances

Dizziness or lightheadedness

Pins-and-needles sensations

Change in smell or taste

Depression or anxiety

·       Digestive symptoms

Diarrhea

Stomach pain

·       Other symptoms

Joint pains

 Muscle  pain

 Skin rash

 Changes in menstrual cycles

People with Long COVID may develop or continue to have symptoms that are difficult to define as well as manage. Clinical evaluations by healthcare provider and results of routine blood tests, chest X-rays, and electrocardiograms may be quite normal in these cases. However symptoms may point to some other serious neurological or musculoskeletal diseases which may cause delay in diagnosing them as post covid symptoms.

   New health conditions emerge after COVID-19 illness in the populations worldwide as part of long covid. Some people affected with severe COVID-19 may be impacted by multi organ effects or autoimmune conditions with symptoms lasting weeks, months, or even years after COVID-19 illness.

Multiple organs in the body including the heart, lung, kidney, skin, and brain may be impacted by covid, developing new health conditions such as diabetes, heart diseases, blood clots, or neurological problems.

  In people with severe covid who treated in intensive care units may develop post intensive care syndrome [PICS ].It refers to the health effects that may begin when a person is in an intensive care unit (ICU), and which may persist after a person returns home. These effects can include muscle weakness, problems with thinking and judgment, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a long-term reaction to a very stressful event. This syndrome is not specific to infection with SARS-CoV-2 alone, however PICS may occur and contribute to Long COVID. Often it becomes difficult to determine whether these health problems are caused by a severe illness in ICU, the virus itself, or a combination of both.

Who is at risk for developing long covid?

Some people may be more at risk for developing Long COVID.

Studies have shown that some groups of people may be affected more by Long COVID. These are examples and not a comprehensive list.

·       Those who are hospitalized or needed intensive care due to severe covid.

·       People who had other serious diseases prior to COVID-19.

·       People who are not vaccinated  against SARS-Co virus

·       Lack of adequate facilities and hospital or nursing care against covid 19 may put some groups at risk for long covid, especially some people from racial or ethnic minority groups at remote places may suffer.

·       Some  people with disabilities at greater risk for developing Long COVID.

 How can you prevent “Long COVID”?

 To keep you away from source of infection is the most ideal way to prevent long covid.  In the wake of epidemics from severe types of infection from covid virus variants you should take the entire preventive measures against covid, be updated with vaccination, do covid tests, seek the help of healthcare providers from the beginning.

Avoiding  close contact with people who have a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 illness and washing hands or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer are important.

Take nutritious diet to maintain your immunity level good.

Research suggests that people who get a COVID-19 infection after vaccination are less likely to report Long COVID, compared to people who are unvaccinated. However, variants which escape vaccination may not be benefited by vaccination.

People experiencing Long COVID can seek care from a healthcare providers.

Although Long COVID appears to be less common in children and adolescents than in adults, long-term effects after COVID-19 do occur in children and adolescents.

Scientists are also learning more about how new variants could potentially affect Long COVID. We are still learning to what extent certain groups are at higher risk, and if different groups of people tend to experience different types of Long COVID

Caring for Children or Adolescents with Long COVID

Normally covid infection is not severe in children and adolescents when compared to adults. However, it leaves some long term impacts in these groups also. Recurrent cough and respiratory infections are common in children post covid infection. Seek the help of healthcare providers to mitigate these impacts of covid in children.

Role of alternative & complementary system in long covid or post covid conditions

People experience Long COVID with multiple symptoms and signs, as various organ systems are affected in different groups. The comorbidities or other serious illnesses also contribute to the sufferings and complications. Therefore it is very important to evaluate the problems accurately with physical examination, investigations and appropriate treatment must be given by the healthcare provider.

In homeopathy & Ayurveda there are some medications to relieve the post covid fatigue, exertional breathing difficulty, cough and recurrent respiratory infections.  Homeopathy offers medicinal management for post covid muscle pains [myalgia], weakness etc.

Referenes

1.    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/about-covid-19.html

2.    https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/about-covid-19.html