Did You Know?
Long Covid is real ….
What You Need to Know
- Long COVID can include a wide range of ongoing health problems; these conditions can last weeks, months, or years.
- Long COVID occurs more often in people who had severe COVID-19 illness, but anyone who has been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience it.
- People can be reinfected 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.
- While most people with Long COVID have evidence of infection or COVID-19 illness, in some cases, a person with Long COVID may not have tested positive for the virus or known they were infected.
- NOTE - IT IS CONSIDERED A DISABILITY
- In July 2021, Long COVID was added as a recognized condition that could result in a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Learn more: Guidance on “Long COVID” as a Disability Under the ADA
People who experience Long COVID most commonly report:
General symptoms (Not a Comprehensive List)
- Tiredness or fatigue that interferes with daily life
- Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental effort
- Fever
Respiratory and heart symptoms
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Cough
- Chest pain
- Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations)
Neurological symptoms
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”)
- Headache
- Sleep problems
- Dizziness when you stand up (lightheadedness)
- Pins-and-needles feelings
- Change in smell or taste
- Depression or anxiety
- Digestive symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
Other symptoms
Joint or muscle pain
- Rash
- Changes in menstrual cycles
If you think you or a loved one may have Long COVID, taking a few steps to prepare for your visit with a healthcare provider can make a difference in getting a helpful medical evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment. You play a vital role in helping healthcare providers understand your or your family member’s symptoms and how they affect daily life. Long COVID is defined as new or persistent symptoms occurring 4 or more weeks after acute infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
What to ExpectThe provider you meet with could be a doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or other type of healthcare professional. It may take more than one appointment to evaluate potential Long COVID symptoms and determine a helpful diagnosis to better manage and treat your symptoms. Your provider may ask questions about your medical history, current symptoms, and quality of life. Depending on your symptoms, they may run or order tests to determine a diagnosis and plan for treatment.
Healthcare providers are still learning about Long COVID. CDC continues to work to determine how common these long-term effects are, who is most likely to get them, how long the symptoms typically last, and whether symptoms eventually go away.
DO NOT GIVE UP! Your symptoms are real and your healthcare provider may not understand how to help you.
Do some research to find alternative ways to detox your body by researching natural detox foods, vitamins and therapy.
A natural organic teacher by the name of Barbara O’Neill has great YouTube videos to help steer you in a good direction.
I tried taking garlic pills (detox & anti inflammatory) drinking cucumber & lemon water (detox), 1 teaspoon olive oil with oregano (detox).
Within 3 weeks my fatigue was 80% better, although I still get very tired. Just understand that your body is still fighting the virus, so you really need to rest more often. It is important to understand that you must take things slower and allow yourself time to recover.
Inform yourself of supplements that can help with long Covid: vitamin D and turmeric.
Try drinking green shake drinks of cilantro, kale, cayenne, carrots with banana (to help immune system).
The only one that understands what you’re going through is yourself, therefore find solutions that increases your immune system.
Recovery Takes Time
Often, people go to the doctor expecting a rapid resolution to their illness. You have strep throat, you go to the doctor, get your antibiotic, and then you’re feeling a lot better in a day or two.
But long COVID isn’t one of these situations for most people.
“Once individuals have had symptoms for several months, recovery tends to occur slowly and incrementally,” Abramoff said. “Recovery varies widely. While some people improve over the first few months, there are some people who take months and years to get better. There are still people who got sick with COVID in 2020 who have residual symptoms.”
Something Abramoff and colleagues have noticed in patients is that the severity of the initial infection appears to influence the subsequent severity or persistence of long COVID symptoms. Put simply: The sicker someone was, the more likely they are to have a worse time with long COVID.
No One-Size-Fits-All Treatment
Because we still don’t totally understand the underlying mechanisms of COVID, each person’s treatment for long COVID can be different because it is dictated by their individual symptoms.
These treatments range from occupational and physical therapies to medications and even self-management strategies. So one patient may benefit from receiving medication for joint pain, another undergoes a therapy program to increase endurance, and someone else may just get help in planning their day so that they aren’t overwhelmed by fatigue.
“One of the challenges of treating long COVID is that it presents differently in each patient, so every patient is treated individually,”
Remember: Most Do Recover
A frustrating aspect of recovery from long COVID — but one that’s important to remember — is that it may not be a strictly linear process. Fatigue, for example, is often the most difficult symptom to overcome.
“The typical course of long COVID tends to include fluctuations with good days and bad days,” Abramoff said. “Certain patients also have triggers that can worsen symptoms as well, which could include overexertion, whether that comes from exercise or mental or emotional sources. New illnesses can also cause problems.”
Despite these ups and downs, the numbers indicate that most patients recover. A study out of Israel showed that the majority of patients who had long COVID after a mild infection recovered within a year, and the Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that the rate people reported experiencing long COVID steadily fell from 19 percent in June 2022 to 11 percent in January 2023.
Percentage of people reporting that they currently have or ever had long COVID among those who have had COVID as of January 16, 2023
- 19%16%17%16%15%15%11%17%35%33%30%28%Currently have long COVIDEver had long COVID but not
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