How do you know if COVID-19 has left traces in your body? [WE EXPLAIN]

Proven content

COVID-19, like other viral infections, can cause symptoms that persist for a long time after recovery. Research to establish the relationship between the severity of COVID-19 and the frequency, type and duration of adverse symptoms is ongoing. It turns out that the so-called long COVID-19 occurs not only in people who have had an acute infection, but also in those who have had relatively mild disease. But does medicine have a way of dealing with it? How to recognize that COVID-19 has left traces in our body?

1. Doctors estimate that one in five healers may have long-term symptoms after COVID-19
2. Most often, patients complain of chronic fatigue, insomnia, headaches, but also hair loss or shortness of breath.
3. Experts say what should be worrying and require consultation with a specialist
4. Do you want to live longer? Make a simple test and find out how!
5. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Long COVID-19 – what is it?

So far, we have not had an official definition of “long COVID” (long COVID-19) or post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS), however it is assumed that these are symptoms related to SARS-CoV-2 infection that persist for more than four weeks from the first symptoms.

On the other hand, medicine has long been using the concept of the so-called post-viral syndrome, i.e. a complex of complications following a viral infection. Almost every such infection leaves a post-infection syndrome after the acute phase in several or a dozen or so percent of cases. These can be complications after infection with the flu virus, EBV, Herpes virus, rhinoviruses or coronaviruses that cause colds. The post-infectious syndrome most commonly includes chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and headaches. Analogously to «post-viral syndrome» we can observe «post-COVID-19 syndrome» which is probably similar.

– The study conducted by the Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Łódź, available at symptycovid.pl, shows that as much as 20 percent people admitted that their health did not return to the state it was before the disease – says Dr. Paweł Lewek, family doctor from the Le-Med clinic in Łódź. – So it can be estimated that long COVID affects one in five patients.

What are the symptoms of long COVID-19?

People who have had COVID-19 mildly report a variety of complaints

— The most common symptoms are non-specific symptoms, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, difficulty concentrating, irritability, fatigue, headaches, and changes in the sense of smell. – says Dr. Paweł Basiukiewicz, cardiologist, specialist in internal diseases, head of the Observation and Infectious Department of the Western Hospital in Grodzisk Mazowiecki.

– The symptoms of long covid are very rich – adds Dr. Lewek. – Patients also complain of shortness of breath, weakness, sleep problems, problems with the choice of words, the so-called mental fog, palpitations, dizziness, joint pain, tinnitus or squeals, increased temperature and olfactory hallucinations.

Dr. Katarzyna Śleziak-Barglik, head of the primary care clinic in Ruda Śląska, supplements the list with hair loss, hypothyroidism, heart rhythm disturbances and problems with pressure. On the other hand, Dr. Marcin Strumiłło, head of the NZOZ “Poradnia Łodzianka” in Łódź, mentions dry coughing and slightly worse saturation. He also notes that sleep disturbances involve both induction, i.e. getting into sleep, and maintenance of sleep, i.e. latency.

According to the latest studies, the most common symptoms of long covid include (from the most common): fatigue, headaches, problems with attention, hair loss, hearing problems, shortness of breath, taste and smell disorders, increased number of breaths after physical activity, joint pain, cough and sweating.

– I am an example of a person with an olfactory disorder – says Dr. Strumiłło. – I was ill with COVID-19 in November and so far the sense of smell is not as good as it was before the infection. I have about 10 percent left. and I must admit that I feel it every day. However, most of my patients say the sense of smell comes back, so I am perhaps the exception.

– In some publications, mainly the popular ones, it is stated that the post-COVID-19 syndrome occurs more often and has more serious consequences – adds Dr. Basiukiewicz. However, there is no direct evidence of this as a well-designed prospective study comparing post-viral syndrome with post-COVID-19 syndrome under the same conditions.

It is impossible not to mention one more symptom often reported by convalescents, which is low mood. In this case, doctors are not convinced whether it is caused by the social and economic situation of the pandemic or by disease.

– And what exactly is caused is already the domain of psychologists and psychiatrists – says Dr. Strumiłło.

How long do symptoms of long COVID-19 last?

– Although most people, after contracting COVID-19, return to their pre-disease state up to 12 weeks after the onset of the disease, some report symptoms that last much longer – says Dr. Paweł Lewek.

– Symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection disappear in the vast majority of people after less than two weeks, in about 15 percent. last more than four weeks, and in about 5 percent. over eight weeks – explains Dr. Paweł Basiukiewicz. – Only 1 – 2 percent may last longer.

– It is a very individual matter – says Dr. Strumiłło – because there are patients who report these ailments for a month, some who report longer and some who report it for a little shorter time.

To date, no association of long COVID-19 with gender, age, race, health problems, virus dose or course of infection has been established, so it is not known what predisposes to the chronic course of the disease.

– Since the observation period for COVID-19 is just over a year – adds Dr. Lewek – it is currently impossible to say how long the symptoms of long COVID last. They may even be over 12 months old.

1. See also: “Long tail COVID-19” disappears after vaccination? The story of the 34-year-old is optimistic

How do doctors diagnose long COVID-19?

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, far too little information has been gathered to determine what post-COVID screening should be performed. Primary care physicians derive their knowledge mainly from foreign scientific publications, however, the results of subsequent tests flowing out practically every day would have to be organized and adapted to Polish realities, because, for example, only post-hospital patients have a chance to quickly get to a pulmonary clinic. There are still no guidelines from our experts. POZ doctors count on an active and dynamic national consultant of family medicine, prof. Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas, who has so far collected a lot of useful information for them.

– I do not even want to suggest such research – emphasizes Dr. Strumiłło. – Patients come to us who have read something somewhere and often insist on an x-ray of the lungs. But nothing will come of it, because the most common changes after COVID-19 will not be visible on X-rays, they are only visible in computed tomography. I assume that additional diagnostics is supposed to serve some purpose, a therapeutic decision should follow it, because my task is to treat, and not to conduct a scientific research. In this case, no treatment follows the abnormal test result. We have to leave this question to science because at the moment we don’t know what to do with an incorrect result. Another thing is that the patient may feel short of breath because some new disease has developed. Both the doctor and the patient must be vigilant, differentiate the pocovidic disease symptoms from the new disease entity.

Dr. Śleziak-Barglik auscultates survivors with chronic cough and directs them to X-rays, as in some of them the X-ray shows interstitial pneumonia. In this case, the next step is a referral to a pulmonary clinic. In patients who develop Hashimoto’s – thyroiditis, type II diabetes or cardiac arrhythmias, he uses diagnostics typical for individual diseases. In general, the course of the procedure is such that initial diagnostics takes place as part of primary health care, and patients with worse results are referred to specialists.

When asked if convalescents should report even minor symptoms of post-COVID-19 to their GP, medics say yes.

– I would not want the patient to expect that after a mild transition of COVID-19 he should have some tests done – says Dr. Strumiłło. – However, he should report to the doctor that he has persistent symptoms, because for us this is important information, we will now think and decide what to do with it. However, I emphasize that there is no workflow and no specific research that you definitely need to do. Each time we have to look individually, think about what diagnosis or treatment to implement.

What do doctors advise to patients who have long COVID-19?

Patients are most concerned that they will not be able to fully recover from before the infection. They are worried that their ailments may worsen if they fall ill again, which is why they want quick and effective help. Meanwhile, they are now advised to exercise, monitor laboratory parameters and … be patient, because there is no drug for post-COVID-19 syndrome as such.

– My observations show that, for example, hair loss is a symptom that disappears – says Dr. Strumiłło. – Just wait. Each time we have to think carefully about how to treat a given symptom, because we do not treat hair loss, but hair loss in the course of COVID-19, and there is no treatment for that. Everything is based on symptomatic treatment and observation, sometimes the implementation of blind treatment, but in such a way as to relieve the patient and not harm.

In sleep disorders, melatonin is very often administered – a hormone naturally secreted during sleep. Dr. Śleziak-Barglik prescribes inhalation steroids for overactive cough, and for the disturbances of the senses of taste and smell, he recommends sets of B vitamins.

– Two weeks of “dying” at home result in a significant loss of strength and you have to slowly start up – says Dr. Śleziak-Barglik. – In case of fatigue, I recommend a gradual return to activity. Slowly, first a week of walking, then a week of brisk walks, then jogging and walking, and finally returning to full activity. This is usually an effective method – he adds.

Dr. Paweł Lewek also notes the beneficial effects of physical activity: – Patients at home can use standard exercises and general developmental gymnastics, which improves the overall efficiency of the body and is a good method of maintaining fitness after any illness. The healthier, more trained the body, the better. There are also breathing exercises that will improve the flow of air to the lungs. While there are currently no studies to support this, the recommendations are common sense.

– Hopefully, over time, damaged tissues will regenerate and your symptoms will diminish or disappear. However, longer observations are needed to say with certainty whether this will be the case, adds Dr. Lewek.

Do not underestimate any symptoms of long COVID-19

– Let us report them to the doctor – says Dr. Strumiłło. – I collect such data in my clinic. I have selected patients diagnosed with COVID-19. As soon as there is a treatment or diagnosis regimen for a given pocovid symptom, we will certainly implement it in the facility. At the moment, it remains for our patients to report symptoms and rely on us. Let’s not wait with informing the doctor, but at the same time be patient. The more information we collect, the more likely we are to be able to treat it properly. In addition, a large proportion of mild pocovidal symptoms resolve spontaneously, which reassures both us and our patients.

– Many media repeat scary-sounding names and emphasize how dangerous post-COVID-19 is – worries Dr. Basiukiewicz. – Such a narrative, aimed at an increasingly stressed audience, creates an ideal environment for the emergence of the so-called nocebo effect, i.e. the inverse of the placebo effect. As a result of placebo, there are positive health effects of activities that do not have a direct biological effect, and as a result of the nocebo, there are negative health effects of activities that do not have a direct biological effect. Today the situation is favorable for the nocebo effect – adds Dr. Basiukiewicz. – Chronic stress, life in all aspects harmful to health, fear for the future, frightening news from the media reinforce the negative impact of the disease, which is the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection. They also enhance the post-COVID-19 effect.

Dr. Paweł Basiukiewicz claims that the patients with whom he comes into contact in his practice are most often under chronic stress. They are afraid for the future, they have typical psychosomatic symptoms of anxiety known to every internist. Such as: palpitations, prickling in the chest, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, sometimes loss of appetite. This usually requires basic somatic diagnosis carefully and without over-arousing fear.

– There is no specific cure for the syndrome of post-infectious complications – sums up Dr. Basiukiewcz. – Most often it is enough to talk to the patient, to calm down the patient and to invite him to a follow-up visit. The symptoms disappear with time.

This may interest you:

1. Jaundice, mumps, polio – can you be vaccinated after having an infectious disease?
2. Poles are increasingly afraid of COVID-19, but they do not want to vaccinate anyway
3. How not to get coronavirus on Easter? These are the most risky activities

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.Now you can use e-consultation also free of charge under the National Health Fund.