Post-COVID Syndrome

Most individuals who have COVID-19 recover fully within a couple of weeks. But some people-- even those that had mild versions of the illness-- continue to experience symptoms after their initial recovery.

These individuals sometimes describe themselves as "long-haulers," and the conditions have been called "post-COVID-19 syndrome" or "long COVID-19." These health issues also are occasionally called "post-COVID-19 conditions." These health issues are generally considered to be effects of COVID-19 that persist for more than four weeks after people have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Older individuals and people with several serious medical conditions are the most likely to experience lingering COVID-19 symptoms, but also young, otherwise healthy people can feel ill for weeks to months after infection.

Common signs and symptoms that remain over time include:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Cough
• Joint pain
• Chest pain
• Memory, concentration, or sleep problems
• Muscle pain or headache
• Rapid or pounding heartbeat
• Loss of smell or taste
• Depression or anxiety
• Fever
• Dizziness when standing
• Worsened symptoms after physical or mental activities

Organ damage caused by COVID-19

Although COVID-19 is seen as an illness that primarily affects the lungs, it can damage several other organs, as well. This organ damage might raise the risk of long-term health problems.

Organs that may be affected by COVID-19 include:

Heart

Imaging tests taken months after recovery from COVID-19 have shown lasting damage to the heart, even in individuals that experienced only mild COVID-19 symptoms. This may increase the risk of heart failure or other heart problems in the future.

Lungs

The type of pneumonia commonly linked to COVID-19 can cause long-lasting damage to the small air sacs, or alveoli, in the lungs. The resulting scar tissue can cause long-term breathing problems.

Brain

Even in young people, COVID-19 can lead to strokes, seizures and Guillain-Barre syndrome-- a condition that results in temporary paralysis. COVID-19 also can increase the risk of getting Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Some adults and children experience multisystem inflammatory syndrome after they have been infected with COVID-19. In this condition, some organs and tissues become severely inflamed.

Blood clots, blood vessel problems

COVID-19 can make blood cells more likely to clump and form clots. While large clots can lead to heart attacks and strokes, a lot of the heart damage caused by COVID-19 is believed to come from small clots that block tiny blood vessels, or capillaries, in the heart.

Other parts of the body affected by blood clots include the lungs, legs, liver, and kidneys. COVID-19 also can weaken blood vessels and cause them to leak, which results in potentially long-lasting problems with the liver and kidneys.

Problems with mood, fatigue

People that have severe symptoms of COVID-19 often have to be treated in a hospital's ICU with mechanical aid, such as ventilators to breathe. Merely surviving this experience can make an individual more likely to, later on, develop post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.

Because it's hard to predict long-term outcomes from COVID-19, scientists are examining the long-term effects seen in similar viruses, such as the coronavirus that causes the severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

Many people who have recovered from SARS have gone on to develop chronic fatigue syndrome, a complex disorder identified by extreme fatigue that worsens with physical or mental activity but doesn't improve with rest. The same might be true for individuals that have been infected with COVID-19.

COVID-19 outcomes still not known

Much is still unknown about how COVID-19 will affect individuals with time, but research is ongoing. Researchers recommend that health care providers carefully monitor people that have been infected with COVID-19 to see how their organs function after recovery.

A number of large medical centers are opening specialized centers to care for people who have persistent symptoms or related illnesses after they recover from COVID-19. Support groups are available, too.

It's important to keep in mind that most individuals who are infected with COVID-19 recover quickly. But the potentially long-lasting effects of COVID-19 make it even more important to minimize the spread of COVID-19 by following precautions. This includes using masks, social distancing, avoiding crowds, receiving a vaccine when available, and keeping hands clean.

For further information about Dr. Stengler’s practice and his clinic in Carlsbad, California, please visit our website at MarkStengler.com or give us a call at (760) 274-2377