Long Covid: affects 10% of patients and can cause up to 200 symptoms | How long can the discomfort last and what are the consequences

One in ten affected by Covid-19 have symptoms after three months of suffering from the disease, according to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Some of the most common symptoms are lack of smell and taste, migraines, headaches, breathing problems and heart disease, which needs to be controlled by clinical studies and, in many cases, medical treatment.

After overcoming the phase of coronavirus infection, many patients continue to have multiple organs affected. Although there are many hypotheses and studies underway, the WHO has already warned that one in ten people affected by the virus continue to show symptoms up to three months after diagnosis. The coronavirus manifests itself in different ways in different patients and can leave sequelae, generating uncertainty about the symptoms or the severity of the case.

According to the WHO, there are over 200 symptoms that could persist after the patient has been diagnosed with coronavirus. A publication of the National Library of Medicine ensures that 44 percent of patients continue to suffer from headaches; 12 to 78 percent suffer from fatigue (similar to chronic fatigue); while 30 percent report suffering from muscle and joint pain.

The lungs are also affected because in many cases there is a 10 percent reduction in breathing capacity and shortness of breath. Regarding cardiological problems, between 11 and 13 percent report heart damage and myocardial infarction, and 6 percent report having recurrent palpitations and tachycardia.

Anxiety and depression, loss of taste and smell, memory problems and trouble sleeping are other possible long-term side effects that the coronavirus can generate. These symptoms can be disabling and even require medical intervention and rehabilitation., mainly affecting the quality of life of patients at the physical, psychological, emotional, family, professional and socio-economic levels.

Its appearance is unrelated to the severity of the initial infection, so It can affect both patients with mild coronavirus and those who were more severe and hospitalized, and management strategies focus on symptom relief and the performance of related controls.

Silvina Brienza, clinician at the Italian hospital, stressed that “the quality of life of post-covid patients is compromised, and it is essential to control the appearance of these symptoms after having had the disease and to continue monitoring. and possible treatment, indicated by the healthcare professional to transit it ”.

The specialist warned that it is important to be attentive to these symptoms and their continuity over time, as they can be confused with other apparent causes and not lead to the corresponding medical consultation. As he pointed out, doctors and patients alike should be aware of the multiplicity of associated consequences that Covid infection can leave in the body for months after contagion.