What is restless anal syndrome? : the new symptom associated with COVID-19

The strange case of a patient from 77 years old who contracted COVID-19 has caught the attention of scientists and specialists at Tokyo University Medical Hospital in Japan. Experienced man insomnia, anxiety and a little conventional perianal disorder It got worse when I was resting and at night.

His case attracted the attention of specialists and was published in the magazine BMC Infectious Diseases September 23. There they revealed that the patient had, as a result of the coronavirus, the “Restless anal syndrome”, a pathology that until now had not been associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

In the report, specialists revealed that the patient started with the symptom several weeks after receiving the COVID-19 discharge. Felt “A strange anal sensation” and a constant need to be on the move, as the discomfort increased when he was still and at night.

Symptoms in the anal area

“The patient presented a anal discomfort deep and agitated, about 10 cm from the perineal region. The following characteristics have been observed in the anal area: the need to move is essential, worsening with rest and at night, improving with rest. exercise», Specified the specialists. In this sense, they added that he underwent a colonoscopy and was diagnosed internal hemorrhoids.

“Neurological findings, including the deep tendon reflex, loss of sensation in the perineum and the spinal cord injury did not reveal any abnormalities. Diabetic militias, renal dysfunction and iron deficiency status have not been confirmed, “specialists said after clarifying that the patient had presented. anxiety, sore throat and fever during the illness.

A few weeks after being released for COVID-19, he started with the discomforts in the anal area. This is the first case since the beginning of the pandemic, diagnosed with restless anal syndrome associated with coronavirus.

What is the “Long Covid”?

He is described with more than a dozen symptom which can last for months after testing positive for COVID. Many patients experience debilitating fatigue, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, sleep disturbances and memory and concentration problems, symptoms known as “Mental fog”.

“From each version of coronavirus that we’ve seen on the planet, we have a general rule of thumb that any case of covid – whether asymptomatic, mild, severe, or hospitalized – has a 10-20% risk of developing long covid, and we haven’t seen any exceptions to that, ”he said. Danny altmann, professor of immunology at the Imperial College.

No one really knows what is causing the long covid. Many researchers suspect that these are a number of different conditions with a mix of underlying causes. Some ailments can be driven by the cell damage (like lung scars) that the virus causes when it infects tissue. Another possibility is that the virus persists and forms small reservoirs, for example in the intestine.

What are the symptoms of long covid

Common symptoms include:

• Extreme fatigue (fatigue)
• Pain or tightness in the chest
• Problems with memory and concentration (“brain fog”).
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia).
• Palpitations
• Dizziness
• Articular pain
• Depression and anxiety.
• Tinnitus, earaches.
• Feeling sick, diarrhea, stomach pain, loss of appetite.
• High temperature, cough, headache, sore throat, changes in smell or taste.
• Eruptions