What is chronic COVID-19 and who threatens it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The coronavirus can ruin your life for a long time.

What is chronic COVID-19

Chronic COVID-19 is a condition in which a person experiences severe weakness, body aches, shortness of breath and other symptoms for more than 3 months. Doctors observe Long haulers: Why some people experience long-term coronavirus symptoms in thousands of people around the world. These patients never regained their health and performance, although weeks and even months have passed since the test-confirmed recovery.

Today, such a protracted illness in the English-language media and on the forums is called longcovid (English long COVID-19 - "long-term COVID-19"). In the US, people with this condition call themselves "COVID-19 (coronavirus): Long-term effects truckers." But the terminology has not yet been established. Some scientists believe Chronic COVID Syndrome: Need for an appropriate medical terminology for Long ‑ COVID and COVID Long ‑ Haulers, that chronic COVID syndrome (or chronic covid syndrome, chronic coronavirus syndrome) would be a more correct definition of this condition.

In general, doctors are inclined to believe that the course of COVID-19 can be divided into Long COVID and chronic COVID syndromes into three phases:

• Sharp. This is the first manifestation of the disease with characteristic symptoms: dry cough, fever, weakness, shortness of breath.
• Post-acute (post-covid). This is when signs of the disease in one form or another appear for more than 3 weeks.
• Chronic (chronic COVID syndrome). They talk about him if health problems after a coronavirus infection last longer than 12 weeks.

The last two phases are often combined under the term "longcovid".

It is not necessary that every sick person will go through all the stages of coronavirus infection. But there are still risks of facing post-acute and even chronic COVID-19. And quite large.

What are the symptoms of chronic COVID-19

The fact that the consequences of infection with coronavirus can haunt a lifetime, we wrote in detail here. And they listed the organs and systems that are affected by the disease. For example, COVID-19 sometimes seriously disrupts the cardiovascular system, leads to thrombosis, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, kidney damage, and so on. However, the manifestations of chronic COVID syndrome can be much more varied.

In the COVID-19 “Long Hauler” Symptoms Survey. The Survey Report, conducted by one of the largest American support groups for longcovid patients, lists 50 main symptoms. The most common ones are:

• Constant tiredness.
• Pains of unknown origin in muscles and different parts of the body.
• Breathing problems, such as not being able to take a deep breath or feeling short of breath on a regular basis.
• Serious impaired concentration, inability to focus on work and daily tasks.
• Inability to exercise or even maintain normal physical activity. For many people, walking 100 meters is already a feat. And attempts to run or pedal for 20 minutes lead to a deterioration in well-being.
• Headache.
• Persistent insomnia and other sleep problems.
• Anxiety, up to panic attacks.
• Memorization problems.
• Regular severe dizziness when the ground slips from underfoot.
• Attacks of squeezing sensations or even chest pain.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 and other bizarre but popular manifestations of Longcovid. For example, about regular tachycardia - attacks of rapid heartbeat, not associated with physical activity. Or wandering fever, when the temperature rises and falls below normal and this condition continues for weeks. Or skin rashes that can occur on any part of the body at any time.

Who is at risk of getting chronic COVID-19

This is unpredictable. Longcovid appears even in young and healthy people COVID-19 (coronavirus): Long-term effects who have survived the acute phase of the disease easily or asymptomatically. Patients sometimes find out about the asymptomatic course when they come to be examined with complaints of sudden health problems and a blood test reveals antibodies to the SARS ‑ CoV ‑ 2 coronavirus.

Preliminary studies show that from 10 Management of post ‑ acute covid ‑ 19 in primary care to 87 Persistent Symptoms in Patients After Acute COVID ‑ 19% of those who have recovered from COVID-19 to one degree or another.

Given that large-scale studies have not yet been conducted to assess the prevalence of Longcovid, experts believe the Long-term Health Consequences of COVID-19 that "a large number of patients" will become familiar with it. In general, absolutely everyone is at risk.

How long does chronic COVID-19 last

There is no exact information. Scientists acknowledge COVID-19 (coronavirus): Long-term effects, that not all possible consequences of coronavirus infection have been studied - and, probably, unpleasant surprises await us.

According to the widespread theory of Long haulers: Why some people experience long-term coronavirus symptoms, the coronavirus remains in the body forever or for a very long time. And this infection, becoming chronic, can become acute at any time.

It is assumed that Long haulers: Why some people experience long-term coronavirus symptoms that most of the "truckers" one day will still be able to recover and return to normal life. But how long it will take in each case cannot be predicted.

How to treat chronic COVID-19

So far, there is no magic pill and even more or less standardized therapy. Longcoid patients are most often treated only symptomatically with Long-term effects of coronavirus (long COVID). Your doctor may recommend or prescribe medications to help relieve pain, relieve anxiety, and soothe irritated skin.

If the symptoms of chronic COVID-19 strongly affect the patient's life, for example, do not allow him to work and care for himself, he may be sent to a specialized rehabilitation clinic. A network of such centers already exists in the UK Long COVID patients to get help at more than 60 clinics and the USA Post-COVID-19 clinics help survivors recover.

Back in October 2020, WHO called on the Long-term symptoms of COVID-19 ‘really concerning’, says the WHO chief of the world's heads of state to provide specialized care and rehabilitation for people suffering from the lingering effects of COVID-19.

And clinics are needed not only by the "truckers" themselves. Doctors, by observing patients and trying different therapies, hope Long COVID patients to get help at more than 60 clinics better understand how chronic COVID-19 develops. And still find a way to treat him.

Is it possible to somehow protect against chronic COVID-19

If you have already contracted the coronavirus, you cannot guarantee that the disease will not develop into a long-term form. Perhaps you are lucky and do without consequences. You may feel unwell for several weeks. Or maybe longcovid will appear three months after recovery.

All you can do to keep yourself safe is to try not to get infected at all. The best Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 strategies for this you probably know by heart. However, in this case, repetition will not be superfluous.

• Wear a mask in public.
• Try to keep a social distance - at least 1.5-1.8 meters from other people.
• If possible, avoid crowded places: supermarkets and public transport during rush hours, meetings, mass festivities.
• Try not to interact with other people in confined or poorly ventilated areas.
• Wash your hands often with warm water and soap or treat them with an antiseptic.
• Wean yourself off the habit of touching your face.

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