What is Long covid? What are the main symptoms and how to treat them?
What is a long crown?
A long-term new crown refers to a series of new, recurrent or persistent health problems that a person still experiences for at least 4 weeks after being infected with Covid-19.
About 10% to 20% of patients will be affected by the new crown after recovering from the initial symptoms of the disease. A survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 19% of U.S. adults who have been diagnosed still have symptoms of the new crown.
A 2022 study in the medical journal (The Lancet) pointed out that people infected with the Omicron variant virus have a 24% to 50% higher risk of contracting the new crown than those infected with the Delta variant.
Why is there a new crown?
Although the reason for how the new crown occurs is still under study, preliminary research points out that it may be because the virus remains in the human body.
What are the symptoms of the new crown?
The most common symptoms include:
fatigue
Cognitive impairment, or brain fog, making it difficult to think or concentrate
fever
Heartbeat
Dizziness
sleep disorder
Shortness of breath
joint or muscle pain
loss of smell
hair loss
Sexual behavior problems such as decreased libido
Who is susceptible to getting the new crown?
Everyone is at risk of contracting the new crown, but preliminary surveys by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) show that people with the following conditions are more likely to have the new crown:
pre-existing conditions such as diabetes
female
Mental illness, including anxiety and depression, before being diagnosed with Covid-19
not vaccinated
Multiple Covid-19 infections
How to treat and recover?
A full recovery from COVID-19 can take weeks, and only in rare cases, symptoms can last up to a year.
If you feel that you are extremely uncomfortable with the new crown and want to seek treatment, Columbia University Irving Medical Center suggests that you should first consult a family doctor or a general clinic. It may be time-consuming and labor-intensive to go directly to a specialist clinic, and you can’t find out why. Therefore, It should be assessed by the primary medical institution first, and then referred to a specialist if necessary. In daily life, if you want to take care of yourself and get well soon, you can start with what you eat. Follow a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, fruits, olive oil, nuts and whole grains. Also remember to eat meat to avoid fatigue, among which chicken and fish are good choices.
Also, when a person is severely ill with COVID-19, it is common to rest and sleep for long periods of time. As a result, they lose nutrients, especially water, so make sure to drink plenty of water, preferably with a water bottle with you.
