Loss of strength, a clear decrease in performance, difficulty concentrating and remembering are typical symptoms of COVID-19. According to statistics, from 10 to 35% of those who have been ill are concerned about typical post-COVID symptoms, and 85% of hospitalized patients experience shortness of breath, pain in the heart and joints, and neurological disorders. Fatigue is the most common concern — it is mentioned by 17 to 72% of those who have had Covid.
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To find out if you have post-COVID symptoms, take a rapid test:
1. Have you had COVID-19 in the last year?
2. Do you notice a breakdown, fatigue, decreased concentration and motivation?
3. Do you suffer from insomnia, sleep disorders?
4. Have you noticed that familiar foods smell strange and do not cause appetite, or do you have a distortion of smell and taste?
5. Have you seen a doctor about feeling unwell after recovering from the coronavirus?
6. Have you experienced a severe form of COVID-19 with a “cytokine storm”?
7. Do you have chronic diseases (cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrinological) overweight?
8. Are you experiencing signs of anxiety, anxiety, panic attacks?
9. Do you notice that your head hurts more often than before?
If you answered “yes” to three or more questions, you can assume the presence of post-COVID syndrome. The questionnaire is not a way to make a diagnosis. Consultation with a specialist is required.
Post covid syndrome: what is it?
According to statistics, poor health can bother a person even a year after a full recovery from COVID-19. This condition is called “post-covid syndrome” – its symptoms usually appear in the period from 12 weeks or more after infection. Post-COVID conditions are more common in people who have had a severe form of COVID-19, but are quite common in those who have had a mild and even asymptomatic form.
Important!
Synonyms for post-COVID syndrome:
- long-term COVID-19
- chronic COVID-19
- post-acute COVID-19
- long-term consequences of COVID-19
- long-term covid
How does post-covid syndrome manifest itself
Post-COVID-19 conditions can include a wide range of health problems and can last for weeks, months, or years. Sometimes the symptoms may disappear and then return again.
General manifestations:
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fatigue;
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general weakness;
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disease after physical or mental exertion.
Neurological manifestations:
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difficulty thinking or concentrating – brain fog;
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headache;
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sleep problems;
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dizziness, including sudden changes in body position;
- < p role="presentation">a pin or needle prickling sensation on the skin;
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change in smell or taste;
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permanent alarm.
In addition, shortness of breath or shortness of breath, cough, chest discomfort, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), pain in the joints or muscles, menstrual irregularities may disturb.
Who has post-covid syndrome more often
< p>At greater risk of development are:
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those who have had a severe form of the disease, especially those who have been hospitalized or need intensive care;< /p>
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people with chronic diseases;
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unvaccinated recovered patients;
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patients who experienced multisystem inflammatory syndrome (“cytokine storm”) during or after COVID-19 .
How to help yourself with post-COVID syndrome
With post-Covid syndrome affecting millions of people who have recovered from COVID-19 and significantly affecting quality of life and well-being, the efforts of the medical community today are focused on finding effective treatments and remedies that can reduce unpleasant symptoms.
Rehabilitation plans can include both non-drug and medication options.
Things you can do yourself
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Reduce the amount of stress in your life.
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Try not to follow the news about the next round of the pandemic in a constant mode. Take breaks from watching, reading or listening to the news, including social media. This will help reduce stress levels.
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Take time to relax.
Important!
Try the progressive muscle relaxation technique.
Alternately, for a few seconds, tense and then relax the muscles of the body. First tighten the muscles of both feet, literally not a few seconds, then relax them. After that, tighten the muscles of both legs and relax too. Sequentially move on to tensing and relaxing the muscles:
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thighs;
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buttocks;< /p>
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press;
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brushes;
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shoulders;
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back;
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neck;
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face.
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forearms;
At the end of the exercise, note that all muscles are relaxed. If not, tense them again separately.
After that, take a few deep breaths and rest for a few minutes.
- Ensure yourself quality sleep.
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Turn off your mobile phone and TV an hour before bedtime.
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Ventilate the room.
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Turn off noisy appliances.
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Dim the lights.
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Put things away beforehand so you don't get irritated by clutter.
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Add pleasant aromas with a diffuser or aroma lamp. In addition to relaxing, the pleasant smells of lavender and bergamot can be a training for the sense of smell.
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Don't eat a lot before bed, but don't go hungry either. The ideal dinner option is fish or poultry with vegetables 2-3 hours before bedtime.
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Keep yourself emotional.
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You are not alone, keep in touch with people who can help you with household chores or emotional support. Talk to someone you trust about your concerns and how you feel. It can be real and virtual friends, family, even members of public organizations.
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To understand if there is an improvement in the psychological state and how fast it is, journaling can help. Recordings will help sort through thoughts, feelings, physical sensations.
What medications can be useful for recovering from COVID-19
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For identified deficiencies, discuss with your doctor the appropriateness of taking iron supplementsand vitamin D.
Important!
People aged 18 to 50 years are recommended to get at least 600-800 IU of the vitamin per day to prevent vitamin deficiency. For those over 50 years of age, at least 800–1000 IU of vitamin D per day is recommended to prevent deficiency. p>
Colecalciferol and ergocalciferol may be used for prophylaxis.
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Neurological symptoms such as deterioration in memory and attention, sleep quality, performance, greatly affect the quality human life and require attention and correction.
For neurological disorders, Brainmax can be used.
This is a unique development of Russian scientists, which has no analogues in composition and action.
Due to the multimodality of therapeutic effects and complex effects, Brainmax is used for various neurological disorders:
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chronic fatigue;
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attention impairment;
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memory impairment;
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forgetfulness.
The drug optimizes the work of brain cells, restores the processes of oxygen delivery even in conditions of forced hypoxia. And this enhances the body's capabilities during hard work and high physical exertion, as well as after an illness (including after COVID-19).
The drug works at three levels at once: neuronal, vascular and metabolic.
The course of treatment lasts 10–14 days.
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It is possible that in the near future drugs such as montelukast and deupirfenidone will be used to treat respiratory complications. The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and various sets of breathing exercises will also expand.
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The dietary supplement nicotinamide riboside appears promising for alleviating cognitive symptoms and fatigue. Its ability to regulate the pro-inflammatory response is being studied in clinical studies.
The use of vitamin C and other antioxidants has not yet been proven effective in the treatment of post-COVID syndrome.
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