What the “long haulers” of the Coronavirus can expect
Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, millions of people around the planet have familiarized themselves with the symptoms of COVID-19. This was to be able to recognize the signs in themselves and family members to signal the possible need to take the eternally hated nose swab.
From the first sign of the crippling sickness – both physically and economically – health officials warned as symptoms for COVID-19 being fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
As time marched through the pandemic like a football team wearing extra-large cleats, new symptoms began to surface. People who are experiencing trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, bluish lips or face, or the inability to stay awake were directed to seek immediate medical help.
The trouble with all the new and up-to-date medical information is not that the populace learns of a new symptom they did not originally consider, it is there is little to no information about the residual effects of the coronavirus. Many people recover from the coronavirus (a respiratory illness medically named SARS-CoC-2). However, quite of few of the ones who have recovered are facing new obstacles; the residual effects of COVID-19.
Even though some people only experience mild to moderate symptoms, they are still left with the lingering aftereffects of it. The ones left to deal with the residual effects, called the long haulers, can quite possibly deal with effects that mirror their original symptoms.
According to the CDC, the residual effects most commonly are fatigue, shortness of breath, lingering cough, joint or chest pain, muscle pain or headache, fast or pounding heartbeat, loss of smell or taste, memory, concentration or sleep problems, rash or hair loss. The real unlucky ones might get aftereffects that are more than just an annoyance, possibly even fatal.
Some people have experienced organ damage. Images tests taken on patients’ hearts month after recovery have shown lasting damage to the heart. This could increase the risk of heart failure, or other heart complications.
The coronavirus is a respiratory illness thus it brings a type of pneumonia. This, in turn, can cause damage to the tiny air sacs, also known as alveoli, in the lungs. This can cause long term issues by leaving scar tissue and making it difficult to breathe.
Another organ that can be affected by COVID-19 is the brain. Studies show that the virus can cause strokes, and Guillain-Barre syndrome – a condition that causes temporary paralysis. It has also been linked to Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s. Typically, older people or people with medical issues are more prone to the residuals. However, the effects to the brain have been known to even attack young people.
The virus is known to attack more than just organs. It can make survivors have blood clot and blood vessel issues. The coronavirus can make blood cells clump and form clots. Even though large blood clots tend to cause heart attacks and strokes, small clots can damage as well. It is believed that the majority of heart damage caused by COVID-19 stems from tiny blood clots that block the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in the heart. Of course, blood clots can also damage the lungs, kidneys and liver.
The COVID-19 virus can take a toll on the patient as it is wreaking havoc on their body. The aftereffects might quite possibly be just as damaging. Some health officials believe that the patient could develop PTSD after being hooked up to ventilators and other medical apparatuses.
The trauma of being kept alive by machinery can not only cause a patient to develop PTSD, but also extreme depression or anxiety. Some survivors battle with chronic fatigue syndrome, which is a complex disorder characterized by extreme fatigue in a patient. Typically, it worsens with physical or mental activity, but does not decrease with rest.
As terrifying as the list for the long haulers can be, it is even more terrifying to think that the coronavirus is so new that some of the residual effects have yet to surface. What if the new ones are worse as the virus rages on?