Long-COVID FAQs
1.What is 'Long-COVID'?
It is useful to have an idea of terminology, in relation to the duration of symptoms.
Acute COVID infection is defined as signs and symptoms of COVID, for up to 4 weeks.
Ongoing symptomatic COVID is signs and symptoms of COVID, from 4 to up to 12 weeks, following the acute infection.
Post-COVID syndrome (or what is more typically referred to as 'long-COVID’) is signs and symptoms that develop during or after COVID infection, lasting for 12 weeks or more.
Symptoms might include:
feeling tired
shortness of breath
cough
chest pain
chest tightness
palpitations
dizziness
difficulty sleeping
depressed mood or anxiety
'brain fog', or poor concentration
pins and needles
joints pains
nausea, vomiting
abdominal pains
diarrhoea
rashes, skin changes
loss or change to smell
sore throat
ringing in ears, earache
As the list demonstrates, many different areas of the body could be affected by the condition. Breathlessness and fatigue are thought to be the most common post-COVID symptoms.
The symptoms might be persistent, or might be intermittent, coming and going, or even changing with time.
2. Who does Long-COVID affect?
The latest evidence suggests that anyone can suffer from long-COVID.
It is not known, yet, why.
Surprisingly, it doesn't seem to be linked with the severity of the initial infection.
This means even people who didn't require hospital admission initially with COVID, might still suffer from long-COVID symptoms.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest 1 in 5 people with a positive COVID test have symptoms for 5 weeks or more.
It is now thought that 2-5% of those who had COVID, might still experience symptoms some 12 weeks later.
3. What should I do if I think I have long-COVID?
The first thing to do would be to make an appointment with your GP.
Keeping a diary or timeline of your symptoms may be helpful for your initial appointment.
Here at Sloane Square Medical, we have experience dealing with patients with long-COVID and would be happy to help you.
One of the things we would start with is by taking a full history, finding out more about your symptoms, followed by a full examination, with a particular focus on the areas in which you have symptoms.
We will also take a look at how your symptoms are affecting your day-to-day life.
We would then go on to arrange some tests for you, to help confirm that your symptoms are caused by long-COVID rather than an alternative diagnosis.
For example, anaemia (a low blood count) can cause tiredness and shortness of breath, thyroid problems could cause tiredness, and changes in bowel habits and skin.
If there is an alternative, reversible cause, we would aim to treat that in the first instance, before moving on to the next steps.
4. How do you treat long-COVID?
Currently, there is no 'cure' for the condition, however, there are a number of supportive treatments we can help you with to manage your symptoms.
We would recommend a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach, working with specialist consultants, psychologists, and physiotherapists where appropriate.
5. When to worry?
If you have severe or worsening chest pain or shortness of breath, it is important to consult with a doctor as soon as possible.
COVID has been linked with some serious conditions, including inflammation of the heart and blood clots in the lung vessels.
Although these are uncommon, it is important to consult with a doctor if you are concerned.
6. Tips on managing 'Long-COVID'
As people's symptoms can be diverse, how they should be managed is also varied.
It is important to stay positive, despite the difficult times, as a positive mindset has been shown to improve outcomes in both physical and mental health conditions.
Try to set yourself regular and realistic weekly goals.
Talk to others about what you are going through, including online support groups.
Speak to your employer about what you can reasonably manage at work, and consider adaptions where necessary.
'Your COVID recovery' is a very good NHS resource, helping you with the process of recovering from COVID.
It is important to remember that recovery time following any infection varies from person to person; we can support you during this process.
Please get in touch if you would like to book an appointment to discuss your symptoms and individualised management plan further. Visit our appointments page or our contact us page to arrange an appointment with one of our GPs today.
Dr Hiraj Siraj