The senses of smell and taste are related, and because the coronavirus can affect cells in the nose, having COVID-19 can result in altered or lost senses of smell or taste.
Lost or distorted senses of smell and taste after COVID-19 If the coronavirus infection caused kidney damage, this can raise the risk of long-term kidney disease and the need for dialysis. This inflammation appeared even in those who had had a mild case of COVID-19 and who had no medical issues before they got sick. In fact, one study showed that 60% of people who recovered from COVID-19 had signs of ongoing heart inflammation, which could lead to the common symptoms of shortness of breath, palpitations and rapid heartbeat. SARS-CoV-2 infection can leave some people with heart problems, including inflammation of the heart muscle. Breathing exercises and respiratory therapy can help. Experts say it can take months for a person’s lung function to return to pre-COVID-19 levels. Lung recovery after COVID-19 is possible, but takes time. Breathing issues after COVID-19Ī bad case of COVID-19 can produce scarring and other permanent problems in the lungs, but even mild infections can cause persistent shortness of breath - getting winded easily after even light exertion. Other issues include cognitive problems, difficulty concentrating, depression, muscle pain, headache, rapid heartbeat and intermittent fever. What are the long-term effects of coronavirus infection?Īccording to the CDC, the most common lasting symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, joint pain and chest pain. “Patients who were never severely ill are coming to clinic and saying that their lives are different now,” Brigham says. Some are minor, but other people may need continuing care and even readmission to the hospital.” She notes that similar, lingering problems can affect patients with other serious illnesses.īut what’s curious is that it seems post-COVID-19 syndrome is not just afflicting people who were very sick with the coronavirus. Mental health problems can arise from grief and loss, unresolved pain or fatigue, or from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU).īrigham says, “We're seeing a spectrum of symptoms after acute COVID-19, some of which would be expected after other critical illnesses. SARS-CoV-2 can attack the body in a range of ways, causing damage to the lungs, heart, nervous system, kidneys, liver and other organs.
They could be due to organ damage, a persistent inflammatory or autoimmune response or another reason. More studies will shed light on why these stubborn health problems persist in some people. In fact, long COVID can happen in people who have mild symptoms. While it’s clear that people with certain risk factors (including high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, obesity and other conditions) are more likely to have a serious bout of COVID-19, there isn’t a clear link between these risk factors and long-term problems. People living with post-COVID syndrome are sometimes known as “long haulers.” What causes post-COVID syndrome? More common terms are post-COVID syndrome, long COVID or long-term COVID. The National Institutes of Health refer to long-term COVID-19 symptoms as PASC, which stands for post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2. If tested, the person would test negative for the coronavirus, but they might be severely debilitated nonetheless. In such patients, there is no longer live coronavirus running amok in the body. But others experience lingering health problems even when they have recovered from the acute phase of the illness. Mild or moderate COVID-19 lasts about two weeks for most people. Tae Chung, M.D., a specialist in neurology and physical medicine and rehabilitation Megan Hosey, Ph.D., an expert in rehabilitation psychology, Arun Venkatesan, M.D., Ph.D., a specialist in neurology Amanda Morrow, M.D., an expert in pediatric rehabilitation medicine and Emily Brigham, M.D., M.P.H., who specializes in lung disease and critical care, discuss long-term COVID-19, what symptoms are most common and what those affected by them can expect. What happens when COVID-19 symptoms don’t go away? In some people who recover from COVID-19, lingering health problems can wreak havoc for months.