After-effects of COVID-19

After-effects of COVID-19: how to treat the symptoms of Post-Covid syndrome

We are now well-acquainted with the common symptoms of COVID-19: fever, dry cough and fatigue. Some people also experience muscle aches, sore throat and loss of taste or smell. Those with mild disease can expect to improve after a few weeks. But there’s mounting evidence that COVID-19 may leave a long-lasting impression on its victims, not just the most severely affected.

The scientific world now faces a new challenge: understanding and treating long-haul COVID-19 symptoms.

Although this is a new scenario, there is now sufficient scientific evidence to understand COVID-19’s after-effects or persistent symptoms and determine what needs to be addressed. “Many people who overcome the coronavirus continue to have symptoms or sequelae after their initial recovery. This is known as Post-COVID Syndrome. As it is a new disease, the truth is that the impact is have after recovery from the virus it is still not completely known, but little by little new possible consequences on our health are being discovered“, points out Dr. Vicente Mera, head of the Internal Medicine unit at SHA Wellness Clinic.

It affects more than the lungs

”Almost as many symptoms have been described as there are parts of the body: neurological (such as headache), digestive, cardiac, respiratory, ophthalmological, musculoskeletal, endocrine, coagulation, urinary and psychological disorders“, says Dr Vicente Mera. And, according to recent work by the US Department of Health, persistent after-effects of coronavirus are likely to represent multiple syndromes resulting from different pathophysiological processes across the disease spectrum.

Today, the most common COVID-19 symptoms are already known to be:

• Pulmonary fibrosis or respiratory problems
• Very intense fatigue or exhaustion
• Chronic cough
• Sleep disturbances or insomnia
• Changes in blood pressure
• Joint pain
• Cardiac disturbances
• Memory impairment and concentration problems
• Depression or post-traumatic stress, anxiety, emotional disturbances
• Skin rashes or hair loss

In search of the best treatment for the post-COVID-19 patient

To date, there is no established diagnosis for ”long-haul” COVID-19. Therefore, preventive measures, rehabilitation techniques and clinical management strategies designed to address the long-term effects are urgently needed.

SHA Wellness Clinic proposes, from a clinical perspective, a multidisciplinary and integrative approach to the health issues resulting from COVID-19, by analysing the persistent symptoms and the treatment of each, as well as monitoring the evolution of the guest during and after the stay, in order to improve their quality of life.