WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) – Doctors continue research into what is called ‘long COVID’ or ‘long distance COVID’. Long COVID refers to patients who had COVID-19 but did not recover for several weeks to months after first becoming ill.
Prolonged COVID symptoms can range from fatigue and brain fog to severe problems affecting the lungs, brain and heart. Doctors still do not know exactly why this is happening.
“I would say it’s a little surprising. You know that most other infectious conditions do not have that kind of post-infectious consequences,” said Dr. Nasia Safdar, medical director of infection control at UW Health, said.
Doctors have long said COVID is a concern and it is something they are urgently studying.
“They do think that many of these symptoms are related to excessive inflammation in the body,” said Dr. Julie Biller, a multispeciality clinic for Froedtert and the Medical College in Wisconsin, said after COVID.
The severity of illness when someone first had COVID-19 does not matter. Even if you are young, healthy and have only mild symptoms, doctors say that you can still be a “COVID long-hauler”.
“There is no virus present yet, it has been on the body for a long time, but these symptoms are still present,” Dr Safdar said.
Long COVID takes place here in our backyard, so much so that Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin have put together a clinic to treat various symptoms.
“I have probably seen almost 20 patients, even before we opened the clinic,” says Dr. Biller.
The clinic opened on Thursday 28 January and offers different treatments per case, ranging from medication to rehabilitation for people experiencing psychological symptoms.
“Clinical symptoms that were debilitating and reduced their quality of life and really impaired the normal functioning of everyday activities – it was the decision to open this clinic,” adds dr. Biller by.
Doctors say the only way people who have had COVID-19 know they have a long COVID is if they are experiencing the symptoms.
“Being in a brain fog, which is very common, and there are mental health situations that occur,” says Dr Safdar.
“They have shortness of breath, chest pain and many times they complain of burning when they breathe,” said Dr. Biller said.
Dr Biller says a medical study published in The Lancet this month found that 76 percent of Wuhan COVID-19 patients still experience at least one symptom six months after diagnosis, with the biggest symptom being weakness and fatigue.
“There are a lot of research labs that look at what’s going on in the body during COVID infections. Although there are things we know, there are still a lot we don’t know,” she said.
“The number of patients with long COVID is probably much higher than has been recognized so far,” says Dr Safdar.
Doctors say for the vast majority of people, symptoms will eventually go away, but to help relieve minor long COVID symptoms, meditation, good nutrition, rest and hydration are important.