For most healthy adults, a COVID infection means a few rough weeks of symptoms before recovery. But in at least 10% of all COVID cases, a few weeks stretches into months or years. Long COVID symptoms can make a return to normal life feel impossible. People who were once serious athletes can’t jog around the block, and executives who led companies can’t remember what they were doing 10 minutes ago.
Jeanette Brown, MD, PhD, who leads the Long COVID Clinic at University of Utah Health, says much has been learned since the first patients came forward with long COVID symptoms. But, she adds, research continues into what groups are most at risk for long COVID, how to treat it, and the range of symptoms and recovery.
What is long COVID?
Long COVID involves symptoms that happen days or weeks after the COVID virus is cleared from the body.
These symptoms can vary from person to person, and Brown says there are more than 50 different ones. But some symptoms are more common:
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Fatigue or tiredness, especially after physical or mental activity
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“Brain fog,” fuzzy thinking, or forgetfulness
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Rapid changes in heart rate
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Hives, swelling, and trouble breathing
How is long COVID treated?
Doctors treat long COVID by helping people manage their individual symptoms.
For people with symptoms like hives or swelling, antihistamines can be helpful. People who have brain fog may benefit from speech therapy. Physical therapy can help with tremors. Other medications can help regulate heart rate and blood pressure, Brown adds.
For people with difficulty exercising or doing routine activities, Brown recommends balancing activity with rest. Many people with long COVID feel even more fatigued after pushing themselves mentally or physically, and pushing too hard can delay recovery.
“If we can keep people from crashing longer and longer, it seems they do better,” Brown says.
Who’s at risk?
Unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people:
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COVID vaccines make it less likely you’ll get sick in the first place. They also reduce the risk of getting long COVID even if you do get sick. And recent research has found that more doses mean more protection.
Women:
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Women are more than 40% more likely to get long COVID than men. Researchers are currently trying to figure out why, but Brown says that differences in immune function and hormones may play a role.
I have long COVID. What can I do about it?
For people with long COVID, even those who may have suffered for years, it’s not too late to find care and support for symptoms. Brown encourages people with long COVID symptoms to seek out a reputable provider.
She emphasizes that while long COVID may have once been a mysterious collection of symptoms, better knowledge of the condition continues to improve people’s care prospects. “Some people may have experienced long COVID back in 2020 or 2021, when we were just learning on the fly,” she says. “We know quite a bit more now than we used to, and patients with long COVID don’t need to suffer alone.”