Medical experts in Bahrain have urged ‘Long Covid’ sufferers to stay mentally positive and continue going for periodic check-ups, as research continues into the unknown nature of the condition.
Nowadays, most people with Covid-19 feel better within a few days or weeks of their first symptoms and make a full recovery within 12 weeks. For some people, however, symptoms can last longer.
Royal Bahrain Hospital top internal medicine specialist Dr Sunil Rao said it is considered a new condition which is still being studied. “There is no instant cure unfortunately, nor any valid options for treating Long Covid,” he said.
“In most cases, we try to suppress the symptoms, however, we cannot cure the underlying cause of it.
“The nature of Covid-19 unfortunately makes it difficult, so that is why it is important for patients to continue having periodic check-ups with their physician.
“There are targeted therapies but they are still under study.
“Those who have had a more severe bout of Covid-19 appear to have a higher chance of getting Long Covid. Those who have been hospitalised, or were on oxygen therapy, were also vulnerable, and so are people with underlying health conditions.”
Long Covid, also known as post Covid-19 syndrome and Long Haul Covid, covers a group of symptoms involving one or more organ systems in the body following an infection with the coronavirus-type 2 or SARS-COV2.
Symptoms vary from mild to debilitating and involves multiple non-respiratory illnesses, in contrast to primary Covid which is mostly a respiratory illness.
Symptoms of Long Covid include:
• Chronic pain
• Brain fog
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Intense fatigue
• And, heart palpitations
The symptoms usually start about four to 12 weeks from the initial infection and can sometimes last more than a year.
Worryingly, long-term effects include type-2 diabetes, cognitive impairment, thrombotic disorders such as blood clots, heart disease, chronic fatigue syndrome and cerebrovascular events such as stroke, brain damage such as encephalomyelitis and more.
New Covid-19 variants, spreading across the globe, are reportedly milder but have a greater ability to bypass people’s immune defences and infect the upper respiratory tract, causing a runny nose, sore throat, and other cold-like symptoms, as opposed to lower respiratory tract symptoms. But people 65 or older or who have a weak immune system are at higher risk of the virus travelling to the lower respiratory tract, causing severe illness.
A study published last week in the UK stated that MRI scans revealed that patients with the illness were three times more likely to develop abnormalities in multiple organs.
The study, published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine, looked at 259 patients who were hospitalised with the virus.
MRI scans of major organs were carried out five months after patients were discharged. The scans revealed significant differences between organs in people with Long Covid and that of people who had never had the illness.
The biggest impact was seen on the lungs, which was 14 times more likely to show abnormalities, which is why Dr Rao reiterated the need for check-ups. “Evaluation under a physician for common causes of Long Covid is necessary,” he added. “While specific therapies may not be currently available, at least we can try to suppress the symptoms.”
According to American Mission Hospital pulmonologist and internal medicine specialist Dr Chellaraja Chellasamy, some symptoms may continue even after the person recovers from the virus.
“Symptoms may persist,” he told the GDN. “The majority are related to the brain and lungs, which can result in difficulty in concentrating, headaches, sleep disturbance and a persistent cough.
“Thankfully, in many cases it does eventually abate over time, but evaluation from a physician or pulmonologist is still necessary for the patient’s own well-being.
“It is more common in individuals who have not been fully vaccinated. It also becomes more severe for those co-existing with illnesses such as diabetes.
“The disease is still unpredictable. Therefore, patients with symptoms that affect their usual lifestyle or work should get checked by their doctor, promptly and periodically.”
The first verified case of Covid-19 in Bahrain was recorded in February 2020, after a Bahraini school bus driver tested positive for the virus, having just returned from Iran via Dubai.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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