Long COVID
Overview
Long COVID, sometimes called post-COVID syndrome, happens when the symptoms of COVID-19 last longer than 12 weeks. It's a new condition that's still being studied, but treatment can help.
Symptoms
Symptoms of long COVID can be different for everyone. The most common symptoms of long COVID include: feeling extremely tired (fatigue)shortness of breathjoint pain and aching musclesproblems with your memory and concentration, also called brain fog Other symptoms can include: a high temperaturea blocked or runny nosea cougha sore throatchest pain or tightness and noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)losing your hair and getting skin rashes, such ashivesheadaches, feeling dizzy and vertigosudden confusion (delirium), especially in older peopledifficulty sleeping (insomnia)changes to your senses, such as problems with your vision, earaches, hearing ringing sounds inside your ear (tinnitus), and differences in your sense of smell or tastetummy pain and diarrhoeafeeling or being sick, losing weight and not feeling like eatingpins and needles, and aches and pains in different parts of your bodyanxiety and depression Some symptoms may get better or come and go. You can also get new symptoms you have not had before. You may find your symptoms get worse if you're stressed or have been more active.
Treatment
There's currently no cure for long COVID and the condition is still being researched. But there are treatments that can help ease your symptoms. You'll be supported by a team of different healthcare professionals, who will look after your physical and mental health. Your team will work with you to create a plan to help with your symptoms. This may include: advice about how to manage tiredness (fatigue)physiotherapyand exercises to help with breathing and muscle paincognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)to help with anxiety, depression and fatigueactivities to improve your memory, concentration, thinking and mood (cognitive rehabilitation)help to try to improve your sense of smellhelp with diet and nutritionusing tools like apps to track your symptomsa specialist adviser who will help you access practical, emotional and social support depending on your needs (social prescribing)