After Effect of Covid - Ambhos

 On the facade, the ratio of the number of recovered patients to the number of cases who have succumbed to the disease is improving which should bring forth a ray of hope and relaxation among the people. But wait, there's something more to know. It should not be so for the hidden figures claim something more significant - around 90Po of the recovered patients complain about having symptoms or other health related issues even after recovering from the virus and testing negative.

 This is described as 'Post covid syndrome' or 'Long covid-19' and the people showing such symptoms are known as ' Longhaulers'. It does not depend upon the intensity of the disease. People infected even with milder versions of this disease are prone to develop these post covid symptoms. These include fatigue, fever, cough, shortness of breath, joint pain, brain fog, a pounding heartbeat, and so on. These conditions can last up to certain weeks or maybe months. A long-term effect of covid-19 can be organ damage, anxiety or post-traumatic stress syndrome, blood clot formation, and likewise. A brief insight of these after-effects of covid-19 is given below-

 1.  Organ Damage- Covid-19 is a respiratory syndrome, therefore, it highly affects the lungs. Tests even show that it can impact heart health. People who have or who have had covid-19 are at a higher risk of getting heart-related diseases or heart failure. Studies even prove that covid-19 makes people highly susceptible to developing Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease.

 2.  Fatigue- Patients who have recovered from covid -19 complain of tiredness or fatigue. They are unable to carry out their pre-covid routine efficiently.

 3.  Brain fog- It is characterized by the inability to efficiently take decisions or problems related to memory, loss of ability to concentrate accompanied by headaches. It might be due to side effects of medicines or feelings of loneliness due to isolation and such. Take plenty of sleep and eat well. This will subsequently subside.

 4.  Stress or anxiety- Many recovered patients show higher levels of stress or anxiety. People who were admitted in hospitals (on ventilators) have further increased levels of stress. This can be due to fear of losing their lives or maybe their loved ones. People treated in Intensive Care Units are more prone to developing PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome).

 5.  Joint pain or muscle pain- For most people post covid syndrome is synonymous to muscle pain, joint pain is more specifically pain in the chest.

 6.  Blood Clot form action- Covid-19 can increase blood clot formation inside our body. These blood clots besides affecting the heart, causing strokes or other heart diseases can even disturb the functioning of lungs and kidneys.

 7.  Breathlessness- Being respiratory syndrome, it affects the lungs the most. They cause damage to alveoli in the lungs causing problems in breathing.

8.  People also complain about tightness in the chest, fever, cough, dizziness, loss of taste and smell, and increased heartbeat. 

Since it is a new infection in mankind, not much can be said about its long-term effects. But with some of the established post covid effects stated here, the quotation- "Prevention is better than cure" stands reinforced. Though there are treatments available and you will get better if you have them, it is always better to be safe than sorry. So be safe, mask up and follow physical distancing. Above all, step up to serve humanity with all that you can but remember to be cautious and careful.