'Long COVID': Why Are Some People Not Recovering?

Even if the virus has been cleared from the body, but some continue to remain infected due to low immune response. Some complaint of exertion even after a short walk. So far, the focus has been on saving lives during the pandemic, but with a growing recognition that people are facing long-term consequences of a Covid-19 infection, there is a need to revamp.

Dr.A.K. ARUN, M.D.(Homoeopathy), aDelhi-basedpracticing Homoeopath and researcher and the Vice Chairman oftheBoard of Homoeopathic System of Medicine, Govt. of NCT Delhi shares some interesting insights.

It is Corona time. Being a physician & homeopath, I am experiencing many new things in my clinic. One of my patients tested positive for Corona more than a month ago. This condition is known as "long Covid". It creates a debilitating effect on people's lives. He is complaining of exertion even after a short walk. So far, the focus has been on saving lives during the pandemic, but there is now a growing recognition that people are facing long-term consequences of a Covid-19 infection.

What is Long COVID?

There is no medical definition of ‘Long Covid’ is available yet however, the most common feature is crippling fatigue. Other symptoms include breathlessness, a cough that won't go away, joint pain, muscle aches, hearing and eyesight problems, headaches, the new loss of smell and taste as well as damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, and gut.

Mental health problems have been reported including depression, anxiety, fear of death, fear of being alone, and struggling to think clearly.

It can utterly destroy people's quality of life. "My fatigue was like nothing I've experienced before," said my patient Mr. Singhal (name changed).

Long Covid is not just people taking time to recover from a stay in intensive care. Even people with relatively mild infections can be left with lasting and severe health problems. One in 10 people still has COVID-19 symptoms after 3 weeks.”

One study in the United Kingdom shows that around four million people in the UK found 12% of people still had symptoms after 30 days. Its latest, unpublished data, suggests as many as one in 50 (2%) of all people infected have long-Covid symptoms after 90 days.

How is the virus causing long COVID?

The virus may have been cleared from most of the body, but continues to linger in some small pockets.

"If there's long-term diarrhea then you find the virus in the gut, if there's the loss of smell it is in the nerves - so that could be what's causing the problem," says Prof Tim Spector, from King's College London. The coronavirus can directly infect a wide variety of cells in the body and trigger an overactive immune response which also causes damage throughout the body.

The World Health Organization has warned that widespread inflammation caused by coronavirus could lead to people having heart problems at a much younger age.

What should I do if I feel that I have a long COVID?

It recommends the "Three Ps" in order to conserve energy:

• Pace yourself so you don't push yourself too hard, and make sure you have plenty of rest
• Planyour days so your most tiring activities are spread out across the week
• Prioritize- think about what you need to do and what can be put off

It advises speaking to either your hospital or your physician if you are not recovering as quickly as you might expect.

Living with long COVID

Those who become ill with milder forms of COVID-19 are expected to recover in around 2 weeks. But an increasing number of people say they experience symptoms months after the initial illness is supposed to have worn off. This phenomenon, dubbed “long COVID,” has puzzled scientists and left those affected feeling drained and unsupported.

Homeopathy is helping

In my practice, one or two patients in a day are complaining of long illness with Covid-19 have been positive for more thanthe last three weeks. In most cases,I am usinghomeopathicmedicine & gettinga good response. Medicines are Arsenicum album, Acid Sarcolacticum, Belladonna, Bryonia, Camphora, Occilococinum,etc.according to patients’ individuality.

(Note- Homoeopathic medicine must be taken strictly under the guidance ofaqualifiedhomeopathicphysician.)

For more queries, reach out to Dr. A.K. Arun atdocarun2@gmail.com