There are a wide range of symptoms associated with Long COVID. You may not have all of the symptoms listed below, but if you have more than two or three, it may be worth speaking to a doctor.
Signs and symptoms after coronavirus can vary from person to person. The most common symptoms include:
- cough
- fatigue
- breathlessness
- muscle and joint pain
- sleep problems
- loss of smell or taste
- low mood
- brain fog – loss of concentration or memory issues (cognitive impairment)
- anxiety
Most people’s symptoms of coronavirus get better within 4 weeks. But for some people, symptoms can last longer, or new ones can develop. Some people may experience the symptoms of long COVID for months or years. Symptoms can also change over time and can affect anywhere in the body.
Managing Symptoms
There is no single, standard treatment for Long COVID. Your healthcare professionals may provide you with treatment for individual symptoms. There are some things you can do to manage your own symptoms and support your own recovery. These include:
Pacing Yourself
One of the most important things in managing your symptoms is to listen to your body and not overdo it. Rather than pushing through pain and fatigue to try and do as much as possible, you should be careful to rest and give yourself a chance to recover. This also means that you should try to spread out work and activities where possible, doing a little bit at a time.
Tracking Your Symptoms
Keeping a diary of your symptoms can be a great tool. By looking back at information about when your symptoms are worst and when they are better, you can start to see patterns and highlight things that may trigger symptoms flare-ups. This lets you take steps to avoid these triggers in the future. Tracking your symptoms is also valuable when you come to talk to healthcare professionals, as it reminds you of symptoms you may have forgotten and helps to remind you how your symptoms appear in the moment.
Here is a personal story about Marissa’s Long COVID journey from NHS Inform:
