Long COVID

What is Long Covid?

Long Covid (sometimes called post-Covid syndrome) happens when Covid-19 symptoms carry on for more than 12 weeks after you first got ill. It's a new condition that doctors are still learning about, but there are treatments that can help.

What are the symptoms?

Long Covid symptoms are different for everyone. The most common ones include:

• Feeling extremely tired all the time
• Being out of breath easily
• Aching joints and muscles
• Problems remembering things or concentrating (often called "brain fog")

You might also have:

• High temperature or fever
• Blocked or runny nose
• Cough or sore throat
• Chest pain or feeling your heart beating fast
• Hair loss or skin rashes
• Headaches, dizziness, or feeling like the world is spinning
• Sudden confusion (especially in older people)
• Trouble sleeping
• Changes to your sight, hearing, smell, or taste
• Tummy pain or diarrhoea
• Feeling sick, losing weight, or not wanting to eat
• Pins and needles or aches in different parts of your body
• Feeling anxious or depressed

Your symptoms might get better and worse, or you might get new ones you've never had before. Many people find their symptoms get worse when they're stressed or have done too much activity.

When should you see your GP?

Speak to your GP if you think you might have Long Covid. They can help work out what's wrong and find the right support for you.

What tests might you need?

If your GP thinks you might have Long Covid, they'll ask about your symptoms and how long you've had them. You might have tests like:

• Blood pressure and heart rate checks
• Blood tests
• Tests to check oxygen levels in your blood
• Heart rhythm tests (ECG) or chest X-rays

Your GP might ask you to keep a diary to track your symptoms and what makes them better or worse. They might also send you to specialists at a Long Covid clinic.

What treatments are available?

There's no cure for Long Covid yet, but there are treatments that can help with your symptoms. A team of different healthcare professionals will work with you to create a plan that might include:

• Advice on managing tiredness
• Physiotherapy and breathing exercises
• Talking therapy for anxiety, depression, and tiredness
• Activities to help with memory and concentration
• Help with smell problems
• Diet and nutrition advice
• Apps to track your symptoms
• Support to help with practical and emotional needs

What can you do to help yourself?

• Work with your specialists to set recovery goals
• Keep a diary of what makes symptoms better or worse
• Get contact details for when you need help
• Speak to your GP if work is difficult
• Try to sleep and wake at the same times each day
• Move around regularly or take short walks if you can
• Use paracetamol or ibuprofen for muscle pain (ask a pharmacist for advice)
• Eat a balanced diet

Important: Don't start exercising again without talking to your GP or specialist first.

Recovery and support

Recovery time is different for everyone. Some symptoms improve quickly, others last longer. Long Covid can affect your daily life, work, and relationships, sometimes for years.

Support groups and charities like Long Covid SOS and Asthma and Lung UK can provide helpful information and connect you with others who understand what you're going through.

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Based on NHS.uk guidance. Written by Dr Krishnan Pasupathi, NHS GP.