Long Covid is typically diagnosed when symptoms last longer than 12 weeks
Usually, individuals recover from a coronavirus infection within a few weeks after symptoms first appear. However, some pesky symptoms can be harder to shift – and could be a sign you’re suffering with long Covid.
NHS guidance emphasises that some people can be affected by a more serious illness and their symptoms can persist for much longer. Long Covid, also known as post-COVID syndrome, is typically diagnosed when the symptoms of a Covid infection last longer than 12 weeks.
The full effects of the illness are still being discovered, with the NHS noting that it’s a new condition that is still being researched. Long Covid can be harder to identify for some as the symptoms can vary from person to person.
Common symptoms of long Covid
Symptoms of long Covid vary from person for person, and could be mistaken for a common cold or flu. For instance, a sore throat and runny nose could indicate that you either have a cold or long Covid, depending on how long you’ve been experiencing the symptoms, reports the Mirror.
Other symptoms can include:
- Problems with your memory and concentration, also called brain fog
- Shortness of breath
- Joint pain and aching muscles
- Feeling extremely tired (fatigue)
- Losing your hair and getting skin rashes, such as hives
- A blocked or runny nose
- Headaches, feeling dizzy and vertigo
- Pins and needles, and aches and pains in different parts of your body
- A cough
- Tummy pain and diarrhoea
- Feeling or being sick, losing weight and not feeling like eating
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- A high temperature
- 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 taste
- Anxiety and depression
- A sore throat
- Sudden confusion (delirium), especially in older people
- Chest pain or tightness and noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)
Find out if you have long Covid
Because long Covid can have a wide range of symptoms, it is first advised that you speak to your GP if you suspect you have it. Typically, a GP will ask you about your symptoms and how long you’ve had them to assist with a diagnosis.
Your GP may also decide to carry out a number of tests to rule out other causes of your symptoms, such as a blood test. They may also measure your heart rate and oxygen levels in your blood.
You could also be referred to undergo further tests such an ECG or an X-ray. In some cases, this may be carried out by a team of specialists at a post-COVID syndrome service. Further details on NHS advice surrounding long-Covid can be found here.
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